Two Stories. The Mare’s Nest, The Long Shadow.
by John Hampson.
London, E Lahr, Hand printed at the Blue moon Press Blue Moon, Octavos No 1 Limited Edition, 1931. 8vo. 30pp. Decorated title page. Unopened. In quarter blue cloth with white boards in cream printed dust wrapper. Wrapper somewhat marked and rubbed otherwise a very good copy. Number 154 of a Limited Edition of 250 copies signed by the Author.
Charles Lahr (1885-1971), political activist and publisher, took over the Progressive Bookshop at 68 Red Lion Square, Holborn, in 1921. This became a centre for political radicals and new authors.
After earlier publishing efforts he started the Blue Moon Booklets in 1930 and a year later the Blue Moon Press with this volume. By 1933 however, he was in financial difficulty, his literary friends put together a volume to assist him, he went to prison for 6 months in 1935 and thereafter could only continue publishing in a small way – the shop remained a centre for radicals and revolutionaries.
Hogarth Press had an unexpected success with Hampson’s first novel, Saturday Night at the Greyhound. He wrote 5 more, not as successful and also short stories. John Frederick Norman Hampson Simpson (26 March 1901 – 26 December 1955), who wrote as John Hampson, was an English novelist. He was a member of the Birmingham Group of working class authors which included Walter Allen, Leslie Halward, Walter Brierley and Peter Chamberlain.
Private Press & Wood Engraved Books 