The Lambs of London was published by Chatto & Windus in 2004. The novel reimagines the lives of Charles and Mary Lamb in the 1790s, focusing on their encounter with William Henry Ireland, a young clerk who forges a series of Shakespeare documents — letters, legal papers, and eventually an entire “lost” play. The Lambs, particularly Mary (who in real life would kill their mother in a fit of madness), are drawn into Ireland’s web by their desperate need to believe in the survival of genius.
The novel combined two of Ackroyd’s enduring obsessions: literary forgery (as in Chatterton) and the spiritual life of London’s literary community.
Collecting The Lambs of London
First edition (Chatto & Windus, London, 2004): Boards with dust jacket.
Market values:
- UK first edition, fine in jacket: $20–$50
- US first edition (Nan A. Talese): $10–$25
Projected values (2026–2036): Modest appreciation.
Literary Forgery
The Lambs of London (2004) fictionalises the relationship between Charles and Mary Lamb and William Henry Ireland, the notorious forger of Shakespeare documents. Ackroyd returns to his favourite theme — the relationship between genuine art and forgery, between original and imitation — and adds the dark history of Mary Lamb, who famously killed her mother in a fit of madness and was cared for by her brother for the rest of her life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Ackroyd drawn to forgers? Forgery is central to Ackroyd’s vision of English literature as a continuous tradition. Chatterton, Ireland, and the Ern Malley hoaxers raise the question he finds most fascinating: can a fake contain genuine art? If a forged medieval poem moves readers as deeply as a real one, what exactly is the difference?