Emily Cockayne

Social historian Dr Emily Cockayne looks back at the history of the poison pen and explains how nasty unsigned messages can turn into an epidemic and that the anxieties of the internet age may not be as new as we think.

Cockayne looks back as far as the 18th century to uncover scandal, deception, class enmity, personal tragedy, and great loneliness. She finds messages that were at times accusatory, libellous, and bizarre. And she shows how the history of the poison pen letter was influenced by technology, new postal networks, forensic techniques, and the emergence of police. Who wrote these letters and why? And how did society judge them?

Cockayne is associate professor in early modern history at the University of East Anglia and author of Hubbub; Cheek by Jowl, A History of Neighbours; and Rummage. She was a consultant for the film, Wicked Little Letters, starring Olivia Coleman, about the Littlehampton Libels, which feature in Penning Poison.