The publication which eventually carried the name Letters to Ambrose Merton first appeared in November 1986 as Forum. It was described as the newsletter of the British Folk Studies Forum. This was a rather loose grouping of folklorists with a particular interest in contemporary folklore. The editor, or compiler, as she preferred to be called, was Gillian Bennett. After four issues the name was changed to Dear Mr Thoms… This name was a reference to William Thoms, who in 1846 had first used to term “folklore” while advocating the collection of what until then would have been called “popular antiquities”. After 36 issues had been published, the name was again changed, “Ambrose Merton” being the pseudonym Thoms had written under. This transition corresponded with the newsletter becoming an officially registered periodical, by obtaining an ISSBN number, 1357-4787. By this time I had begun to share the editing with Gillian, and when she became the editor of the journal, Folklore, she handed over responsibility to David Cornwell and myself. We shared the editing until the final issue, Number 28, Summer 2002.

Forum and the early issues of Dear Mr Thoms…, up to Number 17, were photocopied sheets stapled together. From Dear Mr Thoms…18 until 36 and Letters to Ambrose Merton 1 to 28, the newsletters were produced by computer-based word processing. This technological advance probably made the periodical easier to handle and to read. However, the growth in the use of computers was associated an enormous increase in the use of the internet. This was a major contributor to the death of Letters to Ambrose Merton. As explained in a valedictory editorial in number 27: “Most of our contributions in recent years have been submitted by e-mail and e-mail communications has become a regular topic”.

The contents of the newsletter varied a great deal. “Contemporary folklore” would be the most appropriate general description, although there were occasional contributions on traditional lore. Urban legend is probably the most widely known and studied form of contemporary folklore, but humour, superstition, photocopylore and commercial popular culture were also included. This was largely determined by the interests of the contributors.

Only a small number of libraries subscribed to the newsletter, which means that the contents are very difficult for most people, other than original subscribers, to access. Accordingly, it was decided to make some of the contents available on the internet. It has not been feasible to reproduce all of the content, some of which in any case was possibly of only ephemeral interest.

It is intended to gradually build up the content of this site. Initially, items have been selected partly on the basis of availability (some electronic version have been lost) and partly on the basis of my judgement. Suggestions to overcome gaps are welcome.

This site is an archive. We are not soliciting contributions. However, occasionally contemporary notes may be added to put one of these “historical” entries in the context of current knowledge.

Sandy Hobbs