------------------------+-----+--------------------------------------------------------------
|Number of Masters employed as Nightmen.
| |-------+------------------------------------------------------
| | Number of Cesspools emptied during the year.
| | +------------------------------------------------------
| | |Quantity of Night soil collected annually.
| | | +---------------------------------------------
| | | |Number of working Nightmen employed to
| | | |each Cesspool.
| | | | +-------------------------------------
MASTER-SWEEPS EMPLOYED | | | | |Sum per load paid to each operative
AS NIGHTMEN IN | | | | | Nightman engaged in removing soil
| | | | |from Cesspools.
| | | | | +-----------------------
| | | | | |Total amount
| | | | | |paid to Master-Nightmen
| | | | | |during the Year for
| | | | | |emptying Cesspools.
------------------------+-----+-------+--------+-------+-------------+-----------------------
| | | Loads. | | Pence. | £ _s._ _d._
Kensington | 4 | 48 | 240 | 3 & 4 | 6 & 7 | 120 0 0
Chelsea | 8 | 140 | 700 | 3 & 4 | 6 & 7 | 350 0 0
Westminster | 9 | 180 | 900 | 3 | 6 | 450 0 0
St. Martin’s | 4 | 34 | 170 | 3 | 6 | 85 0 0
Marylebone | 9 | 155 | 775 | 3 & 4 | 6 & 7 | 387 10 0
Paddington | 8 | 107 | 535 | 3 | 6 | 267 10 0
Hampstead | 2 | 16 | 80 | 3 | 6 | 40 0 0
Islington | 4 | 82 | 410 | 3 | 6 | 205 0 0
St. Pancras | 13 | 226 | 1,130 | 3 & 4 | 6 & 7 | 565 0 0
Hackney | 5 | 89 | 445 | 3 & 4 | 6 & 7 | 222 10 0
St. Giles’s and St. | | | | | |
George’s, Bloomsbury | 11 | 172 | 860 | 3 & 4 | 6 & 7 | 430 0 0
Strand | 4 | 30 | 150 | 3 | 6 | 75 0 0
Holborn | 4 | 74 | 370 | 3 & 4 | 6 & 7 | 185 0 0
Clerkenwell | 5 | 78 | 390 | 3 & 4 | 6 & 7 | 195 0 0
St. Luke’s | 5 | 68 | 340 | 3 & 4 | 6 & 7 | 170 0 0
East London | 6 | 92 | 460 | 3 & 4 | 6 & 7 | 230 0 0
West London | 4 | 64 | 320 | 3 & 4 | 6 & 7 | 160 0 0
London, City | 5 | 88 | 440 | 3 & 4 | 6 & 7 | 220 0 0
Shoreditch | 7 | 95 | 475 | 3 & 4 | 6 | 237 10 0
Bethnal-green | 5 | 68 | 340 | 3 & 4 | 6 | 170 0 0
Whitechapel | 5 | 66 | 330 | 3 | 6 | 165 0 0
St. George’s-in-the-East| 8 | 152 | 760 | 3 & 4 | 6 | 380 0 0
Stepney | 6 | 80 | 400 | 3 | 6 | 200 0 0
Poplar | 4 | 48 | 240 | 3 | 6 | 120 0 0
St. Olave’s, St. | | | | | |
Saviour’s, and St. | | | | | |
George’s, Southwark | 16 | 157 | 785 | 3 | 6 | 392 10 0
Bermondsey | 6 | 60 | 300 | 3 | 6 | 150 0 0
Walworth and Newington | 8 | 71 | 355 | 3 | 6 | 177 10 0
Lambeth | 10 | 91 | 455 | 3 & 4 | 6 & 7 | 227 10 0
Christchurch, Lambeth | 6 | 58 | 290 | 3 | 6 | 145 0 0
Wandsworth and Battersea| 5 | 43 | 215 | 3 | 6 | 107 10 0
Rotherhithe | 5 | 54 | 270 | 3 & 4 | 6 | 135 0 0
Greenwich and Deptford | 5 | 94 | 470 | 3 & 4 | 6 & 7 | 235 0 0
Woolwich | 6 | 82 | 410 | 3 & 4 | 6 | 205 0 0
Lewisham | 2 | 30 | 150 | 3 & 4 | 6 | 75 0 0
Total for Sweeps |-----+-------+--------+-------+-------------+-----------------------
employed as Nightmen | 214 | 2,992 | 14,960 | 3 & 4 | 6 & 7 | 7,480 0 0
Total for Dust and other| | | | | |
Contractors employed | | | | | |
as Nightmen | 188 |27,820 |139,600 | 4 | 8 | 72,027 0 0
Total for Bricklayers | | | | | |
employed as Nightmen | 119 |19,880 | 99,400 | 4 |5_s._ a night| 52,185 0 0
|-----+-------+--------+-------+-------------+-----------------------
Gross Total | 521 |50,692 |253,960 | 3 & 4 |6_d._ 7_d._ &|131,692 10 0
| | | | |8_d._ per 1d.|
| | | | |& 5_s._ per |
| | | | |night. |
A TABLE SHOWING THE QUANTITY OF REFUSE BOUGHT, COLLECTED, OR FOUND, IN
THE STREETS OF LONDON.
