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152nd out of 403 books
—
287 voters
The London Underworld in the Victorian Period: Authentic First-Person Accounts by Beggars, Thieves and Prostitutes
by
Henry Mayhew
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.
Paperback, 416 pages
Published
July 25th 2005
by Dover Publications
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Great book. Mayhew is a pretty surprising narrator in that while he does censor and frame the accounts he has collected within his Victorian prejudices, he does point out that it is really hard for people to earn an honest living. He's collected these accounts over the course of years, has statistics to go alongside them, but does let the people he encounters speak for themselves.
And of course, you learn a lot about Mayhew's predjudices too. He has some wonderful quotes, particularly on prostit...more
And of course, you learn a lot about Mayhew's predjudices too. He has some wonderful quotes, particularly on prostit...more
One of the most informative books on London's Victorian underbelly, written in simple, unflowered language and accessible even today. Though Mayhew's accounts are more personal in nature than scientific, there is a lot being said between the lines, especially in his section on prostitution in London. You come away from this investigative look on London's underworld with the understanding that Mayhew felt a certain sympathy for many of these people, some of whom had no other recourse than to turn...more
In the 1840s, journalist Henry Mayhew published a series of articles about the poor of London. These were published in book form in 1851, in the three-volume London Labour and the London Poor. When the books were reprinted in 1861 a fourth volume was added, subtitled Those That Will Not Work, comprising Prostitutes, Thieves, Swindlers and Beggars. The present book is a Dover reprint of that fourth volume.
Despite the cover and title page, Mayhew does not seem to have contributed to this volume....more
Despite the cover and title page, Mayhew does not seem to have contributed to this volume....more
This book is exactly what it claims to be - an authentic study of the London Underworld in the middle of the 19th century. And it does so very well. It is an interesting read, showing a world (thankfully) long gone - not written to be sensational but to give a true picture of the enormous social problems in London at the time.
It is well written, it is easy to read (despite its age) and you will learn quite a bit reading it. If you are a writer and want to add some crime to your novel this is an...more
It is well written, it is easy to read (despite its age) and you will learn quite a bit reading it. If you are a writer and want to add some crime to your novel this is an...more
You can definitely tell that this was written in the 19th century, because the author takes practically no steps towards legitimising his authority as a social scientist. The most scientific aspect is the inclusion of some data collected on the number of prostitutes, the trades & occupations of prostitutes arrested, the number of felonies committed & the value of the property stolen, etc, etc. Theres plenty of data throughout which is not distracting but adds to the text. Im not big on a...more
Very fascinating book. Interviews with prostitutes and thieves from all levels and walks of life in mid 19th century London. The interviews are written in a monologue form, showing that they were likely written by memory of the encounter, so there may have been some leeway for embellishment. Nonetheless, the interviews are very descriptive and personal, to the length where I could actually visualize a teenage mudlark boy scavenging in the River Thames.
Super interesting and super thorough first-person accounts from Victorian London, pretty much exactly what it says on the tin. Found myself nodding off halfway through the Thieve's chapter though, not from lack of interest but just from sheer information overload. Fantastic reference book, plus you get a great sense of the character of the time (from a high-class scholar's view, anyway)
Very informative and enjoyable.
It feels that the 1800's was a whole entirely new world. Parts of the book were quite boring and I did skip a bit (mostly near the end), but I am very glad I read it.
It feels that the 1800's was a whole entirely new world. Parts of the book were quite boring and I did skip a bit (mostly near the end), but I am very glad I read it.
This is a fun book...if you like reading about the underbelly of life in Victorian London, which of course I do:)
Read this book more times than I can remember over the space of 9 months. Ah, the joys of a history dissertation.
Henry Mayhew. . . The London Underworld in the Victorian Period: BRILLIANT.
Beggars! Thieves! And prostitutes!
This is only an exerpt from the complete 4 volume series that was originally printed in 1861, but the details and language are incredible. As a historical first hand reference, it is a gem for me, a fiction writer of that era looking for unadulterated details of the Victorian Era and society at that time.
In 1862, eleven years after the publication of Henry Mayhew's gigantic survey of conditions among the London proletariat, London Labour and the London Poor, this fourth volume was added to the series. As eye opening as ever I am at present struggling along the London sewers. Not a pretty sight!!
Brilliant. This book really gives you first hand accounts of some of london's seedy underworld. This book makes you cry and laugh at the same time, and makes you appreciate living in the 21 century.
May 17, 2013
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