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Can anybody help me with the meaning of the above word as used in Bram Stoker's 'Dracula?'?  It occurs at the beginning of chapter V, in the first letter sent by Lucy Westenra to Mina Murray, and the context is as follows:

" As to the tall, curly-haired man, I suppose it was the one who was with me at the last Pop.  Someone has evidently been telling tales.  That was Mr. Holmwood."

The word is capitalised in the original.  I have no idea why this should be so, or what it would have meant in 1897.  Any ideas?

(03-25-2015, 03:46 PM)skinthegoat Wrote: [ -> ]Can anybody help me with the meaning of the above word as used in Bram Stoker's 'Dracula?'?  It occurs at the beginning of chapter V, in the first letter sent by Lucy Westenra to Mina Murray, and the context is as follows:

" As to the tall, curly-haired man, I suppose it was the one who was with me at the last Pop.  Someone has evidently been telling tales.  That was Mr. Holmwood."

The word is capitalised in the original.  I have no idea why this should be so, or what it would have meant in 1897.  Any ideas?

The Pops & Ballads concerts ("pops" = popular) were held at St. James's Hall on Saturday afternoons and Monday evenings during the winter season in London, beginning in 1861.  The singular form "Pop" was also in use at the time.  These concerts are described in Charles Dickens, Jr's Dictionary of London (1888) as being extremely well-attended.

The Pops are still well-attended today.