TEI | London Labour and the London Poor, volume 2 | ID: rv043431c | Tufts Digital Library

Advanced Search

London Labour and the London Poor, volume 2

Mayhew, Henry

1851

Of the "Leeks" among the Chimney- Sweepers.


	THE are men who have not been brought up to the trade of chimney sweeping, but have adopted it as a speculation, and are so called from their entering , or inexperienced, into the
376	business. There are I find as many as leeks altogether among the master chimney-sweepers of the metropolis. Of the "high masters" the greater portion are leeks—no less than out of . I was informed that of this class was formerly a solicitor, others had been ladies' shoemakers, and others master builders and bricklayers. Among the lower-class sweepers who have taken to this trade, there are dustmen, scavagers, bricklayers' labourers, soldiers, costermongers, tinkers, and various other unskilled labourers.
	The leeks are regarded with considerable dislike by the class of masters who have been regularly brought up to the business, and served their apprenticeships as climbing-boys. These look upon the leeks as men who intrude upon, or interfere with, their natural and, as they account it, legal rights—declaring that only such as have been brought up to the business should be allowed to establish themselves in it as masters. The chimneysweepers, as far as I can learn, have never possessed any guild, or any especial trade regulations, and this opinion of their rights being invaded by the leeks arises most probably from their knowledge that during the climbing-boy system every lad so employed, unless the son of his employer, was obliged to be apprenticed.
	This jealousy towards the leeks does not at all affect the operative sweepers, as some of these leeks are good masters, and among them, perhaps, is to be found the majority of the capitalists of the chimney-sweeping trade, paying the best wages, and finding their journeymen proper food and lodging. Into whatever district I travelled I heard the operative chimney-sweepers speak highly in favour of some of the leeks.
	Many of the small masters, however, said "it were a shame" for persons who had never known the horrors of climbing to come into the trade and take the bread out of the mouths of those who had undergone the drudgery of the climbing system; and there appears to be some little justice in their remarks.
	Since the introduction of machines into the chimney-sweeping trade the masters have increased considerably. In there were masters, and now there are . Before the machines were introduced, the high master sweepers or "great gentlemen," as they were called, numbered only about ; their present number is . The lower-class and master-men sweepers, on the other hand, were, under the climbing system, from to in number; but at present there are as many as odd. The majority of these fresh hands are "leeks," not having been bred to the business.

Information
Table Of Contents

This object is in collection

Edwin C. Bolles papers

Temporal

1851

Permanent URL

http://hdl.handle.net/10427/14951

ID:: rv043431c
Component ID:: tufts:UA069.005.DO.00078
To Cite:: TARC Citation Guide EndNote
Usage:: Detailed Rights

