My thanks for the support, energy, creativity and not least, the patience of my brilliant agent, Oli Munson. Thanks to all at A.M. Heath, including Florence Rees and Jennifer Custer. And a special mention for Becky Brown, for early reading and suggestions.
Great appreciation and respect for my editor, the stellar Jenny Parrott, whose care and attention coaxed more out of me than I thought possible, and whose close work helped bring the manuscript to more vibrancy. She did all that with amazingly good humour. Thanks to Paul Nash and all the dynamic team at Point Blank/Oneworld including the wizard Mark Rusher, and James Jones, Margot Weale, Thanhmai Bui-Van, Cailin Neal, Kate Bland and James Magniac. Kudos to my copyeditor, Emily Thomas, whose eagle-eyed, thoughtful and face-saving (mine) attention to detail was remarkable.
Warm thanks for her encouragement and expertise to Denise Stewart, who kindly and generously drew upon her impressive, vast experience to steer me away from pitfalls.
How fortunate and grateful I was for the facilities and staff of the British Library, the Wellcome Library, the Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre, and to the London Metropolitan Archives. For their particular help with other aspects of research I am grateful to Neil Handley, curator of the British Optical Assocation Museum, Michael Ridpath and Brian Parsons. Paul Talling and his Derelict London guided walks in Limehouse and Wapping opened my eyes and spurred my imagination. Thanks, Paul.
For friendship, hospitality and wise counsel thanks to Kate Colquhoun, Lisa Highton, Britt Berge, and Jason Hewitt, for communing over bottomless cups of tea and coffee. To the gracious Eveline Carn, thank you for allowing a stranger to visit your home. Admiration for and thanks to the taxi driver, who, when I said, ‘Follow that taxi!’ did not hesitate or ask questions.
Finally, heartfelt thanks to Malcolm for his unwavering support and understanding.