A History of the Cries of London, Ancient and Modern

[☞ SECOND EDITION.—GREATLY ENLARGED.]

[Entered at Stationers’ Hall. ☞All Rights Reserved.]

Hogarth’s Pieman.

“We frequently meet with the pieman in old prints; and, in Hogarth’s ‘March to Finchley,’ there he stands in the very centre of the crowd, grinning with delight at the adroitness of one robbery, while he is himself the victim of another. We learn from this admirable figure by the greatest painter of English life, that the pieman of the last century perambulated the streets in professional costume; and we gather further, from the burly dimensions of his wares, that he kept his trade alive by the laudable practice of giving ‘a good pennyworth for a penny.’ Justice compels us to observe that his successors of a later generation have not been very conscientious observers of this maxim.”

A HISTORY
OF THE
CRIES OF LONDON.

Ancient and Modern.

SECOND EDITION.
GREATLY ENLARGED AND CAREFULLY REVISED

BY
CHARLES HINDLEY, Esq.,

Editor of “The Old Book Collector’s Miscellany; or, a Collection of Readable Reprints
of Literary Rarities,” “Works of John Taylor—the Water Poet,” “The
Roxburghe Ballads,” “The Catnach Press,” “The Curiosities of
Street Literature,” “The Book of Ready Made Speeches,”
“Life and Times of James Catnach, late of the
Seven Dials, Ballad Monger,” “Tavern
Anecdotes and Sayings,” etc.

London:
CHARLES HINDLEY
[The Younger,]
BOOKSELLERS’ ROW, ST. CLEMENT DANES,
STRAND, W. C.

London:—
E. A. BECKETT, PRINTER, 111 & 113 KINGSLAND ROAD.

TO
HORATIO NOBLE PYM, Esq.,
OF
HARLEY STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE,
AS
A TESTIMONIAL OF ESTEEM
For His Private Worth,
AND AS
A PATRON OF LITERATURE:

A HISTORY OF THE CRIES OF LONDON,
Ancient and Modern,

Is Respectfully Dedicated by

Rectory Road, Stoke Newington,
London, N.

The idea of printing and publishing “A History of the Cries of London—Ancient and Modern,” somewhat in the manner and style here presented to the public, was first suggested to me by the late Rev:—

Author of “The Bewick Collector,” 1866. The Supplement to same, 1868, and “Bewick’s Woodcuts,” 1870, etc., and at the time, Rector of West Hackney Church, Stoke Newington, London, N., in the year 1876.

While actively engaged in preparing for publication “The Life and Times of

late of Seven Dials: Ballad Monger,”—to which the present work may be considered a sequel, and the completion of the series on the subject of the—

“CURIOSITIES OF STREET LITERATURE,”

I had frequently to consult the pages of “The Bewick Collector,” and other works of a kindred character for information respecting the elder Catnach, who, by himself, and afterwards in conjunction with his partner, and subsequently his successor, William Davison, employed Thomas Bewick, the famous English artist who imparted the first impulse to the art of wood engraving, for several of their Alnwick publications. This led to my communicating with the Rev. Thomas Hugo, wherein I informed him of my plans, and of the object I had in view with regard to the publication I was then preparing for the press: at the same time soliciting his co-operation, especially in reference to the loan of some of the Bewick wood-cuts, formerly possessed by the elder Catnach, while he was in business as a printer, in Narrowgate Street, Alnwick, an ancient borough and market-town in Northumberland.

In answer to my application, I received the letters that follow:—

The proposed interview took place at the Rectory-house, on the 10th of November, and was of a very delightful and intellectual character. The reverend gentleman found me an apt scholar in all matters with respect to his favourite “Hobby-horse,” viz:—the Brothers Bewick and their Works. All the rich and rare Bewickian gems were placed before me for inspection, and all the desired assistance I needed at his hands was freely offered and ultimately carried out. During our conversation the learned Rector said:—

I thanked the rev. gentleman, at the same time promising to bear the suggestion in mind for a future day.

The somewhat sudden and unexpected death of the Rev. Thomas Hugo on the last day of the year 1876 is now a matter of history.

At the sale of the Hugo Collection, I purchased among many others:—

To carry out the suggestion before-mentioned, and to utilize the very pretty series of fifty-one woodcuts as above, and other Bewick, Bewickiana, and ultra anti-Bewickian woodcut blocks I possess, formed and accumulated by reason of my published works: “The Catnach Press,” 1868. “Curiosities of Street Literature,” 1871. And “Life and Times of James Catnach,” 1878.

