The Young Apprentice; or, The Watch-Words of Old London

About this issue

This penny dreadful installment, dated 1868, presents the opening of "Book I: The Man Without a Name." The featured narrative follows Harold, a river boy living rough in seventeenth-century London during the plague year of 1645. The tale combines gothic mystery with melodrama: a cry for murder draws Harold to an ancient, allegedly haunted mansion in Strand Lane overlooking the Thames. He discovers an assassin murdering an elderly man, demanding he reveal his name and the location of a hidden will. The murderer flees before Harold arrives with a small tin lamp. The story emphasizes period atmosphere—plague-ridden London, superstitious inhabitants, Restoration-era political history—and delivers action through vivid sensory detail. A prize-drawing promotion advertises watches and gold chains to subscribers. Additional advertisements announce a new illustrated edition of Valentine Vox, the Ventriloquist with colored engravings and further prizes.