----------------+---------------+--------------------------------
Articles bought | Annual | Average Number of Buyers,
collected, | gross | and quantity sold
or found. | quantity. | Daily or Weekly.
----------------+---------------+--------------------------------
REFUSE METAL. | |
Copper | 291,600 lbs. |200 buyers 1/4 cwt. each weekly
Brass | 291,600 „ |200 do. 1/4 „ do.
Iron |2,329,600 „ |200 do. 2 „ do.
Steel | 62,400 „ |200 do. 6 lbs. do.
Lead |1,164,800 „ |200 do. 1 cwt. do.
Pewter | 291,600 „ |200 do. 1/4 „ do.
| |
HORSE & | |
CARRIAGE | |
FURNITURE. | |
Carriages | 120 „ | 4 do. 30 sets yearly
Wheels (4, | |
from coach- | |
builders) | 600 sets |100 do. 8 do.
Wheels, | |
in pairs | |
for carts | |
& trucks | 600 pairs| 50 do. 12 pairs yearly
Springs | |
for trucks and | |
small carts | 780 „ | 5 do. 3 „ weekly
Lace, from | |
coach-builders | 1,344 lbs. | 12 do. 112 lbs. yearly
Fringe and | |
tassels, | |
from ditto | 2,688 „ | 12 do. 224 „ do.
Coach & | |
carriage | |
linings, | |
singly | 156 | 12 do. 13 yearly
Harness | |
(carriage | |
pairs) | 60 pairs| 10 do. 6 pairs do.
Ditto | |
(single sets) | 144 sets | 12 do. 12 sets do.
Ditto | |
(sets of donkey| |
and pony) | 41,600 „ |100 do. 8 sets weekly
Saddles | 1,040 „ | 10 do. 2 „ do.
Collars | 2,080 „ | 10 do. 4 „ do.
Bridles | 4,160 „ | 10 do. 6 „ do.
Pads | 2,080 „ | 10 do. 4 „ do.
Bits | 4,160 „ | 10 do. 3 „ do.
Leather (new | |
cuttings from | |
coach-builders)| 58,136 lbs. | 24 do. 22 cwt. yearly
Ditto (morocco | |
cuttings from | |
do.) | 960 „ | 20 do. 48 „ do.
Old leather | |
(waste from | |
ditto) | 53,760 „ | 12 do. 20 „ do.
| |
REFUSE LINEN, | |
COTTON, &C. | |
Rags (woollen, | |
consisting of | |
tailors’ | |
shreds, old | |
flannel | |
drugget, | |
carpet, and | |
moreen) |4,659,200 lbs. |200 do. 4 „ weekly
Ditto (coloured | |
cotton) |2,912,000 „ |200 do. 2-1/2 „ do.
Ditto (white) |1,164,800 „ |200 do. 1 „ do.
Canvas | 44,800 „ |200 do. 2 „ yearly
Rope and sacking| 291,200 „ |200 do. 1/4 „ weekly
| |
PAPER. | |
Waste paper |1,397,760 „ | 60 colls. each disposing
| | of 4 cwt. weekly
GLASS AND | |
CROCKERYWARE. | |
Bottles (common | |
and doctors’) | 62,400 doz. |200 buyers, 24 weekly
Ditto (wine) | 31,200 „ |200 do. 12 do.