	View all images in this book
	Title Page
	INTRODUCTION
	Of the Street-Sellers of Second-Hand Articles Of the Street-Sellers of Second-Hand Articles Of the Street-Sellers of Second-Hand Metal Articles Of the Street-Sellers of Second-Hand Metal Trays, &c. Of the Street-Sellers of Second-Hand Linen, &c. Of the Street-Sellers of Second-Hand Curtains Of the Street-Sellers of Second-Hand Carpeting, Flannels, Stocking-Legs, &c., &c. Of the Street-Sellers of Second-Hand Bed-Ticking, Sacking, Fringe, &c. Of the Street-Sellers of Second-Hand Glass and Crockery Of the Street-Sellers of Second-Hand Miscellaneous Articles Of the Street-Sellers of Second-Hand Musical Instruments Of the Music 'Duffers' Of the Street-Sellers of Second-Hand Weapons Of the Street-Sellers of Second-Hand Curiosities Of the Street-Sellers of Second-Hand Telescopes and Pocket Glasses Of the Street-Sellers of Other Miscellaneous Second-Hand Articles Of Second-Hand Store Shops Of the Street-Sellers of Second-Hand Apparel Of the Old Clothes Exchange Of the Wholesale Business at the Old Clothes Exchange Of the Uses of Second-Hand Garments Of the Street-Sellers of Petticoat and Rosemary-Lanes Rosemary-Lane Of the Street-Sellers of Men's Second-Hand Clothes Of the Street-Sellers of Second-Hand Boots and Shoes Of the Street-Sellers of Old Hats Of the Street-Sellers of Women's Second-Hand Apparel Of the Street-Sellers of Second-Hand Furs Of the Second-Hand Sellers of Smithfield- Market
	Of the Street-Sellers of Live Animals Of the Street-Sellers of Live Animals Of the Former Street-Sellers, 'Finders,' Stealers, and Restorers of Dogs Of a Dog-'Finder' -- A 'Lurker's' Career Of the Present Street-Sellers of Dogs. Of the Street-Sellers of Sporting Dogs Of the Street-Sellers of Live Birds Of the Bird-Catchers Who are Street- Sellers Of the Crippled Street Bird-Seller Of the Tricks of the Bird-Duffers Of the Street-Sellers of Foreign Birds Of the Street-Sellers of Birds'--Nests Of the Street-Sellers of Squirrels Of the Street-Sellers of Leverets, Wild Rabbits, Etc. Of the Street-Sellers of Gold and Silver Fish Of the Street-Sellers of Tortoises Of the Street-Sellers of Snails, Frogs, Worms, Snakes, Hedgehogs, Etc.
	Of the Street-Sellers of Mineral Productions and Natural Curiosities Of the Street-Sellers of Mineral Productions, &c. Of the Street-Sellers of Coals Of the Street-Sellers of Coke Of the Street-Sellers of Tan-Turf Of the Street-Sellers of Salt Of the Street-Sellers of Sand Of the Street-Sellers of Shells Of the River Beer-Sellers, or Purl-Men Of the Numbers, Capital, and income of the Street- Sellers of Second-Hand Articles, Live Animals, Mineral Producions, Etc. Income, or 'Takinags' of the Street-Sellers of Second-Hand Articles
	Of the Street-Buyers Of the Street-Buyers Of the Street-Buyers of Rags, Broken Metal, Bottles, Glass, and Bones Of the 'Rag-and-Bottle,' and the 'Marine-Store' Shops Of the Buyers of Kitchen-Stuff, Grease, and Dripping Of the Street-Buyers of Hare and Rabbit Skins Of the Street-Buyers of Waste (Paper) Of the Street-Buyers of Umbrellas and Parasols
	Of the Street-Jews Of the Street-Jews Of the Trades and Localities of the Street-Jews Of the Jew Old-Clothes Men Of a Jew Street-Seller Of the Jew-Boy Street-Sellers Of the Pursuits, Dwellings, Traffic, Etc., of the Jew-Boy Street-Sellers Of the Street Jewesses and Street Jew-Girls Of the Synagogues and the Religion of the Street and Other Jews Of the Politics, Literature, and Amusements of the Jews Of the Charities, Schools, and Education of the Jews Of the Funeral Ceremonies, Fasts, and Customs of the Jews Of the Jew Street-Sellers of Accordions, and of their Street Musical Pursuits Of the Street-Buyers of Hogs'--Wash Of the Street-Buyers of Tea-Leaves
	Of the Street-Finders or Collectors Of the Street-Finders or Collectors Bone-Grubbers and Rag-Gatherers Of the 'Pure'-Finders Of the Cigar-End Finders Of the Old Wood Gatherers Of the Dredgers, or River Finders Of the Sewer-Hunters Of the Mud-Larks Of the London Dustmen, Nightmen, Sweeps, and Scavengers Of the Dustmen of London Of the London Sewerage and Scavengery
	Of the Streets of London Of the Streets of London Of the Traffic of London Of the Dust and Dirt of the Streets of London Of the Street-Dust of London, and the Loss and injury Occasioned by it Of the Horse-Dung of the Streets of London Of Street 'Mac' and Other Mud Of the Mud of the Streets Of the Surface-Water of the Streets of London Of the Master Scavengers in Former Times Of the Several Modes and Characteristics of Street-Cleansing Of the Contractors For Scavengery Cleansing Of the Contractors' (or Employers') Premises, &c. Of the Working Scavengers Under the Contractors Of the 'Casual Hands' Among the Scavagers Of the Influence of Free Trade on the Earnings of the Scavagers Of the Worse Paid Scavagers, or Those Working For Scurf Employers Of the Street-Sweeping Machine, and the Street-Sweepers Employed With it Of the Cleansing of the Streets by Pauper Labour Of the Street-Orderlies Street Orderlies -- City Surveyor's Report Of the 'Jet and Hose' System of Scavaging Of the Cost and Traffic of the Streets of London Of the Rubbish Carters Of Casual Labour in General, and That of the Rubbish-Carters in Particular Of the Casual Labourers among the Rubbish-Carters The Effects of Casual Labour in General Of the Scurf Trade Among the Rubbish- Carters
	Of the London Chimney-Sweepers Of the London Chimney-Sweepers Of the Sweepers of Old, and the Climbing Boys Of the Chimney-Sweepers of the Present Day Of the General Characteristics of the Working Chimney-Sweepers Sweeping of the Chimneys of Steam-Vessels Of the 'Ramoneur' Company Of the Brisk and Slack Seasons, and the Casual Trade among the Chimney- Sweepers Of the 'Leeks' Among the Chimney-Sweepers Of the Inferior Chimney-Sweepers -- the 'Knullers' and 'Queriers' Of the Fires of London Of the Sewermen and Nightmen of London Of the Wet House-Refuse of London Of the Means of Removing the Wet House-Refuse Of the Quantity of Metropolitan Sewage Of Ancient Sewers Of the Kinds and Characteristics of Sewers Of the Subterranean Character of the Sewers Of the House-Drainage of the Metropolis as Connected With the Sewers Of the London Street-Drains Of the Length of the London Sewers and Drains Of the Cost of Constructing the Sewers and Drains of the Metropolis Of the Uses of Sewers as a Means of Subsoil Drainage Of the City Sewerage Of the Outlets, Ramifications, Etc., of the Sewers Of the Qualities, Etc., of the Sewage Of the New Plan of Sewerage Of the Management of the Sewers and the Late Commissions Of the Powers and Authority of the Present Commissions of Sewers Of the Sewers Rate Of the Cleansing of the Sewers -- Ventilation Of 'Flushing' and 'Plonging,' and Other Modes of Washing the Sewers Of the Working Flushermen Of the Rats in the Sewers Of the Cesspoolage and Nightmen of the Metropolis Of the Cesspool System of London Of the Cesspool and Sewer System of Paris Of the Emptying of the London Cesspools by Pump and Hose Statement of a Cesspool-Sewerman Of the Present Disposal of the Night-Soil Of the Working Nightmen and the Mode of Work
	Crossing-Sweepers Crossing-Sweepers Of the Adult Crossing-Sweepers Juvenile Crossing-Sweepers

Go to tufts.edu

© 2024 Tufts University