The Condition of the Working-Class in England in 1844: with a Preface written in 1892Engels, Friedrich
History
The Condition of the Working-Class in England in 1844: with a Preface written in 1892
Engels, Friedrich
Great Britain -- Economic conditions; Working class -- Great Britain
highways leading into the cities, on which there is a great deal of
waggon traffic, a large number of people may be seen with small carts,
gathering fresh horse-dung at the risk of their lives among the passing
coaches and omnibuses, often paying a couple of shillings a week to the
authorities for the privilege. But this occupation is forbidden in many
places, because the ordinary street-sweepings thus impoverished cannot be
sold as manure. Happy are such of the "surplus" as can obtain a push-
cart and go about with it. Happier still those to whom it is vouchsafed
to possess an ass in addition to the cart. The ass must get his own food
or is given a little gathered refuse, and can yet bring in a trifle of
money. Most of the "surplus" betake themselves to huckstering. On
Saturday afternoons, especially, when the whole working population is on
the streets, the crowd who live from huckstering and peddling may be
seen. Shoe and corset laces, braces, twine, cakes, oranges, every kind
of small articles are offered by men, women, and children; and at other
times also, such peddlers are always to be seen standing at the street
corners, or going about with cakes and ginger-beer or nettle-beer.
Matches and such things, sealing-wax, and patent mixtures for lighting
fires are further resources of such venders. Others, so-called jobbers,
go about the streets seeking small jobs. Many of these succeed in
getting a day's work, many are not so fortunate.
"At the gates of all the London docks," says the Rev. W. Champney,
preacher of the East End, "hundreds of the poor appear every morning
in winter before daybreak, in the hope of getting a day's work. They
await the opening of the gates; and, when the youngest and strongest
and best known have been engaged, hundreds cast down by disappointed
hope, go back to their wretched homes."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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