I recently acquired a small collection of Soho typescripts and handmade publications from a private collection. Their content is dubious to say the least.
Soho typescripts from the 1950s and 60s. They were typically typewritten and then stencil-duplicated before being stapled into card covers.
These books were sold from the back rooms of Soho bookshops and under the counter by other second-hand dealers. They were popular and expensive at the time, but few remain today. Content typically consisted of two or three pornographic stories, often accompanied by drawings and photographs that were frequently unrelated to the narrative.
Content was very varied, with some of it being very questionable indeed. Popular topics included teenage sex, flagellation, lesbianism, femdom, and straight sex, but often at the extreme end of what might have been considered socially acceptable at the time, with a great deal of it definitely not acceptable in today’s world.
Most of these have now long disappeared into dark cupboards or have just been destroyed, and so are now very collectible. Some research on their origins and content has been done from a social history point of view. If you are interested in digging deeper, then check out the links below.
The Secret Porn of Post War London – The Soho Bibles.
Taylor & Francis – Porn Studies, available online here.