Ditto (porter | |
and stout) | 4,800 „ |200 do. 24 dozen yearly
Flint glass | 15,600 lbs. |200 do. 1-1/2 lbs. weekly
Pickling jars | 7,200 „ |200 do. 36 yearly
Gallipots | 20,800 doz. |200 do. 24 weekly
-----------+---------------+------------+------------------------
Obtained of| Price per | Average | Parties
the Street| pound | Yearly | to
Buyers. | weight, &c. |Money Value.| whom sold.
-----------+---------------+------------+------------------------
| | £ _s. d._|
1-500th | 6_d._ per lb. | 7,290 0 0 |Sold to brass-founders
| | | and pewterers.
„ | 4_d._ „ | 4,860 6 8 | Do. do.
1-200th |1/4_d._ „ | 2,246 13 4 |Do. to iron-founders
| | | and manufacturers.
none | 1_d._ „ | 260 0 0 |Do. to manufacturers.
1-500th |1-1/2_d._ „ | 7,280 0 0 |Do. to brass-founders
| | | and pewterers.
„ | 5_d._ „ | 6,075 13 4 | Do. do.
| |----------- |
| |28,182 13 4 |
| |=========== |
none | 11l. each | 1,320 0 0 |Sold to Jew dealers.
„ | 25s. a set | 750 0 0 |Do. to costers and
| | | small tradesmen.
„ | 7s. a pair | 210 0 0 | Do. do.
„ | 6s. per pair | 234 0 0 |Do. to costers
| | | and others.
„ | 1_d._ per lb. | 5 12 0 |Do. to cab-masters
| | | and to Jews.
„ |1/2_d._ „ | 5 12 0 |Do. to Jews.
„ | 25s. each | 195 0 0 |Do. to cab-masters.
„ | 3l. per pair | 180 0 0 |Do. to omnibus
| | | proprietors.
„ | 30s. per set | 216 0 0 |Do. to cab-masters.
harness- | 4s. a set | 8,320 0 0 |Do. to little master
makers | | | harness-makers.
none | 4s. „ | 203 0 0 | Do. do.
„ | 9_d._ „ | 78 0 0 | Do. do. and
| | | marine stores.
„ | 9_d._ „ | 138 13 4 | Do. do. do.
„ | 6_d._ „ | 52 0 0 | Do. do.
„ | 2_d._ „ | 34 13 4 | Do. do. do.
„ | 4_d._ „ | 985 12 0 |Do. to Jews and also
| | | to gunsmiths.
„ |1s. 6_d._ „ | 72 0 0 |Do. to tailors’
| | | trimming-sellers.
„ |2-1/2_d._ „ | 560 0 0 |Do. to Jews.
| |----------- |
| |13,560 2 8 |
| |=========== |
1-1000th |1/2_d._ per lb.| 9,706 13 4 |Sold for manure and to
| | | nail up fruit-trees.
1-500th |1/2_d._ „ | 6,066 13 4 |Do. to paper-makers
| | | and for quilts.
1-1000th | 2_d._ „ | 9,706 13 4 |Do. to paper-makers.
none | 1_d._ „ | 186 13 4 |Do. to chance customers.
1-500th |1/2_d._ „ | 606 13 4 |Do. for oakum and sacking
| | | to mend old sacks.
| |----------- |
| |36,898 13 4 |
| |=========== |
all | 18s. per cwt. |11,232 0 0 |Do. to shopkeepers.
1-100th | 2_d._ per doz.| 520 0 0 |Do. to doctors
| | | and chemists.
1-200th | 6_d._ „ | 780 0 0 |Do. to Brit. wine
| | | merchants & ale stores.
none | 6_d._ „ | 120 0 0 |Do. to ale and
| | | porter stores.
1-1000th |1/4_d._ per lb.| 16 5 0 |Do. to glass
| | | manufacturers.
none |3/4_d._ each | 22 10 0 |Do. to Italian
| | | warehouses, &c.
„ | 2_d._ per doz.| 173 6 8 | Do. do.
| |----------- |
| | 1,632 1 8 |
| |=========== |
REFUSE APPAREL. | |
Coats | 624,000 |300 colls. each purchasing 8 coats
| | daily
Trousers | 312,000 pairs |300 do. do. 4 pr. trousers do.
Waistcoats | 312,000 |300 do. do. 3 waistcoats do.
