 | OF THE WOMEN STREET-SELLERS. London Labour and the London Poor, volume 1 |  |
OF A HIRED COSTER BOY.
One shell-fish seller, who has known street-com-
merce and street-folk for many years, thought,
although he only hazarded an opinion, that
there was less drinking among the young costers,
and less swearing, than he had known in a pre-
ceding generation.
A young coster boy living with his parents,
who had a good business, told me that he would
never be nothing but a "general dealer," (which
among some of these people is the "genteel"
designation for a costermonger,) as long as he
lived, unless, indeed, he rose to a coal shed and
a horse and cart; a consummation, perhaps with
the addition of a green-grocery, a fried fish,
and a gingerbeer trade, not unfrequently arrived
at by the more prudent costermongers. This
boy could neither read nor write; he had been
sent to school, and flogged to school (he grinned
as he told me) by his mother, who said his
father wouldn't have been "done" so often by fine
folks, when he sold "grass" (asparagus) and such
things as cost money, if he could have kept
'count. But his father only laughed, and said
nothing, when the boy "cut away" from school,
which he did so continuously, that the school-
master at length declined the charge of the young
coster's further education. This stripling, who
was about fourteen, seemed very proud of a pair
of good half-boots which his mother had bought
him, and which he admired continually as he
glanced at his feet. His parents, from his account,
were indulgent, and when they got farthings in
change or in any manner, kept them for him;
and so he got treats, and smart things to wear
now and then. "We expects to do well," he
said, for he used the "we" when he spoke of
his parents' business, "when it's peas and
new potatoes, cheap enough to cry. It's my
dodge to cry. I know a man as says, `May
month ought to be ashamed on itself, or things 'ud
a been herlier.' Last week I sung out, it was
the same man's dodge, he put me up to it — `Here's
your Great Exhibition mackarel.' People laughed,
but it weren't no great good. I've been to Penny
Gaffs, but not this goodish bit. I likes the sing-
ing best as has a stunnin chorus. There's been a
deal of hard up lately among people as is general
dealers. Things is getting better, I think, and
they must. It wouldn't do at all if they didn't.
It's no use your a-asking me about what I
thinks of the Queen or them sort of people, for I
knows nothing about them, and never goes among
them."
The Hired boys, for the service of the coster-
mongers, whether hired for the day, or more per-
manently, are very generally of the classes I have
spoken of. When the New Cut, Lambeth, was a
great street-market, every morning, during the
height of the vegetable and fruit seasons, lads
used to assemble in Hooper-street, Short-street,
York-street, and, indeed, in all the smaller streets
or courts, which run right and left from the "two
Cuts." When the costermonger started thence,
perhaps "by the first light," to market, these boys
used to run up to his barrow, "D'you want me,
Jack?" or, "Want a boy, Bill?" being their con-
stant request. It is now the same, in the lo-
calities where the costermongers live, or where they
keep their ponies, donkeys, and barrows, and
whence they emerge to market. It is the same at
Billingsgate and the other markets at which these
traders make their wholesale purchases. Boys
wait about these marts "to be hired," or, as they
may style it, to "see if they're wanted." When
hired, there is seldom any "wage" specified, the
lads seeming always willing to depend upon the
liberality of the costermonger, and often no doubt
with an eye to the chances of "bunse." A sharp
lad thus engaged, who may acquit himself to a
costermonger's liking, perhaps continues some
time in the same man's employ. I may observe,
that in this gathering, and for such a purpose,
there is a resemblance to the simple proceedings
of the old times, when around the market cross
of the nearest town assembled the population
who sought employment, whether in agricultural
or household labour. In some parts of the north
of England these gatherings are still held at the
two half-yearly terms of May-day and Martinmas.
A lad of thirteen or fourteen, who did not look
very strong, gave me the following account: "I
helps, you see, sir, where I can, for mother (who
sells sheep's-trotters) depends a deal on her trotters,
but they're not great bread for an old'oman, and
there's me and Neddy to keep. Father's abroad
and a soger. Do I know he is? Mother says so,
sir. I looks out every morning when the coster-
mongers starts for the markets. and wants boys
for their barrows. I cried roots last: `Here's
your musks, ha'penny each. Here's yer all agro'in'
and all a blo'in'.' I got my grub and 3d. I takes
the tin home. If there's a cabbage or two left,
[Description: 915EAF. Page 482.]
nor school. I should think so. One sees life.
Well, I don't know wot one sees perticler; but
it's wot people calls life. I was a week at
school once. I has a toss up sometimes when
I has a odd copper for it. I'aven't'ad any rig'lar
work as yet. I shall p'raps when it's real
summer." [Said, May 24th.] "This is the Queen's
birthday, is it, sir? Werry likely, but she's
nothing to me. I can't read, in coorse not, after a
week's schooling. Yes, I likes a show. Punch is
stunnin', but they might make more on the dog. I
would if I was a Punch. O, I has tea, and bread
and butter with mother, and gets grub as I jobs
besides. I makes no bargain. If a cove's scaly,
we gets to know him. I hopes to have a barrer
of my own some day, and p'raps a hass. Can I
manage a hass? In coorse, and he don't want no
groomin'. I'd go to Hepsom then; I've never been
yet, but I've been to Grinnage fairs. I don't
know how I can get a barrer and a hass, but I
may have luck."
| OF THE WOMEN STREET-SELLERS. London Labour and the London Poor, volume 1 | |