Down and Out in Eighteenth-Century London

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Description

London in the eighteenth century was the greatest city in the world, anda magnet that drew men and women from the rest of England in huge numbers. If for a few the streets were paved with gold, for the majority it was a harsh world with little guarantee of money or food. For the poor and destitute, London's streets offered little more than the barest living. Yet men, women and children found a great variety of ways to eke out their existence, sweeping roads, selling matches, singing ballads and performing all sorts of menial labour. Many of these activities, apart from the direct begging of the disabled, depended on an appeal to charity, but one often mixed with threats and promises. Down and Out in Eighteenth-Century London provides a remarkable insight into the lives of Londoners, for all of whom the demands of charity and begging were part of their everyday world.

Reviews

"Masterly..."History Today, July 2010
'The excellent text is married with a splendid array of illustrations making this a revelatory and engrossing history.' Sue Baker, 'Personal Choice', Publishing News -- Sue Baker * Publishing News *

Author Bio

Tim Hitchcock is Professor of History at the University of Hertfordshire and Director of the Old Bailey project.