A history of English lotteries : $b now for the first time written

Description

"Lord Lister No. 0037: De Diamantenkoningin" by Kurt Matull and Theo von Blankensee is a serialized crime adventure novel written in the early 20th century. It likely revolves around a high-stakes clash between the suave master-thief Lord Lister and a formidable “Diamond Queen,” promising heists, disguises, and café-society intrigue for readers of fast-paced pulp suspense. The opening of the work presents a meticulous historical survey of English lotteries. It begins with a preface outlining sources and aims, then sketches the ancient practice of casting lots before detailing England’s first recorded lottery under Elizabeth I (with elaborate prizes, “posies” or mottoes for anonymity, and repeated proclamations to spur sluggish subscriptions). Early chapters trace civic and courtly lotteries—from an armor lottery (1585) and a playful royal “lottery” at Harefield (1602) to the Virginia Company lottery (1612), water-supply schemes, funds for fishing fleets, ransoming captives, and aid to maimed soldiers—alongside controversies over gambling concessions like the “Royal Oak.” The narrative follows periodic crackdowns and revivals, culminating in state-run lotteries used to finance public works, notably Westminster Bridge and the British Museum, and exposes abuses such as Peter Leheup’s ticket scandal. It also captures the public mania and poor odds—highlighting the “Guinea” Lottery with eighty-seven blanks to a prize, a clerk driven mad over a disputed ticket, prayers for success from the pulpit, an innkeeper’s windfall, and even a ticket sold twice. Overall, the beginning maps how lotteries shifted from moral curiosity to fiscal instrument, with vivid anecdotes illustrating their social reach and risks. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Subjects

• Lotteries -- Great Britain
• HG