Vinegar Valentines For Bad Traders
Only a couple of tickets left for the VALENTINE’S CARD WORKSHOP next Saturday 10th February 2:30pm – 4:30pm at Townhouse, Spitalfields.
Introduced by Rupert Thomas, Director of Dennis Severs’ House, with an illustrated lecture on nineteenth-century Vinegar Valentines by The Gentle Author and a tutorial on the making of cards by floral designer and art director, Amy Merrick.
Ticket price covers all materials including blank cards, replica Victorian paper cut-outs and a range of other decorative elements, as well as complimentary tea, coffee and freshly baked cake.
CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR TICKET
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
You may also like to take a look at
There is a bit of a gender imbalance here! I note that for the women, most perceived negative traits relate to their wantonness, but for the men, there seems to be a much wider range of negative traits. I notice that teachers are not represented because we are, of course, a lovely profession.