- Listenly
- Browse
- Authors
- Henry Mayhew
- London Labour and the London Poor, Vol. 1
Chapters
21 totalLONDON LABOUR AND THE LONDON POOR
CONTENTS OF VOLUME I.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
PREFACE.
Of Wandering Tribes in General.
OF THE STREET-SELLERS OF FISH. - Of the Kind and Quantities of Fish sold by the London Costermongers.
OF THE STREET-SELLERS OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. - Of the Kinds and Quantity of Fruit and Vegetables sold in the Streets.
OF THE STATIONARY STREET-SELLERS OF FISH, FRUIT, AND VEGETABLES. - Of the Number of Street Stalls.
OF THE STREET-IRISH.
OF THE STREET-SELLERS OF GAME, POULTRY (LIVE AND DEAD), RABBITS, BUTTER, CHEESE, AND EGGS.
Description
A vivid portrait of mid‑Victorian London emerges from this expansive study of the city’s street‑folk. Drawing on firsthand interviews, observations and dozens of photographs, the author documents the daily lives of costermongers, fish‑ and fruit‑vendors, itinerant performers, and countless other laborers who eked out a living on the bustling thoroughfares. The work reads like a living encyclopedia, detailing everything from earnings and working conditions to the homes and families that shaped each trade.
The volume offers a rare glimpse into the world of those often overlooked by official records, presenting their own words and experiences without romanticisation. Readers encounter the colorful personalities of street sellers, the rhythms of their routines, and the subtle economies that sustained them. The accompanying illustrations bring these characters to life, turning statistics into memorable faces.
Beyond raw data, the book reflects on the broader social forces that moulded the metropolis—poverty, migration, and the relentless demand for cheap goods and entertainment. It serves as both a historical record and a compassionate exploration of humanity thriving at the edges of a rapidly changing city.
Collections
Browse allDetails
Language
en
Duration
~48 hours (2794K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Henry Flower, Jonathan Ingram, Suzanne Lybarger, the booksmiths at eBookForge and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2017-11-19
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
About the author
Henry Mayhew
1812–1887
Best known for his vivid portrait of Victorian street life, this pioneering journalist brought the voices of working Londoners onto the page with unusual curiosity and compassion. He also helped found Punch, linking sharp social observation with wit and reform-minded energy.
View all booksYou may also like
London Labour and the London Poor, Vol. 3
by Henry Mayhew
London Labour and the London Poor, Vol. 2
by Henry Mayhew
The Comic Almanack, Volume 1 An Ephemeris in Jest and Earnest, Containing Merry Tales, Humerous Poetry, Quips, and Oddities
by William Makepeace Thackeray, Gilbert Abbott À Beckett, Henry Mayhew, Horace Mayhew, Albert Smith
The Comic Almanack, Volume 2 An Ephemeris in Jest and Earnest, Containing Merry Tales, Humerous Poetry, Quips, and Oddities
by William Makepeace Thackeray, Gilbert Abbott À Beckett, Henry Mayhew, Horace Mayhew, Albert Smith
London Labour and the London Poor, Vol. 4
by Henry Mayhew
The Greatest Plague of Life: or, the Adventures of a Lady in Search of a Good Servant.
by Augustus Mayhew, Henry Mayhew
