The man who gave me the following account of this trade had been
familiar with it a good many years, fifteen he believed, but was by no
means certain. I saw at his lodgings a man who was finishing his day’s
work there, in cobbling and “translating.” He was not in the employ of
my informant, who had two rooms, or rather a floor; he slept in one and
let the other to the “translator” who was a relation, he told me, and
they went on very well together, as he (the street-seller) liked to sit
and smoke his pipe of a night in the translator’s room, which was much
larger than his own; and sometimes, when times were “pretty bobbish,”
they clubbed together for a good supper of tripe, or had a “prime hot
Jemmy a-piece,” with a drop of good beer. A “Jemmy” is a baked sheep’s
head. The room was tidy enough, but had the strong odour of shoemaker’s
wax proper to the craft.
“I’ve been in a good many street-trades, and others too,” said my
informant, “since you want to know, and for a good purpose as well as
I can understand it. I was a ’prentice to a shoemaker in Northampton,
with a lot more; why, it was more like a factory than anything else,
was my master’s, and the place we worked in was so confined and hot,
and we couldn’t open the window, that it was worse than the East
Ingees. O, I know what they is. I’ve been there. I was so badly treated
I ran away from my master, for I had only a father, and he cared
nothing about me, and so I broke my indentures. After a good bit of
knocking about and living as I could, and starving when I couldn’t, but
I never thought of going back to Northampton, I ’listed and was a good
bit in the Ingees. Well, never mind, sir, how long, or what happened me
when I was soldier. I did nothing wrong, and that ain’t what you was
asking about, and I’d rather say no more about it.”
I have met with other street-folk, who had been soldiers, and who were
fond of talking of their “service,” often enough to grumble about it,
so that I am almost tempted to think my informant had deserted, but I
questioned him no further on the subject.
“I had my ups and downs again, sir,” he continued, “when I got back
to England. God bless us all; I’m very fond of children, but I never
married, and when I’ve been at the worst, I’ve been really glad that I
hadn’t no one depending on me. It’s bad enough for oneself, but when
there’s others as you must love, what must it be then? I’ve smoked a
pipe when I was troubled in mind, and couldn’t get a meal, but could
only get a pipe, and baccy’s shamefully dear here; but if I’d had a
young daughter now, what good would it have been my smoking a pipe to
comfort her? I’ve seen that in people that’s akin to me, and has been
badly off, and with families. I had a friend or two in London, and
I applied to them when I couldn’t hold out no longer, and they gave
me a bit of a rise, so I began as a costermonger. I was living among
them as was in that line. Well, now, it’s a pleasant life in fine
weather. Why it was only this morning Joe (the translator) was reading
the paper at breakfast time;--he gets it from the public-house, and
if it’s two, three, or four days old, it’s just as good for us;--and
there was 10,000 pines had been received from the West Ingees. There’s
a chance for the costermongers, says I, if they don’t go off too dear.
Then cherries is in; and I was beginning to wish I was a costermonger
myself still, but my present trade is _surer_. My boots and shoes’ll
keep. They don’t spoil in hot weather. Cherries and strawberries does,
and if it comes thunder and wet, you can’t sell. I worked a barrow, and
sometimes had only a bit of a pitch, for a matter of two year, perhaps,
and then I got into this trade, as I understood it. I sells all sorts,
but not so much women’s or children’s.
“Why, as to prices, there’s two sorts of prices. You may sell as you
buy, or you may sell new soled and heeled. They’re never new welted
for the streets. It wouldn’t pay a bit. Not long since I had a pair of
very good Oxonians that had been new welted, and the very first day I
had them on sale--it was a dull drizzly day--a lad tried to prig them.
I just caught him in time. Did I give him in charge? I hope I’ve more
sense. I’ve been robbed before, and I’ve caught young rips in the act.
If it’s boots or shoes they’ve tried to prig, I gives them a stirruping
with whichever it is, and a kick, and lets them go.
“Men’s shoes, the regular sort, isn’t a very good sale. I get from
10_d._ to 4_s._ 6_d._ a pair; but the high priced ’uns is either soled
and heeled, and mudded well, or they’ve been real well-made things, and
not much worn. I’ve had gentlemen’s shooting-shoes sometimes, that’s
flung aside for the least thing. The plain shoes don’t go off at all.
I think people likes something to cover their stocking-feet more. For
cloth button-boots I get from 1_s._--that’s the lowest I ever sold
at--to 2_s._ 6_d._ The price is according to what condition the things
is in, and what’s been done to them, but there’s no regular price.
They’re not such good sale as they would be, because they soon show
worn. The black ‘legs’ gets to look very seamy, and it’s a sort of boot
that won’t stand much knocking about, if it ain’t right well made at
first. I’ve been selling Oxonian button-overs (‘Oxonian’ shoes, which
cover the instep, and are closed by being buttoned instead of being
stringed through four or five holes) at 3_s._ 6_d._ and 4_s._ but they
was really good, and soled and heeled; others I sell at 1_s._ 6_d._
to 2_s._ 3_d._ or 2_s._ 6_d._ Bluchers is from 1_s._ to 3_s._ 6_d._
Wellingtons from 1_s._--yes, indeed, I’ve had them as low as 1_s._, and
perhaps they weren’t very cheap at that, them very low-priced things
never is, neither new nor old--from 1_s._ to 5_s._; but Wellingtons is
more for the shops than the street. I do a little in children’s boots
and shoes. I sell them from 3_d._ to 15_d._ Yes, you can buy lower than
3_d._, but I’m not in that way. They sell quite as quick, or quicker,
than anything. I’ve sold children’s boots to poor women that wanted
shoeing far worse than the child; aye, many a time, sir. Top boots
(they’re called ‘Jockeys’ in the trade) isn’t sold in the streets.
I’ve never had any, and I don’t see them with others in my line. O no,
there’s no such thing as Hessians or back-straps (a top-boot without
the light-coloured top) in my trade now. Yes, I always have a seat
handy where anybody can try on anything in the street; no, sir, no
boot-hooks nor shoe-horn; shoe-horns is rather going out, I think. If
what we sell in the streets won’t go on without them they won’t be sold
at all. A good many will buy if the thing’s only big enough--they can’t
bear pinching, and don’t much care for a fine fit.
“Well, I suppose I take from 30_s._ to 40_s._ a week, 14_s._ is about
my profit--that’s as to the year through.
“I sell little for women’s wear, though I do sell their boots and shoes
sometimes.”