London Labour and the London Poor, Vol. 1

by Henry Mayhew

Of the Kinds and Quantity of Fruit and Vegetables sold in the Streets.

There are two kinds of fruit sold in the streets—“green fruit” and “dry fruit.”

In commerce, all fruit which is edible as it is taken from the tree or the ground, is known as “green.” A subdivision of this green fruit is into “fresh” or “tender” fruit, which includes currants, gooseberries, strawberries, and, indeed, all fruits that demand immediate consumption, in contradistinction to such productions as nuts which may be kept without injury for a season. All fruit which is “cured” is known as “dry” fruit. In summer the costers vend “green fruit,” and in the winter months, or in the early spring, when the dearness or insufficiency of the supply of green fruit renders it unsuited for their traffic, they resort, but not extensively, to “dry fruit.” It is principally, however, when an abundant season, or the impossibility of keeping the dry fruit much longer, has tended to reduce the price of it, that the costlier articles are to be found on the costermonger’s barrow.

Fruit is, for the most part, displayed on barrows, by the street-dealers in it. Some who supply the better sort of houses—more especially those in the suburbs—carry such things as apples and plums, in clean round wicker-baskets, holding pecks or half-pecks.

The commoner “green” fruits of home produce are bought by the costermonger in the markets. The foreign green fruit, as pine-apples, melons, grapes, chestnuts, coker-nuts, Brazil-nuts, hazel-nuts, and oranges, are purchased by them at the public sales of the brokers, and of the Jews in Duke’s-place. The more intelligent and thrifty of the costers buy at the public sales on the principle of association, as I have elsewhere described. Some costermongers expend as much as 20l. at a time in such green fruit, or dry fruit, as is not immediately perishable, at a public sale, or at a fruit-warehouse, and supply the other costers.

The regular costermongers seldom deal in oranges and chestnuts. If they sell walnuts, they reserve these, they say, for their Sunday afternoon’s pastime. The people who carry oranges, chestnuts, or walnuts, or Spanish nuts about the town, are not considered as costermongers, but are generally, though not always, classed, by the regular men, with the watercress-women, the sprat-women, the winkle-dealers, and such others, whom they consider beneath them. The orange season is called by the costermonger the “Irishman’s harvest.” Indeed, the street trade in oranges and nuts is almost entirely in the hands of the Irish and their children; and of the children of costermongers. The costers themselves would rather starve—and do starve now and then—than condescend to it. The trade in coker-nuts is carried on greatly by the Jews on Sundays, and by young men and boys who are not on other days employed as street-sellers.

The usual kinds of fruit the regular costers deal in are strawberries, raspberries (plain and stalked), cherries, apricots, plums, green-gages, currants, apples, pears, damsons, green and ripe gooseberries, and pine-apples. They also deal in vegetables, such as turnips, greens, brocoli, carrots, onions, celery, rhubarb, new potatoes, peas, beans (French and scarlet, broad and Windsor), asparagus, vegetable marrow, seakale, spinach, lettuces, small salads, radishes, etc. Their fruit and vegetables they usually buy at Covent-garden, Spitalfields, or the Borough markets. Occasionally they buy some at Farringdon, but this they reckon to be very little better than a “haggler’s market,”—a “haggler” being, as I before explained, the middle-man who attends in the fruit and vegetable-markets, and buys of the salesman to sell again to the retail dealer or costermonger.

Concerning the quantity of fruit and vegetables sold in the streets, by the London costermongers. This, as I said, when treating of the street-trade in fish, can only be arrived at by ascertaining the entire quantity sold wholesale at the London markets, and then learning from the best authorities the proportion retailed in the public thoroughfares. Fully to elucidate this matter, both as to the extent of the metropolitan supply of vegetables and fruit, (“foreign” as well as “home-grown,” and “green” as well as “dry”) and the relative quantity of each, vended through the agency of the costermongers, I caused inquiries to be instituted at all the principal markets and brokers (for not even the vaguest return on the subject had, till then, been prepared), and received from all the gentlemen connected therewith, every assistance and information, as I have here great pleasure in acknowledging.