Under-waistcoats| 46,800 |300 do. do. 3 weekly
Breeches and | |
gaiters | 15,600 pairs |300 do. do. 1 pair weekly
Dressing-gowns | 3,000 |100 do. do. 30 yearly
Cloaks (men’s) | 1,000 |100 do. do. 10 cloaks yearly
Boots and shoes |1,560,000 pairs |100 do. do. 60 pairs daily
| |
Boot and shoe | |
soles | 648,000 dz. pr|100 do. each collecting 30 dz. pr.
| |daily
| |
Boot legs | 520,000 „ „ |200 do. do. 50 „ weekly
Hats |1,879,000 |300 colls. each purchasing 24 hats daily
Boys’ suits | 3,600 |300 do. do. 12 suits yearly
Shirts and | |
chemises | 626,400 |300 do. do. 8 daily
Stockings of | |
all kinds | 783,000 pairs |100 do. do. 30 pair daily
Drawers (men’s | |
and women’s) | 93,600 „ |300 do. do. 6 „ weekly
Women’s dresses | |
of all kinds | 496,800 |300 do. do. 6 dresses daily
Petticoats | 939,600 |300 do. do. 12 daily
Women’s stays | 261,000 pairs |100 do. do. 10 pair do.
Children’s | |
shirts | 187,920 | 60 do. do. 12 daily
Ditto petticoats| 261,000 |200 do. do. 5 do.
Ditto frocks | 522,000 |200 do. do. 10 do.
Cloaks | |
(women’s), | |
capes, | |
visites, &c. | 5,200 | 20 do. do. 5 cloaks weekly
Bonnets |1,409,400 |150 do. do. 3 doz. daily
Shawls of all | |
kinds | 469,800 |300 do. do. 6 daily
Fur boas and | |
victorines | 261,000 |100 do. do. 10 do.
Fur tippets and | |
muffs | 130,500 |100 do. do. 5 do.
Umbrella and | |
parasol frames | 518,400 |200 do., each collecting 12 daily
| |
| |
| |
HOUSEHOLD | |
REFUSE. | |
Tea-leaves | 78,000 lbs. | ... ... ... ...
Fish-skins | 3,900 „ | 25 do. do. 2 lbs. weekly for
| | 6 months.
Hare-skins | 80,000 | 50 do. do. 50 weekly
Kitchen-stuff | 62,400 lbs. |200 do. do. 6 lbs. weekly
Dripping | 52,000 „ |200 do. do. 5 „ do.
Bones |3,494,400 „ |200 buyers 3 cwt. weekly
Hogwash |2,504,000 gals. |200 do., each purchasing 40 gal. daily
Dust (from | |
houses) | 900,000 loads | ... ... ... ...
Soot | 800,000 bush. |800 colls. each collectg. 19 bush. weekly
Soil (from | |
cesspools) | 750,000 loads | ... ... ... ...
| |
| |
| |
STREET REFUSE. | |
Street sweepings| |
(scavengers’) | 140,983 „ |444 do. the whole „ 452 lds. daily
Ditto (street | |
orderlies’) | 2,817 „ |546 do. do. „ 9 „ do.
Coal and coke | |
(mudlarks’) | 64,656 cwt. |550 do., each collecting 42 lbs. do.
“Pure” | 52,000 pails |200 do. do. 5 pails weekly
Cigar ends | 2,240 lbs. | 50 do. do. 8-1/2 lbs. do.
bt. of old clo’men|6_s._ each | 187,200 0 0|Sold to old clo’men
| | | and wholesale dealers.
„ |3_s._ 3_d._ per| |
| pr. | 50,700 0 0| Do. do.
„ |7_d._ each | 9,100 0 0| Do. do.
„ |2_d._ „ | 390 0 0|Do. to wholesale and
| | | wardrobe dealers.
| | |
„ |2_s._ per pair | 1,560 0 0|Do. to old clo’men
| | | and wholesale dealers.
„ |4_s._ 2_d._ | 625 0 0|Do. to wholesale
| each | | and wardrobe dealers.
„ |10_s._ „ | 500 0 0|Do. to wholesale dealers.
„ |7_d._ per pair | 45,500 0 0|Do. to wardrobe dealers
| | | and second-hand
| | | boot and shoe makers.
| | |
| | |
none |1_s._ per dz. | 32,400 0 0|Do. to Jews and gunsmiths
| pr. | | to temper gun-barrels.
