14 Bike Co / 14 Bike Company / Shop Fourteen

Hi!

I am writing to ask if there is any possibility of having a quick chat with a cycle courier about the nature of their work. I am studying a degree in Anthropology at Goldsmiths college, this would aid me in one of my modules (the Anthropology of London). If you know of the best possibile person to ask it would be of great help to me.

I would suggest, billie, you try to get in touch with Ben Fincham, or just use his PhD on the working life of couriers as a resource. You should be able to find it's proper title if you searched Moving Target for terms like 'Ben Fincham' or 'PhD in couriers what the fuck!?' I think he was at Swansea when he did the study, it was finished a few years back, perhaps 2004 ish.

Good luck. You should perhaps be told that you won't be the first: seems to me a lot of couriers are probably bored shitless of people wanting to photograph, film, write about or study them and won't want to help you.