To carry out my present inquiry, I need not give returns of the articles not sold by the costermongers, nor is it necessary for me to cite any but those dealt in by them generally. Their exceptional sales, such as of mushrooms, cucumbers, &c., are not included here.

The following Table shows the ordinary annual supply of home grown fruit (nearly all produced within a radius of twelve miles from the Bank) to each of the London “green” markets.

A TABLE SHOWING THE QUANTITY OR MEASURE OF THE UNDERMENTIONED HOME-GROWN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES SOLD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WHOLESALE, IN THE METROPOLITAN “GREEN” MARKETS, WITH THE PROPORTION SOLD RETAIL IN THE STREETS.

Description of Fruits and Vegetables.	Covent Garden.	Borough.	Spitalfields.	Farringdon.	Portman.	Total.	Costermongers.
GREEN FRUIT.
Apples	360,000 bushels	25,000	250,000	35,000	16,000	686,000	One-half.
Pears	230,000 „	10,000	83,000	20,000	10,000	353,000	One-half.
Cherries	90,000 doz. lbs.	45,000	15,000	12,000	11,200	173,200	One-half.
Plums[3]	93,000 bushels	15,500	45,000	3,000	20,000	176,500	One-fifteenth.
Green Gages[3]	2,000 „	333	1,500	1,000	500	5,333	One-fiftieth.
Damsons[3]	19,800 „	3,150	4,500	9,000	1,200	37,650	One-thirtieth.
Bullace	1,800 „	1,620	400	540	540	4,900	One-half.
Gooseberries	140,000 „	26,200	91,500	12,000	7,000	276,700	Three-fourths.
Currants (Red)[3]	70,000 sieves	15,000	75,000	6,000	9,000	175,000	One-half.
Ditto (Black)	45,000 „	12,000	45,000	6,000	4,000	112,000	One-eighth.
Ditto (White)	3,800 „	3,000	15,000	3,000	2,000	26,800	One-eighth.
Strawberries[4]	638,000 pottles	330,000	396,000	15,000	148,500	1,527,500	One-half.
Raspberries	22,500 „	3,750	2,500	3,500	3,000	35,250	One-twentieth.
Mulberries	17,496 „	57,600	7,064	17,281	22,500	121,940	One-fourth.
Hazel Nuts	2,700 bushels	1,000	648	5,400	270	9,018	Two-thirds.
Filberts	221,400 lbs.	72,000	43,200	144,000	37,800	518,400	One-thirtieth.
VEGETABLES.
Potatoes	161,280,000 lbs.	48,384,000	64,512,000	24,192,000	12,096,000	310,464,000	One-fifteenth.
Cabbages[5]	33,600,000 plants	19,200,000	12,000,000	8,400,000	16,472,000	89,672,000	One-third.
Brocoli and Cauliflowers	1,800,000 heads	3,780,000	2,880,000	5,320,000	546,000	14,326,000	One-twentieth.
Turnips	18,800,000 roots	4,800,000	4,800,000	3,500,000	748,000	32,648,000	One-tenth.
Turnip Tops	300,000 junks	500,000	600,000	250,000	200,000	1,850,000	One-third.
Carrots	12,000,000 roots	1,571,000	2,400,000	1,500,000	546,000	18,017,000	One-thirtieth.
Peas	270,000 bushels	50,000	100,000	14,000	4,000	438,000	One-half.
Beans	100,000 „	20,000	10,000	2,400	1,000	133,400	One-fifteenth.
French Beans	140,000 „	9,600	12,000	50,000	9,600	221,200	One-tenth.
Vegetab. Marrows	10,800 dozen	3,240	3,600	432	1,800	19,872	One-third.
Asparagus	12,000 dz. bun.	3,600	1,080	1,440	1,440	19,560	One-fortieth.
Celery	15,000 „	4,800	6,000	3,000	6,000	34,800	One-eighth.
Rhubarb	7,200 „	48,000	28,800	2,400	4,800	91,200	One-tenth.
Lettuces	734,400 plants	1,080,000	2,073,600	129,600	475,200	4,492,800	One-eighth.
Radishes	6,912 dz. hands	43,200	36,000	18,000	28,800	132,912	One-tenth.
Onions	500,000 bushels	398,000	400,000	9,600	182,000	1,489,600	One-third.
Ditto (Spring)	36,000 dz. bun.	10,800	21,600	21,600	14,400	104,400	One-fourth.
Cucumbers	2,160 bushels	10,800	24,000	12,000	38,400	87,360	One-eighth.
Herbs	7,200 dz. bun.	9,600	9,400	7,800	3,900	37,900	One-tenth.

