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Street Life in London 1877. J.Thomson & A.Smith

One of the first and classic examples of a social documentary that captures the life of workers from the London streets. Created by: PICRYL - Public Domain Media Search EngineDated: 1877
Covent Garden Labourers - Victorian era public domain image
The project “Street Life in London’ was created in 19th century by the radical journalist Adolphe Smith and the photographer John Thomson. The monthly magazine, that was publishing from 1876 to 1877 included texts and images of people on the London’s streets. That was a new genre of social documentary photography, which preceded the appearance of photojournalism. Their work captured the life of ordinary people who eked out a precarious and marginal existence.
There were shoe-blacks, chair-caners, musicians, flower-sellers, and many others. The interest to the urban poverty gives the authors the reputation of the pioneers in photojournalism and their project now considered as a classic instance of social documentary.
Later, in 1878, the photographs were published in book form. The verses of this book were scanned and now stored in British Library of Political and Economic Science, which is located in London.
John Thomson was a talented and influential photographer, who had spent ten years travelling in, and taking photographs of, the Far East. On his return to London he joined with Adolphe Smith, a socialist journalist, in a project to photograph the street life of the London poor. The volumes were published in monthly parts as Street Life in London, and were an early example of social and documentary photography. Street Life in London, published in 1876-7, consists of a series of articles by the radical journalist Adolphe Smith and the photographer John Thomson. The pieces are short but full of detail, based on interviews with a range of men and women who eked out a precarious and marginal existence working on the streets of London, including flower-sellers, chimney-sweeps, shoe-blacks, chair-caners, musicians, dustmen and locksmiths.
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The Water-Cart - Victorian era public domain image

The Water-Cart - Victorian era public domain image

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith:..“The men employed on the water carts work according to the state of the weather. Thus, in summer under a hot dry wind, they emerge at earl... More

A Convicts Home - Victorian era public domain image

A Convicts Home - Victorian era public domain image

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith... In Drury Lane there is a house which has been celebrated for more than a century. It was a "cook-shop" in Jack Sheppard’s time. This noto... More

Cast-Iron Billy - Victorian era public domain image

Cast-Iron Billy - Victorian era public domain image

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith:.. ““Forty-three years on the road, and more," said Cast-iron Billy; “and, but for my ‘rheumatics’ I feel almost as 'ale and 'earty as any g... More

Old Furniture coat of arms - Victorian era public domain image

Old Furniture coat of arms - Victorian era public domain image

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith:.. At the corner of Church Lane, Holborn, there was a second-hand furniture dealer, whose business was a cross between that of a shop and a ... More

London Nomades - Victorian era public domain image

London Nomades - Victorian era public domain image

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith..The class of Nomades with which I propose to deal makes some show of industry. These people attend fairs, markets, and hawk cheap ornaments... More

Halfpenny Ices - Victorian era public domain image

Halfpenny Ices - Victorian era public domain image

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith... Italian ice men constitute a distinct feature of London life, which, however, IS generally Ignored by the public at large, so far as It’s... More

The Crawlers - Victorian era public domain image

The Crawlers - Victorian era public domain image

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith:..“But old age, and want of proper food and rest, reduces them to a lethargic condition which can scarcely be preferable to death itself. It... More

An Old Clothes Shop, Seven Dials

An Old Clothes Shop, Seven Dials

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith..."The accompanying photograph represents a second-hand clothes shop in a narrow thoroughfare of St. Giles, appropriately called Lumber Cour... More

London Cabmen - Victorian era public domain image

London Cabmen - Victorian era public domain image

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith..…Despite the traditional hoarse voice, rough appearance, and quarrelsome tone, cab-drivers are as a rule reliable and honest men, who can b... More

Italian Street Musicians - Victorian era public domain image

Italian Street Musicians - Victorian era public domain image

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith:.. Then there is something irresistible in the bright glitter of his eyes, in. his cheerful gait, and his fascinating manners; While English... More

Covent Garden Flower Women - A group of people standing next to a fence

Covent Garden Flower Women - A group of people standing next to a fenc...

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith..…How different is the Covent Garden of to-day, with its bustle and din, its wealth and pauperism, its artifices, its hot-house flowers and ... More

"Hookey Alf" of Whitechapel - Victorian era public domain image

"Hookey Alf" of Whitechapel - Victorian era public domain image

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith:..“Thus in the photograph before us we have the calm undisturbed face of the skilled artisan, who has spent a life of tranquil, useful labou... More

The Temperance Sweep - Victorian era public domain image

The Temperance Sweep - Victorian era public domain image

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith. This chapter recounts the life story of John Day, which begins:..'Born in Lambeth, the son of a road-mender, John Day was sent out to work ... More

Dealers in Fancy-Ware - Public domain portrait drawing

Dealers in Fancy-Ware - Public domain portrait drawing

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith:..'The accompanying photograph represents a street group gathered round a dealer whose barrow is one of the most attractive I have seen duri... More

