He catalogued the work done by the poor in the early 19th century extensively, and I do mean EXTENSIVELY. He gathered details not only of the types of 'gigs' being performed, but the specific costs and potential profits involved. He was actually trying to estimate how much these London hustles were contributing to the broader economy at the scale of hundreds of thousands of people.
It's a little dull, racist, and sexist, but the subject matter is fastidiously catalogued.
http://web.archive.org/web/20080923195808/http://etext.lib.v...
He catalogued the work done by the poor in the early 19th century extensively, and I do mean EXTENSIVELY. He gathered details not only of the types of 'gigs' being performed, but the specific costs and potential profits involved. He was actually trying to estimate how much these London hustles were contributing to the broader economy at the scale of hundreds of thousands of people.
It's a little dull, racist, and sexist, but the subject matter is fastidiously catalogued.
Some examples:
Of Oyster Selling In The Streets:
http://web.archive.org/web/20021129180421/http://etext.lib.v...
Of Roasted Chestnuts And Almonds:
http://web.archive.org/web/20021129184309/http://etext.lib.v...
Of The Cries, Rounds, And Days Of Costermongers:
http://web.archive.org/web/20021129180440/http://etext.lib.v...
Of Coffee-Stall Keepers: (I learned about 'saloop' from this one)
http://web.archive.org/web/20021129180034/http://etext.lib.v...
And of course, Of Street Piemen:
http://web.archive.org/web/20030127022056/http://etext.lib.v...