[A late-Victorian mock-heroic poem set in Staines, Middlesex.] Printed pamphlet: 'The Battle of Black Boy Lane. A Panegyrical, Satirical, Serio-Comical, Dramatical Poem. By John Hall'.

This unusual item is scarce: no copy has been located on OCLC WorldCat, and no reference to the poem has been discovered. Not dated, but the printer was active at the end of the nineteenth century: two other items at least were printed by 'C. Oswald' in Staines, one in 1887 and the other in 1898. Its subject is now obscure, but perhaps may be illuminated by the local historian. 8pp, 12mo. Stapled. Aged, worn and creased, with closed tear at foot of fold to outer bifolium. The label of 'The Oliver Collection' is at the head of the front cover, beside damage caused by the removal of another library label. Latin motto below title on front cover, which bears the price twopence. The second page carries a 'Preface', in which the author justifies his decision to select 'his characters from a circle so lowly' on the authority of 'Homer and Virgil'. He also refers to 'the labours of a certain reverend gentleman who in describing the most exalted points in our parish, could get no further than the legs of the table he was writing upon'. The poem is a capable effort in heroic couplets – covering six pages in small print. It appears to concern some sort of conflict between women (over horses?), and from the first shows the influence of Pope's 'Rape of the Lock': 'Fast from that stream whose waves for ever flock | From classic Oxford down to Puddle Dock, | Upon whose breast the sturdy boatman plies | His craft, a pile of bricks is seen to rise.' At the centre of the poem are a host of lost references, treated in a style recalling the 'Dunciad': 'First in the field, and tall as Stanwell spire, | Sedgwick rushed on, her soul was all on fire! | With her Brown Wilder, Giblet Chapman, came, | Called by the glorious voice of deathless fame, | By Friendship's silken banner together strung, | Each long of limb, but longer in the tongue; | But Lydia Pennel, though both tall and strong, | Had tender corns, and wisely shunned the throng. || Nor tarried Nixon, but with equal rage, | Her firm allies, all eager to engage, | Came thundering on in proud and goodly show, | With fingers itching to attack the foe. | […] in her train was Wooden, great in arms, | Bold Martin Biddle, and fierce Spider Barnes'. Other individuals mentioned are 'Hodge' and 'Charley G – k'. The poem ends with 'tall Sedgwick, urged by wild despair', catching 'her fierce rival by a lock of hair', and pulling her 'to earth (enough to break her bones)', and banging 'her head upon the pavement-stones': 'Then conquered Nixon, breathed a fervent prayer, | “The prize is your's – but Oh, my shoulders spare; | From this day forth, I'll Presto's graces shun | And stand three quarterns to your single one.”' For administrative purposes Staines-upon-Thames is now said to be in Surrey.