London Labour and the London Poor

London Labour and the London Poor is a work by Henry Mayhew that explores the lives of the urban poor in 19th-century London. Originally published in 1851 as a series of articles for the Morning Chronicle newspaper, it is a pioneering example of investigative journalism and sociological analysis. The work’s significance lies in its groundbreaking approach to documenting social issues. Mayhew interviewed various individuals, including street vendors, beggars, laborers, and sex workers, to understand their daily struggles, work conditions, and personal stories. His work contributed to a more nuanced understanding of poverty, labor, and social inequality during a time of rapid urbanization and industrialization—and laid the foundation for later social research and investigations into the living conditions and struggles of the working class.

This guide references the 1851 publication of the articles in three volumes, along with the fourth volume from 1861, which Mayhew coauthored with Bracebridge Hemyng, John Binny, and Andrew Halliday. All four volumes of London Labour and the London Poor are available electronically via Google Books.

Content Warning: This guide covers a text written in the 19th century and contains outdated language as well as sensitive content regarding suicide, sexual assault, substance abuse, human trafficking, and racism.

Summary

London Labour and the London Poor is a seminal work written by Henry Mayhew, a British journalist and social investigator, first published in the mid-19th century. The book’s four volumes explore the lives of the urban working class and destitute individuals in Victorian London. Mayhew uses a combination of personal interviews, direct observations, and anecdotes gathered through his interactions with people to describe their experiences.

Volume 1 focuses on a specific group within the urban poor of 19th-century London: the costermongers, street sellers who peddled various goods to earn a living. He explores the different types of products these sellers offered, ranging from fruits and vegetables to various small goods and trinkets. He delves into their business practices, such as haggling, marketing strategies, and the art of attracting customers. The volume goes beyond economic analysis and examines the social and cultural aspects of their lives. Mayhew sheds light on their challenges, such as competition, fluctuating demand, and interactions with law enforcement. He provides insight into the physical and emotional toll the costermongers’ work takes on them. He discusses the long hours, often under harsh weather conditions, and the physical strain of hauling and setting up their makeshift stalls. In addition, he explores their struggles to escape their socioeconomic circumstances and aspire to a better life.

Volume 2 continues to examine the sellers’ lives on the streets of 19th-century London but focuses on a spectrum of unconventional professions, including secondhand sellers and those collecting and redistributing discarded items. The volume also delves into the intricacies of animal trading, revealing its challenges and idiosyncrasies. Another topic in this volume is London’s Jewish community and its distinct roles in the city’s socioeconomic fabric. In addition to profiling specific occupational groups, Mayhew’s work focuses on the city. Detailed descriptions of the streets of London and the individuals responsible for their maintenance provide a vivid snapshot of the urban environment. The volume illuminates the roles of lamplighters, nightmen, and others who labored tirelessly to ensure the functionality and cleanliness of the city’s streets.

Volume 3—the last of the original volumes—focuses on individuals engaged in various forms of street and casual labor outside the sellers covered in the previous volumes. Mayhew’s coverage of the destroyers of vermin includes discussions on the methods, tools, and often-perilous conditions facing pest control laborers such as rat catchers and bug exterminators. He explores the occupations of street performers, including musicians and puppeteers, and covers the careers of those responsible for transit in London, including cab drivers, bus drivers, and conductors. Additionally, he discusses vagrants, or individuals loitering without work, including youths, sex workers, and professional beggars.

Volume 4, which Mayhew coauthored with Bracebridge Hemyng, John Binny, and Andrew Halliday, is a later addition to the other three volumes. It focuses on the lives and circumstances of criminals, sex workers, and the destitute. Sex work is a prominent topic of this volume. It branches out from a purely London-based perspective to discuss attitudes toward the profession by various societies worldwide while also examining the different classes of sex workers, their daily routines, their struggles, and the societal factors that led them to this life. In addition, the volume highlights the precarious relationship between poverty and criminal behavior, illuminating the circumstances that sometimes push individuals into a life of crime.