PLAYFORD (Francis).
Practical Hints for Investing Money: with an Explanation of the Mode of Transacting Business on the Stock Exchange.
A popular and frequently reprinted investment guide, originally published in 1855, by Francis Playford (1825-1896), best-known as an accomplished rower.
‘Playford’s became a standard text, reaching its sixth edition in 1869. This may be partly because it broke with the monotonous catalogue-like structure of rival handbooks, opting instead for short, themed chapters on practical matters, from the remuneration of brokers to the causes of fluctuations in the price of stocks. This may have rendered it more convenient to use, and reviews praised Playford’s ability to unravel “in language which is intelligible to the most ‘unbusinesslike’ mind, all the mysteries of Capel Court”.’ (Crosthwaite, Invested, p. 71).
