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Vinegar Valentines For Tradesmen

February 13, 2018
by the gentle author

This selection from the Mike Henbrey collection of mocking Valentines at Bishopsgate Institute illustrates the range of tradespeople singled out for hate mail in the Victorian era. Nowadays we despise, Traffic Wardens, Estate Agents, Bankers, Cowboy Builders and Dodgy Plumbers but in the nineteenth century, judging from this collection, Bricklayers, Piemen, Postmen, Drunken Policemen and Cobblers were singled out for vitriol.

Bricklayer

Wood Carver

Drayman

Mason

Pieman

Tax Collector

Sailor

Bricklayer

Trunk Maker

Tailor

Omnibus Conductor

Puddler

Postman

Plumber

Soldier

Policeman

Pieman

Policeman

Cobbler

Railway Porter

House Painter

Haberdasher

Basket Maker

Baker

Housemaid

Guardsman

Chambermaid

Postman

Milliner

Carpenter

Cobbler

Images courtesy The Mike Henbrey Collection at Bishopsgate Institute

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5 Responses leave one →
  1. February 13, 2018

    At a rough count, cobblers seem to have a nose’s lead in the hate stakes over bricklayers and the Filth. I’m surprised the tax collector appears only once (though I suppose his financial prospects for a hopeful young lady appeared to be quite promising).

    And where’s the night-soil man?

  2. StephenJ permalink
    February 13, 2018

    I see the tax man, but surprised not to see a lawyer or politician…

  3. Judith Willson permalink
    February 13, 2018

    Always interesting to catch a glimpse into these corners of the past. Your ‘peddler’ is actually a puddler though – the worker in an ironworks who ‘puddled’ brittle cast iron, transforming it into workable iron bars. The whole Industrial Revolution was pretty much founded on his skill, so the poor man really deserved better than a valentine like this!

  4. Casey Peto permalink
    February 13, 2018

    wonderful pix.
    typo: that is a puddler

  5. maxime permalink
    February 17, 2018

    Lots of vitriol in days begone. Only the landed gentry were spared.

    Can’t be pleasant times for vast majority. A boat to Van Dieman’s land seems almost tempting…

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