In collecting information on the subject of “The Cries of London—Ancient and Modern,” I have availed myself of all existing authorities within reach, and therefore, to prevent the necessity of continual reference, here state that I have drawn largely from Charles Knight’s “London.” Mayhew’s “London Labour and the London Poor.” Hone’s “Every-Day Book.” An article on Old London Cries, in “Fraser’s Magazine.” “Cuthbert Bede.” Mr. Edwin Goadby’s “The England of Shakespeare,”—an excellent Text Book, forming one of Cassell’s Popular Shilling Library. “Our Milk Supply,” from the columns of The Daily Telegraph. Charles Manby Smith’s “Curiosities of London Life,” and his “Little World of London.” And what from various other sources was suitable for my purpose.

To the one lady, and many gentlemen friends who have responded to my enquiries for advice, material, and assistance, and by which they have so greatly enriched the contents of this volume, I beg to express my best thanks. I must in a more particular manner mention the names of—the one lady first—Mrs. Rose Hildreth; then Mr. John Furbor Dexter, Mr. William Mansell; next Messrs. W. H. & L. Collingridge, the Proprietors of The City Press, Aldersgate-street, London, for the use of the following woodcuts that have appeared in the pages of their ever-entertaining work, “Y^e Old City,” by Aleph.: 1.—Shakespeare’s London; 2.—Aldersgate; 3.—Cheapside Cross; 4.—Old Stage Waggon; 5.—Baynard’s Castle; 6.—Old London Shop; 7.—St. Pauls Cathedral. I have also to express my cordial thanks to Messrs. Longman, Green & Co., who kindly allowed the use of 1.—Colebrook Cottage; 2.—The Old Queen’s Head; and 3.—Canonbury Tower. From Howitt’s “Northern Heights of London.” Messrs. Chatto & Windus, Piccadilly: 1.—Charles Lamb’s House, Enfield; 2.—House at Edmonton, where Charles Lamb died; 3.—Edmonton Church. Messrs. Marks and Sons, Publishers of all kinds of Fancy Stationery, Toy-books, Valentines, &c., 72, Houndsditch, for the eight blocks used in their “Cries of London,” at pages 351 to 358. Messrs. Goode, Toy-book Manufacturers, Clerkenwell Green. Mr. John W. Jarvis, Mr. William Briggs, Mr. G. Skelly, Alnwick, and Dr. David Morgan, Brighton.

SECOND EDITION.

The rapid sale of the whole of the First Edition of this work—about one half of which went Due-North, that is to say, in and round about “Canny Newcassel” (the home-land of the Brothers Bewick), America taking the remainder,—will sufficiently explain the re-appearance of “A History of the Cries of London” in its new, and, the Author ventures to think, improved form.

Rectory Road, Stoke Newington,
London, N.

Lady-Day., 1884.

CATALOGUE
OF THE
CHOICE AND VALUABLE COLLECTION
OF
BOOKS, WOOD ENGRAVINGS,
AND
ENGRAVED WOODCUT BLOCKS,
Manuscripts, Autograph Letters & Proof Impressions,
BY OR RELATING TO
THOMAS AND JOHN BEWICK,
AND THEIR PUPILS,
GLEANED FROM EVERY AVAILABLE SOURCE BY THE LATE

WHICH WILL BE SOLD BY AUCTION,
BY MESSRS.
SOTHEBY, WILKINSON & HODGE,

Auctioneers of Literary Property & Works illustrative of the Fine Arts,
At their House, No. 13, Wellington Street, Strand, W.
On WEDNESDAY, 8th of AUGUST, 1877, and following Day,
At One O’clock precisely.
May be Viewed Two Days prior, and Catalogues had.

Dryden Press: J. Davy and Sons. 137, Long Acre.

Goldsmith and Parnell Poems: Published by William Bulmer, Shakespeare Printing Office, London, 1795. Embellished with thirteen designs on wood. Most of the cuts were drawn by Robert Johnson and John Bewick, and all were engraved by Thomas Bewick, except the vignettes on the title-pages, and the large cut of “The Sad Historian,” and the tail-piece at the end of the volume, which was done by John Bewick.

The most magnificent result of the efforts of the wood-engraver, type-founder, paper-maker, and printer, “that ever was produced in any age, or in any country.” Bulmer realized, after paying all expenses, a profit of £1,500 on the work these exquisite blocks adorned.

[John Bewick, del. et Sculp.]

THE SAD HISTORIAN.
Published January 1, 1795, by William Bulmer, at the
Shakespeare Printing Office, Cleveland Row.

John Johnson, del.] [T. Bewick, Sculp.

THE HERMIT AT HIS MORNING DEVOTIONS.
Published January 1, 1795, by William Bulmer, at the
Shakespeare Printing Office, Cleveland Row.