„ |5_s._ „ | 130,000 0 0|Do. to translators.
bt. of old clo’men|4_d._ each | 31,200 0 0|Do. to dealers and
| | | master hatters.
„ |3_s._ a suit | 540 0 0|Do. Jew dealers.
| | |
„ |4_d._ each | 10,400 0 0|Do. to old clo’men
| | | and wholesale dealers.
| | |
„ |1_d._ per pair | 3,272 10 0|Do. to wholesale
| | | and wardrobe dealers.
| | |
„ |3_d._ „ | 1,170 0 0| Do. do.
| | |
„ |1_s._ 9_d._ | |
| each | 41,107 10 0| Do. do.
„ |7_d._ „ | 27,405 0 0| Do. do.
„ |5_d._ per pair | 5,437 10 0| Do. do.
| | |
„ |3_d._ a doz. | 195 15 0| Do. do.
„ |1-1/2_d._ each | 1,639 11 8| Do. do.
„ |4_d._ „ | 8,700 0 0| Do. do.
| | |
| | |
| | |
„ |4_s._ „ | 1,040 0 0|Do. to wholesale dealers.
„ |6_d._ „ | 35,235 0 0| Do. do.
| | |
„ |1_s._ 2_d._ „ | 27,405 0 0|Do. to wholesale
| | | and wardrobe dealers.
| | |
„ |1_s._ 2_d._ „ | 15,220 0 0| Do. do.
| | |
„ |1_s._ 2_d._ „ | 7,612 10 0| Do. do.
| | |
all |5_d._ „ | 10,300 0 0|Do. to Jews and old
| | | umbrella menders.
| +--------------+
| | 675,555 6 8|
| +==============+
| | |
| | |
„ |2-1/2_d._ per | 812 10 0|Do. to merchants to
| lb. | | re-make into tea.
costers and |1_d._ „ | |Do. to brewers to fine
| | | their ale.
fishmongers | | 16 5 0|
all |1_s._ a doz. | 333 6 8|Do. to Jews, hatters,
| | | and furriers.
none |1-1/2_d._ per | |
| lb. | 390 0 0|Do. at marine stores.
„ |3_d._ „ | 650 0 0| Do. do.
1-1000th |1/4_d._ „ | 105,625 0 0|Do. for manure,
| | | knife-handles, &c.
all |1_d._ per | |
| gallon | 10,433 6 8|Do. to pig-dealers.
| | |
none |2_s._ 6_d._ per| 112,500 0 0|Do. for manure and
| ld. | | to brickmakers.
„ |5_d._ per | 16,666 13 4|Do. to farmers,
| bushel | | graziers, and
| | | gardeners.
| | |
„ |10_s._ per load| 375,000 0 0|Do. for manure.
| +--------------+
| | 622,427 1 8|
| +==============+
| | |
| | |
„ |3_s._ „ | 21,147 9 0| Do. do.
| | |
„ |2_s._ 6_d._ „ | 2,352 2 6| Do. do.
| | |
„ |8_d._ per cwt. | 2,151 17 4|Do. to the poor.
„ |1_s._ per pail | 2,600 0 0|Do. to tanners and
| | | leather-dressers.
street-finders |8_d._ per lb. | 74 13 4|Do. to Jews in
| | | Rosemary-lane.
| +==============+
| | 28,326 2 2|
| +--------------+
|Gross Total |1,406,592 1 6|
Curious and ample as this Table of Refuse is--one, moreover, perfectly
original--it is not sufficient, by the mere range of figures, to
convey to the mind of the reader a full comprehension of the ramified
vastness of the Second-Hand trade of the metropolis. Indeed tables are
for reference more than for the current information to be yielded by a
history or a narrative.
I will, therefore, offer a few explanations in elucidation, as it were,
of the tabular return.
I must, as indeed I have done in the accompanying remarks, depart
from the order of the details of the table to point out, in the
first instance, the particulars of the greatest of the Second-Hand
trades--that in Clothing. In this table the reader will find included
every indispensable article of man’s, woman’s, and child’s apparel,
as well as those articles which add to the ornament or comfort of the
person of the wearer; such as boas and victorines for the use of one
sex, and dressing-gowns for the use of the other. The articles used to
protect us from the rain, or the too-powerful rays of the sun, are also
included--umbrellas and parasols. The whole of these articles exceed,
when taken in round numbers, twelve millions and a quarter, and that
reckoning the “pairs,” as in boots and shoes, &c., as but one article.
