A mudlarker famous for recovering historical treasures from the banks of the Thames will give a talk at Southwark Cathedral next month.
Lara Maiklem, who has scoured the river for twenty years in search of antiquaries, will give the one-and-a-half hour talk at 7pm on Thursday 5 May 2022.
She will be joined by a British sign language interpreter.
As a practice, ‘mudlarking’ arose in the 18th century when impoverished peasants would search the boggy Thames shores for anything that could be sold.
Today, it is a recognised hobby, with official mudlarkers requiring a license from the Port of London Authority.
Lara, whose passion for the practice has seen her appear on various TV and radio shows, has previously discovered glass eyes, Charles I shillings and Tudor shoes.
But sometimes, these aren’t treasures to keep. Law dictates that the most valuable finds must be reported to the British Museum.
Lara’s talk will be followed by an audience Q&A, with copies of her book ‘Mudlarking: Lost and Found on the River Thames and A Field Guide to Larking’ for sale at a special price.
Last year, Southwark Cathedral held an exhibition called ‘Larking: The Thames and Beyond’ – which displayed a collection of Lara’s discoveries.
As well as more common findings – nails, pottery and buttons – visitors gawped at Roman auxiliary scabbards and iron age pots.
The Cathedral has an ancient connection with the Thames’ submerged artefacts.
In Medieval times, pilgrims who went to Canterbury to visit the shrine of St Thomas Becket would often buy a buy a pin badge with an image of Becket.
They would leave from Southwark Cathedral and, on their return, often toss the badge into the Thames as a token of safe return.
The talk is at 7pm on Thursday 5 May 2022 at Southwark Cathedral. Tickets cost £10. Buy them here: https://cathedral.southwark.anglican.org/whats-on/mudlarking-an-evening-with-lara-maiklem-with-bsl/
- READ MORE – See a previous article below on from Southwark News on plans for a mudlarking museum
A long read: See the lost treasures of the Thames in a book and possibly a museum