a field student of ghosts in the machinations

Here is an offering to the hauntological dumping ground which is, Found Objects. I picked up 'Ghosts of London' (Jack Hallam) today at the very excellent Walden Books on Harmood Street, Camden.

This 1975 publication maps some of London and the Home Counties' ghosts, or rather, hauntings. Closest to home for a field student of E17 is the ghost of highwayman, Dick Turpin (d. 1739). The 'overworked spectre of Dick Turpin' was seen near Chingford Mount Cemetery, making it's weary way home after sorties in, 'The Great Forest of Waltham' - or, as it was in 1975, and is now, the London Borough of Waltham Forest.

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What has become of the 'great' in Waltham's Forest? I suspect a malevolent spirit of Dick Turpin (aka, Robbin' the 'Hoods) has infiltrated the corridors of local governance, adopting more sophisticated practices. Over in the Archipelago of Truth,

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http://archipelago-of-truth.blog.co.uk/2011/02/17/fraud-at-waltham-forest-council-10613211/#comments

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Technomist hopes a particular location/institution will be the subject of a police investigation. If this is left to police commanders, will the crime show up on POLICE.uk?

Freewheeler has taken more direct bloggist action to identify an allegedly criminal dissonant organisation, concerning an initiative,  or a lack of initiative, to improve our neighbourhoods -

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmjPNbfc40TVJcVW0HhOKSJ_1qfjw9CDmtLc5ELZZArZ1DqmoV8MAv10U7P-vHSKucPoRhzK30-VoBblp3a8GGIRQzk857Hs3Lr34M5sTL6ah2tO0i0glOwgm5wl9VNV3d4zedeBq9WwRx/s1600/council+poster.JPG

I wonder if the administration responsible for the alleged fraud and waste could be romanticized. Could, or do, we have the equivalent of an Essex Gang - a bunch of peculiarly likeable/voteable (?) rogues plundering our civic coffers? For this though, would there would have to be some evidence of the antics funded by the missing millions? What has happened to the missing millions? I suspect, sadly, 'we' will not be treated to the paradoxically entertaining and distracting follies of moats and duck-houses as recompense for our collective deprivation.

Perhaps nothing so conventional as embezzlement for personal material gain has taken place. In my mind I picture money burning parties rendered in the style of early 19th century cartoonist, William Heath.