This, still pursuing the round-number system, would supply nearly
_five_ articles of refuse apparel to every man, woman, and child in
this, the greatest metropolis of the world.
I will put this matter in another light. There are about 35,000 Jews in
England, nearly half of whom reside in the metropolis. 12,000, it is
further stated on good authority, reside within the City of London. Now
at one time the trade in old clothes was almost entirely in the hands
of the City Jews, the others prosecuting the same calling in different
parts of London having been “Wardrobe Dealers,” chiefly women, (who
had not unfrequently been the servants of the aristocracy); and even
these wardrobe dealers sold much that was worn, and (as one old
clothes-dealer told me) much that was “not, for their fine customers,
because the fashion had gone by,” to the “Old Clo” Jews, or to those
to whom the street-buyers carried their stock, and who were able to
purchase on a larger scale than the general itinerants. Now, supposing
that even one twelfth of these 12,000 Israelites were engaged in the
old-clothes trade (which is far beyond the mark), each man would have
_twelve hundred and twenty-five_ articles to dispose of yearly, all
second-hand!
Perhaps the most curious trade is that in waste paper, or as it
is called by the street collectors, in “waste,” comprising every
kind of used or useless periodical, and books in all tongues. I may
call the attention of my readers, by way of illustrating the extent
of this business in what is proverbially refuse “waste paper,” to
their experience of the penny postage. Three or four sheets of note
paper, according to the stouter or thinner texture, and an envelope
with a seal or a glutinous and stamped fastening, will not exceed
half-an-ounce, and is conveyed to the Orkneys and the further isles of
Shetland, the Hebrides, the Scilly and Channel Islands, the isles of
Achill and Cape Clear, off the western and southern coasts of Ireland,
or indeed to and from the most extreme points of the United Kingdom,
and no matter what distance, provided the letter be posted within
the United Kingdom, for a penny. The weight of waste or refuse paper
annually disposed of to the street collectors, or rather buyers, is
1,397,760 lbs. Were this tonnage, as I may call it, for it comprises
12,480 tons yearly, to be distributed in half-ounce letters, it would
supply material, as respects weight, for _forty-four millions, seven
hundred and twenty-eight thousand, four hundred and thirty_ letters on
business, love, or friendship.
I will next direct attention to what may be, by perhaps not
over-straining a figure of speech, called “the crumbs which fall from
the rich man’s table;” or, according to the quality of the commodity of
refuse, of the tables of the _comparatively_ rich, and that down to a
low degree of the scale. These are not, however, unappropriated crumbs,
to be swept away uncared for; but are objects of keen traffic and
bargains between the possessors or their servants and the indefatigable
street-folk. Among them are such things as champagne and other wine
bottles, porter and ale bottles, and, including the establishments
of all the rich and the comparative rich, kitchen-stuff, dripping,
hog-wash, hare-skins, and tea-leaves. Lastly come the very lowest
grades of the street-folk--the _finders_; men who will quarrel, and
have been seen to quarrel, with a hungry cur for a street-found bone;
not to pick or gnaw, although Eugène Sue has seen that done in Paris;
and I once, very early on a summer’s morning, saw some apparently
houseless Irish children contend with a dog and with each other for
bones thrown out of a house in King William-street, City--as if after
a very late supper--not to pick or gnaw, I was saying, but to _sell_
for manure. Some of these finders have “seen better days;” others,
in intellect, are little elevated above the animals whose bones they
gather, or whose ordure (“pure”), they scrape into their baskets.
I do not know that the other articles in the arrangement of the table
of street refuse, &c., require any further comment. Broken metal,
&c., can only be disposed of according to its quality or weight,
and I have lately shown the extent of the trade in such refuse as
street-sweepings, soot and night-soil.
The gross total, or average yearly money value, is 1,406,592_l._ for
the second-hand commodities I have described in the foregoing pages;
or as something like a minimum is given, both as to the number of the
goods and the price, we may fairly put this total at a million and a
half of pounds sterling!