R Johnson, del.] [T. Bewick, Sculp.

THE HERMIT, ANGEL, AND GUIDE.
Published January 1, 1795, by William Bulmer, at the
Shakespeare Printing Office, Cleveland Row.

John Bewick, del.] [T. Bewick, sculp.

THE CHASE.
A POEM
BY William Somervile, Esq.

LONDON:
Printed by W. Bulmer & Co.,
Shakespeare Printing Office, Cleveland Row.
1796.

John Bewick, del.] [T. Bewick, sculp.

SOMERVILE’S CHASE.

This work contains the best specimens of John Bewick’s abilities as a designer; all the cuts were drawn by him except one, but none of them were engraved by him. Shortly after he had finished the drawings on the blocks, he left London and returned to the North in consequence of ill-health. They were engraved by Thomas Bewick, with the exception of the tail-piece at the end of the volume, which was engraved by Charles Nesbit, one of his pupils.

John Bewick, del.] [T. Bewick, sculp.

SOMERVILE’S CHASE.

The cuts in the Chase, on the whole, are superior in point of execution to those in the Poems of Goldsmith and Parnell. Many conceive it impossible that such delicate effects could be produced from blocks of wood, and his late Majesty (George III.) ordered his bookseller, Mr. George Nicolls, to procure the blocks for his inspection, that he might convince himself of the fact.

John Bewick, del.] [T. Bewick, sculp.

SOMERVILE’S CHASE.

Speaking of the death of John Bewick, which took place at Ovingham on the 5th of December, 1795,—aged 35, a writer in the Gentleman’s Magazine says, “The works of this young artist will be held in estimation, and the engravings to ‘Somervile’s Chase’ will be a monument of fame of more celebrity than marble can bestow.”

The Peacock.
(Pavo cristatus, Linn.——Le Paon, Buff.)
(From Bewick’s Land Birds.)

The Common Sandpiper.
(Bewick’s Water Birds).

The Water Ouzel.
(Bewick’s Water Birds.)

The Snipe.
(Bewick’s Water Birds.)

The Redstart.
(Bewick’s Water Birds.)

FIRST STATE!

“The Little House” and Pig, &c.

SECOND STATE!!

Among the very many and all much admired Tail-pieces drawn and engraved by Bewick himself, the above, which, in its—First state! is at page 285 of vol. i. of ‘A History of British Birds,’ 1797, has obtained by far the greatest notoriety. It appears that soon after publication, it was pointed out to Bewick that the nakedness of a prominent part of his subject required to be a little more covered—draped! So one of his apprentices was employed to blacken over with ink all the copies then remaining unsold. But by the time Bewick received the ‘gentle hint,’ a goodly number had been delivered to local subscribers and the London agents—Messrs. G. G. and J. Robinson. It is these ‘not inked!’ copies that are now so readily sought after by all “Bewick Collectors.”

THIRD STATE!!!

For the next, and all subsequent editions a plug was inserted in the block, and the representation of two bars of wood engraved upon it, to hide the part! However, it seems that before the block was thus altered and amended, many impressions on various papers were taken of the—First state! The late Rev. Hugo possessed several of such, one of which—Proof on paper—he gave me on the 10th of November, 1876.—C. H.

The Water Rail.
(Bewick’s Water Birds.)

The Red-necked Grebe.
(Bewick’s Water Birds.)

The Chillingham Wild Bull.
Used in Richardson’s Table Book, Vol. vi p. 15.
⁂ Attributed to T. Bewick.

T. Bewick.
Gin and Bitters.
The Sportsman’s Cabinet, 1803.

“Willie Brew’d a Peck o’Maut.”

The Poetical Works of Robert Burns. Engravings on Wood by Bewick, from designs by Thurston. Alnwick: Printed by Catnach and Davison, 1808. And London: Printed for T. Cadell and Davis, Strand, 1814. With cuts previously used in Davison’s publications.

“Many of the engravings produced for Burns’ Poems, are of a very superior class, and cannot be too highly commended.”—Hugo.

“And for whole days would wander in those places where she had been used to walk with Henry.”

The History of Crazy Jane.
By Sarah Wilkinson.
With a Frontispiece by Bewick.
Alnwick: Printed by W. Davison, 1813.

Jackson’s: A Treatise on Wood Engraving.
See Hugo’s “Bewick Collector.”—The Supplement.

The Repository of Select Literature.
Adorned with beautiful Engravings by Bewick.
Alnwick: Printed by W. Davison, 1808.

Arms of Newcastle.
(Signed Bewick, Sculpt.)

Bull Pursuing a Man.
The Poetical Works of Robert Ferguson, with his Life.
Engravings on Wood by Bewick.