London Boardmen - Victorian era public domain image

London Boardmen - Victorian era public domain image

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith:..“I had, for instance, an occasion of discussing with two boardmen who seemed worthy of a better position. The first had been trained as a ... More

The Cheap Fish of St-Giles - Victorian era public domain image

The Cheap Fish of St-Giles - Victorian era public domain image

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith:.. Awaiting the moment when the costermonger is able to procure a barrow of his own he must pay eighteen pence per week for the cost of hiri... More

Caney the Clown - Victorian era public domain image

Caney the Clown - Victorian era public domain image

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith:..'After playing in many provincial theatres, Caney finally made his debut in London on the boards of the old Garrick, the Britannia, and th... More

Workers on the "Silent Highway"

Workers on the "Silent Highway"

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith:.. There are, undoubtedly, many most honest, hard-working, and in every sense worthy men, who hold licences from the Watermen's Company, or ... More

The Independent Shoe-Black - Victorian era public domain image

The Independent Shoe-Black - Victorian era public domain image

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith:..“The independent boot-black whose photograph is before the reader, found by experience that the system instituted was not altogether pleas... More

The Wall Worker - Victorian era public domain image

The Wall Worker - Victorian era public domain image

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith...“…The wall working or fence working, described by Parker as a " fine property," is a system of cheap advertising. Where a portion of a wa... More

November Effigies - Victorian era public domain image

November Effigies - Victorian era public domain image

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith:..The accompanying photograph is that of a nondescript guy, somewhat clumsily built up by a costermonger who lives in the south-east of Lond... More

"Mush-Fakers" and Ginger-Beer Makers

"Mush-Fakers" and Ginger-Beer Makers

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith:..“At Clapham Common - where the accompanying photograph was taken - Hampstead, Greenwich, Battersea Park, etc etc, on a broiling summer's d... More

The Sellers of Shell-fish - Victorian era public domain image

The Sellers of Shell-fish - Victorian era public domain image

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith:..‘“But it's hard to pick up money on the streets; there is so many at the same game now, that it's about all we can do to get food. Fridays... More

Flying Dustmen - Victorian era public domain image

Flying Dustmen - Victorian era public domain image

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith:. The removal of dust and refuse from the houses of the metropolis is a task which devolves on the officers of the various parishes. Althoug... More

Covent Garden Labourers - Victorian era public domain image

Covent Garden Labourers - Victorian era public domain image

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith...“…the accompanying photograph represents a group of labourers who are in the service of Mr. Dickson, the well-known florist. Their busines... More

Recruiting Sergeants - Victorian era public domain image

Recruiting Sergeants - Victorian era public domain image

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith.."Recruiting in London is almost exclusively circumscribed to the district stretching between the St. George's Barracks, Trafalgar Square, a... More

“Strawberries. All ripe! All ripe!” - The Street Fruit Trade

“Strawberries. All ripe! All ripe!” - The Street Fruit Trade

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith:.. The season for strawberries, the most delicious of English fruits, has ended. This delicacy was brought in numberless barrow- loads to th... More

"Tickets" the Card-Dealer - Public domain portrait painting

"Tickets" the Card-Dealer - Public domain portrait painting

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith. This chapter tells of the life of a man nicknamed "Tickets":.."About this time "Tickets" made the acquaintance of a Frenchman who possessed... More

The Dramatic Shoe-Black - Victorian era public domain image

The Dramatic Shoe-Black - Victorian era public domain image

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith... Jacobus Parker, Dramatic Reader, Shoe-Black, and Peddler, is represented in the accompanying photograph standing at his accustomed pitch.... More

Street Advertising - Victorian era public domain image

Street Advertising - Victorian era public domain image

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith:..'There is a certain knack required in pasting a bill on a rough board, so that it shall spread out smoothly, and be easily read by every p... More

The Street Locksmith - Victorian era public domain image

The Street Locksmith - Victorian era public domain image

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith:..“The owner of the stall in the accompanying photograph had, however, a different story to tell concerning keys. He possessed some keys whi... More

Public Disinfectors Poster from London School of Economics collection

Public Disinfectors Poster from London School of Economics collection

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith.....While reducing the general death-rate, our recent sanitary legislation has called into existence a class of men who must of necessity be... More

Black Jack Poster from London School of Economics collection

Black Jack Poster from London School of Economics collection

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith:.. Jack stood charged with cutting and wounding the donkeys with a heavy flail-like instrument. At the request of the magistrate the instrum... More

Clapham Common Industries Poster from London School of Economics collection

Clapham Common Industries Poster from London School of Economics colle...

Photography on the Common / Waiting for a Hire..From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thompson and Adolphe Smith:..'I know of one photographer, who obtained on Clapham Common no less than thirty-six shill... More

Street Doctor - Victorian era public domain image

Street Doctor - Victorian era public domain image

From 'Street Life in London', 1877, by John Thomson and Adolphe Smith..The subject of the accompanying illustration is a vendor of cough lozenges and healing ointment. He was originally a car-driver employed by... More