Description of Fruits and Vegetables.	Covent Garden.	Borough.	Spitalfields.	Farringdon.
GREEN FRUIT.
Apples	360,000 bushels	25,000	250,000	35,000
Pears	230,000 „	10,000	83,000	20,000
Cherries	90,000 doz. lbs.	45,000	15,000	12,000
Plums[3]	93,000 bushels	15,500	45,000	3,000
Green Gages[3]	2,000 „	333	1,500	1,000
Damsons[3]	19,800 „	3,150	4,500	9,000
Bullace	1,800 „	1,620	400	540
Gooseberries	140,000 „	26,200	91,500	12,000
Currants (Red)[3]	70,000 sieves	15,000	75,000	6,000
Ditto (Black)	45,000 „	12,000	45,000	6,000
Ditto (White)	3,800 „	3,000	15,000	3,000
Strawberries[4]	638,000 pottles	330,000	396,000	15,000
Raspberries	22,500 „	3,750	2,500	3,500
Mulberries	17,496 „	57,600	7,064	17,281
Hazel Nuts	2,700 bushels	1,000	648	5,400
Filberts	221,400 lbs.	72,000	43,200	144,000
VEGETABLES.
Potatoes	161,280,000 lbs.	48,384,000	64,512,000	24,192,000
Cabbages[5]	33,600,000 plants	19,200,000	12,000,000	8,400,000
Brocoli and Cauliflowers	1,800,000 heads	3,780,000	2,880,000	5,320,000
Turnips	18,800,000 roots	4,800,000	4,800,000	3,500,000
Turnip Tops	300,000 junks	500,000	600,000	250,000
Carrots	12,000,000 roots	1,571,000	2,400,000	1,500,000
Peas	270,000 bushels	50,000	100,000	14,000
Beans	100,000 „	20,000	10,000	2,400
French Beans	140,000 „	9,600	12,000	50,000
Vegetab. Marrows	10,800 dozen	3,240	3,600	432
Asparagus	12,000 dz. bun.	3,600	1,080	1,440
Celery	15,000 „	4,800	6,000	3,000
Rhubarb	7,200 „	48,000	28,800	2,400
Lettuces	734,400 plants	1,080,000	2,073,600	129,600
Radishes	6,912 dz. hands	43,200	36,000	18,000
Onions	500,000 bushels	398,000	400,000	9,600
Ditto (Spring)	36,000 dz. bun.	10,800	21,600	21,600
Cucumbers	2,160 bushels	10,800	24,000	12,000
Herbs	7,200 dz. bun.	9,600	9,400	7,800