“Sandie and Willie.”
The Poetical Works of Robert Ferguson.
Alnwick: Printed by W. Davison.—1814.

Scottish Ballads and Songs.
Printed and Sold by G. Nicholson,
Poughnill, Near Ludlow.

G. Nicholson, Printer,
Poughnill, near Ludlow.

G. Nicholson, Printer,
Poughnill, near Ludlow.

G. Nicholson, Printer.

Blair’s Grave.
Alnwick: Printed by Catnach and Davison,—1808.

From Newcastle.
Hugo’s Bewick’s Woodcuts, No. 1333.

View of Strawberry Hill.
With Shield of Arms of the Hon. Horace Walpole.

Mr. Bigge’s cut of the
Figure of Liberty.

Tyne-side Scene,
With Shield of Arms.

A Churchyard Memorial Cut.

The Sportsman’s Calender. 1818.
Hugo’s “Bewick’s Woodcuts,” No. 1309.

The Dog in the Manger.

Hastie’s Reading Easy.
From Angus’s Office, where the book was printed.

“Bewick cut for Mrs. Angus, twenty-four figures for the Alphabet:—The Fox and Grapes, the Crow and Pitcher, the Foolish Stag, Joseph and his Brethren, etc. All of them excellent cuts. The fortieth edition was printed in 1814, and the seventy-third in 1839, so that they must have been done in his early days.”

MS. Note of the late Mr. John Bell, of Newcastle. See Hugo’s Bewick’s Woodcuts. No. 240-276.

[R. Johnson, del. Charlton Nesbit, sculpt.]

Cut to the memory of Robert Johnson.
Bewick’s favourite Pupil.

On the South side of Ovingham Church there is this tablet—

In Memory of
ROBERT JOHNSON,
Painter and Engraver.
A NATIVE OF THIS PARISH.
Who died at Kenmore in Perthshire,
The 29th, of October, 1796.
IN THE 26th, YEAR OF HIS AGE.

Thomas Bewick.

Thomas Bewick died at his house on the Windmill-Hills, Gateshead, November the 8th, 1828, in the seventy-sixth year of his age, and on the 13th he was buried in the family burial-place at Ovingham, where his parents, wife, and brother were interred.

“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”

A HISTORY

OF THE

CRIES OF LONDON.

HISTORY

OF THE

CRIES OF LONDON.

———

———

The cries of London have ever been very popular, whether as broadsides, books, ballads, or engravings. Artists of all countries and times have delighted to represent those peculiarities of costume and character which belong to the history of street-cries, and the criers thereof. Annibale Carracci—1560-1609—has immortalized the cries of Bologna; and from the time of Elizabeth to that of Queen Victoria, authors, artists and printers combined, have presented the Cries and Itinerant Trades of London, in almost numberless forms, and in various degrees of quality, from the roughest and rudest wood-cut-blocks to the finest of copper and steel plate engravings, or skilfully wrought etchings. While many of the early English dramatists often introduced the subject, eminent composers were wont to “set to music” as catch, glee, or roundelaye, all the London Cries then most in vogue,—“They were, I ween, ryght merrye songs, and the musick well engraved.”

The earliest mention of London trade-cries is by Dan John Lydgate (1370-1450), a Monk of the Benedictine Abbey of Bury St. Edmund’s, the friend and immediate follower of Geoffrey Chaucer, and one of the most prolific writers of his age this country has produced. To enumerate Lydgate’s pieces would be to write out the catalogue of a small library. No poet seems to have possessed a greater versatility of talents. He moves with equal ease in every mode of composition; and among his minor pieces he has left us a very curious poem entitled “London Lyckpeny,” i.e., London Lackpenny: this has been frequently printed; by Strutt, Pugh, Nicolas, and partly by John Stow in “A Survey of London,” 1598. There are two copies in the British Museum, Harl. MSS., 367 and 542. We somewhat modernize the text of the former and best of these copies, which differ considerably from each other.

In “London Lackpenny” we have a most interesting and graphic picture of the hero coming to Westminster, in term time, to obtain legal redress for the wrong he had sustained, and explain to a man of law his case—“How my goods were defrauded me by falsehood,” but being without the means to pay even the preliminary fee, he was sent—“from pillar to post,” that is from one Law-court to another, but although he “crouched, kneeled, prayed for God’s sake, and Mary’s love, he could not get from one the—mum of his mouth.” So leaving the City of Westminster—minus his hood, he walked on to the City of London, which he tells us was crowded with peripatetic traders, but tempting as all their goods and offers were, his lack-of-money prevented him from indulging in any of them—But, however, let Lackpenny, through the ballad, speak for himself:—