A Final Word

This chapter examines the factors that combined to make this book possible, in particular the enormous volume of newspapers and periodicals published in the second half of the nineteenth century, which provided a substantial collection of primary sources for the research. The press had a pervasive presence, growing ever more ubiquitous as ‘new journalism’ created reader-friendly, engaging content, which informed, entertained, and thrilled the ever-expanding market of readers. Witchcraft was a common feature of the Victorian press, effortlessly filling whatever place the narrative required in the ever-increasing demands of newspaper editors for thrilling, scandalous, and popular content.