Description of Fruits and Vegetables.	Portman.	Total.	Costermongers.
GREEN FRUIT.
Apples	16,000	686,000	One-half.
Pears	10,000	353,000	One-half.
Cherries	11,200	173,200	One-half.
Plums[3]	20,000	176,500	One-fifteenth.
Green Gages[3]	500	5,333	One-fiftieth.
Damsons[3]	1,200	37,650	One-thirtieth.
Bullace	540	4,900	One-half.
Gooseberries	7,000	276,700	Three-fourths.
Currants (Red)[3]	9,000	175,000	One-half.
Ditto (Black)	4,000	112,000	One-eighth.
Ditto (White)	2,000	26,800	One-eighth.
Strawberries[4]	148,500	1,527,500	One-half.
Raspberries	3,000	35,250	One-twentieth.
Mulberries	22,500	121,940	One-fourth.
Hazel Nuts	270	9,018	Two-thirds.
Filberts	37,800	518,400	One-thirtieth.
VEGETABLES.
Potatoes	12,096,000	310,464,000	One-fifteenth.
Cabbages[5]	16,472,000	89,672,000	One-third.
Brocoli and Cauliflowers	546,000	14,326,000	One-twentieth.
Turnips	748,000	32,648,000	One-tenth.
Turnip Tops	200,000	1,850,000	One-third.
Carrots	546,000	18,017,000	One-thirtieth.
Peas	4,000	438,000	One-half.
Beans	1,000	133,400	One-fifteenth.
French Beans	9,600	221,200	One-tenth.
Vegetab. Marrows	1,800	19,872	One-third.
Asparagus	1,440	19,560	One-fortieth.
Celery	6,000	34,800	One-eighth.
Rhubarb	4,800	91,200	One-tenth.
Lettuces	475,200	4,492,800	One-eighth.
Radishes	28,800	132,912	One-tenth.
Onions	182,000	1,489,600	One-third.
Ditto (Spring)	14,400	104,400	One-fourth.
Cucumbers	38,400	87,360	One-eighth.
Herbs	3,900	37,900	One-tenth.

The various proportions of the several kinds of fruit and vegetables sold by the costermongers are here calculated for all the markets, from returns which have been obtained from each market separately. To avoid unnecessary detail, however, these several items are lumped together, and the aggregate proportion above given.

The foregoing Table, however, relates chiefly to “home grown” supplies. Concerning the quantity of foreign fruit and vegetables imported into this country, the proportion consumed in London, and the relative amount sold by the costers, I have obtained the following returns:—

Table, showing the Quantity or Measure of the undermentioned Foreign Green Fruits and Vegetables sold Wholesale throughout the Year in London, with the Proportion sold Retail in the Streets.

Description.	Quantity sold wholesale in London.	Proportion sold retail in the streets.
FRUIT.
Apples	39,561 bush.	seven-eighths.
Pears	19,742 „	seven-eighths.
Cherries	264,240 lbs.	two-thirds.
Grapes	1,328,190 „	one-fiftieth.
Pine-apples	200,000 fruit	one-tenth.
Oranges	61,635,146 „	one-fourth.
Lemons	15,408,789 „	one-hundredth.
NUTS.
Spanish Nuts	} 72,509 bush.	one-third.
Barcelona „
Brazil „	11,700 „	one-fourth.
Chestnuts	26,250 „	one-fourth.
Walnuts	36,088 „	two-thirds.
“Coker”-nuts	1,255,000 nuts	one-third.
VEGETABLES.
Potatoes	79,654,400 lbs.	one-half.

Here, then, we have the entire metropolitan supply of the principal vegetables and green fruit (both home grown and foreign), as well as the relative quantity “distributed” throughout London by the costermongers; it now but remains for me, in order to complete the account, to do the same for “the dry fruit.”

Table, showing the Quantity of “Dry” Fruit sold wholesale in London throughout the Year, with the proportion Sold retail in the Streets.

Description.	Quantity sold wholesale in London.	Proportion sold retail in the streets.
Shell Almonds	12,500 cwt.	half per cent.
Raisins	135,000 „	quarter per cent.
Currants	250,000 „	none.
Figs	21,700 „	one per cent.
Prunes	15,000 „	quarter per cent.