The London Underworld in the Victorian Period Authentic First-Person Accounts by Beggars, Thieves and Prostitutes

by Mayhew, Henry

• ISBN13: 9780486440064
• ISBN10: 0486440060
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-07-25
• Publisher: Dover Publications

Summary

The first and possibly the greatest sociological study of poverty in 19th-century London. Mayhew and his collaborators explored hundreds of miles of London streets in the 1840s and 1850s, gathering thousands of pages of testimony from the city's humblest residents. A classic reference source for sociologists, historians, and criminologists.

Table of Contents

Prostitutes	p. 1
Prostitution in London	p. 1
Seclusives, or those that Live in Private Houses and Apartments	p. 9
Board Lodgers	p. 18
Those who live in Low Lodging Houses	p. 22
Sailors' Women	p. 29
Soldiers' Women	p. 41
Thieves' Women	p. 47
Park Women	p. 57
The Dependants of Prostitutes	p. 62
Bawds	p. 62
Followers of Dress Lodgers	p. 64
Keepers of Accommodation Houses	p. 67
Procuresses, Pimps, and Panders	p. 68
Fancy-men	p. 71
Bullies	p. 74
Clandestine Prostitutes	p. 76
Female Operatives	p. 77
Maid-Servants	p. 80
Ladies of Intrigue and Houses of Assignation	p. 81
Cohabitant Prostitutes	p. 83
Narrative of a Gay Woman	p. 84
Criminal Returns	p. 89
Traffic in Foreign Women	p. 103
Thieves and Swindlers	p. 109
Introduction	p. 109
Sneaks, or Common Thieves	p. 114
Stealing from Street-Stalls	p. 115
Stealing from the Tills	p. 117
Stealing from the Doors and Windows of Shops	p. 117
Stealing from Children	p. 122
Child Stripping	p. 122
Stealing from Drunken Persons	p. 123
Stealing Linen, &c.	p. 125
Robberies from Carts	p. 127
Stealing Lead from House-tops, Copper from Kitchens, &c.	p. 129
Robberies by False Keys	p. 131
Robberies by Lodgers	p. 133
Robberies by Servants	p. 135
Area and Lobby Sneaks	p. 137
Stealing by Lifting Windows, &c.	p. 141
Attic or Garret Thieves	p. 142
A Visit to the Rookery of St. Giles	p. 144
Narrative of a London Sneak	p. 156
Pickpockets and Shoplifters	p. 160
Omnibus Pickpockets	p. 169
Railway Pickpockets	p. 170
Shoplifters	p. 171
A Visit to the Thieves' Dens in Spitalfields	p. 173
Narrative of a Pickpocket	p. 181
Horse and Dog Stealers	p. 194
Horse Stealing	p. 194
Dog Stealing	p. 195
Highway Robbers	p. 197
A Ramble among the Thieves' Dens in the Borough	p. 202
Housebreakers and Burglars	p. 209
Narrative of a Burglar	p. 227
Narrative of another Burglar	p. 235
Prostitute Thieves	p. 244
The Prostitutes of the Haymarket	p. 247
Hired Prostitutes	p. 255
Park Women	p. 257
Soldiers' Women	p. 258
Sailors' Women	p. 261
Felonies on the River Thames	p. 263
The Mudlarks	p. 263
Sweeping Boys	p. 264
Sellers of Small Wares	p. 265
Labourers on Board Ship, &c.	p. 265
Dredgemen or Fishermen	p. 265
Smuggling	p. 266
Felonies by Lightermen	p. 267
The River Pirates	p. 268
Narrative of a Mudlark	p. 270
Receivers of Stolen Property	p. 274
Dolly Shops	p. 274
Pawnbrokers, &c.	p. 276
Narrative of a Returned Convict	p. 279
Coining	p. 282
Forgers	p. 287
Bank Notes	p. 287
Cheques	p. 288
Forged Acceptance	p. 289
Forged Wills	p. 290
Cheats	p. 291
Embezzlers	p. 291
Magsmen, or Sharpers	p. 295
The Card Tricks	p. 297
Skittles	p. 298
Thimble and Pea	p. 298
The Lock	p. 298
Swindlers	p. 301
Beggars and Cheats	p. 308
Introduction	p. 308
Origin and History of the Poor Laws	p. 310
Statistics of the Poor Laws	p. 315
Report of the Poor Law Board (1860)	p. 316
Street Beggars in 1816	p. 317
Mendicant Pensioners	p. 318
Begging-Letter Writers in 1816	p. 319
Mendicity Society	p. 319
A Deserving Case	p. 323
Another	p. 323
An Imposter	p. 324
Another Imposter	p. 324
A Well-Educated Beggar	p. 326
Begging-Letter Writers	p. 326
Decayed Gentlemen	p. 328
Broken-down Trademen	p. 330
Distressed Scholar	p. 331
The Kaggs Family	p. 332
Advertising Begging-Letter Writers	p. 339
Ashamed Beggars	p. 342
The Swell Beggar	p. 343
Clean Family Beggars	p. 344
Naval and Military Beggars	p. 347
Turnpike Sailor	p. 347
Street Campaigners	p. 350
Foreign Beggars	p. 353
The French Beggar	p. 354
Destitute Poles	p. 356
Hindoo Beggars	p. 361
Negro Beggars	p. 364
Disaster Beggars	p. 368
A Shipwrecked Mariner	p. 368
Blown-up Miners	p. 370
Burnt-out Tradesmen	p. 371
Lucifer Droppers	p. 374
Bodily Afflicted Beggars	p. 374
Seventy years a Beggar	p. 375
Having swollen Legs	p. 376
Cripples	p. 377
A Blind Beggar	p. 378
Beggars subject to Fits	p. 379
Being in a Decline	p. 380
"Shallow Coves"	p. 380
Famished Beggars	p. 382
The Choking Dodge	p. 383
The Offal-Eater	p. 384
Petty Trading Beggars	p. 385
An Author's Wife	p. 389
Dependants of Beggars	p. 390
Referees	p. 399
Distressed Operative Beggars	p. 400
Starved-out Manufacturers	p. 401
Unemployed Agriculturists and Frozen-out Gardeners	p. 402
Hand-loom Weavers, &c.	p. 403
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