Comments on: London Characters

By: Paul Loften

Paul Loften — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 15:05:18 +0000

There is one that should be added. My dad told me there was a man with steaming hot Beigels piled high on a wheel barrow that would noisily trundle around the cobbled streets on a Sunday morning In Whitechapel, behind the old London Hospital. It must’ve been in the 1920’s . His cry in Yiddish was “Heisse Beiglles! ,Heisse Beiglles!” Upon his entrance to the street you would see the curtains in all the little homes in a row twitching and faces looking out from each window . Then there would be an almighty rush of the mothers into the street to be the first one at the barrow . The delicious hot steaming beigels were sold out almost immediately and he would see the barrow and the seller disappear over the cobbles . Probably to get another load for another street .

By: Cherub

Cherub — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 13:23:31 +0000

These are beautifully illustrated, a joy to look at. As a child in Scotland I can remember the rag and bone man coming round, if your mum gave him something he’d give you a balloon on a stick in exchange. I also remember an Onion Johnnie coming round on a bike in faux French dress, onions hanging round his neck.

By: parktown

parktown — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 10:48:24 +0000

Apart from Catch ‘Em Alive! and The Quack Medicine Man I have seen each and every one of those Characters on the streets of London, some recently too. I can see them in my minds eye even as I type/chat. Wonderful set of picture cigarette cards.

By: parktown

parktown — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 10:37:30 +0000

... for street vendors are still permitted to call their wares in the meaner streets. What? Was there then a law that forbade the calls

By: Marcia Howard

Marcia Howard — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 08:30:26 +0000

I clearly remember the rag & bone man and his horse in the mid to late 50s, although his call out message was ‘almost’ unintelligible. Plus the knife grinder; plus a pavement artist up near the museums in Kensington; and I often passed a man when on my way to school, sitting on the pavement on the corner of a side street off Sloane Street Chelsea mending a cane seated chair. I found them all fascinating. I never saw the Muffin man, but knowing the nursery rhyme, always wondered what a Muffin would taste like!

By: Andy

Andy — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 08:00:15 +0000

Evocative.
I remember the Coalmam on a cart with a horse shouting, “Ooy! Wew sae.”