At the Sign of the Barber's Pole - Studies In Hirsute History

Preface by Author:

Connected with the barber and his calling are many curiosities of history. In the following pages, an attempt has been made, and I trust not without success, to bring together notices of the more interesting matters that gather round the man and his trade.

In the compilation of this little book many works have been consulted, and among those which have yielded me the most information must be mentioned. Notes and Queries, and other periodicals, as well as encyclopædias, books on costume, and old plays, have been drawn upon, and numerous friends have supplied me with information. I must specially mention with gratitude Mr Everard Home Coleman, the well-known contributor to Notes and Queries.

Some of my chapters have been previously published in the magazines, but all have been carefully revised and additions have been made to them. In conclusion, I hope this work will prove a welcome contribution to the byways of history.