HENRY MAYHEW (1812-1887) AND

whistling. that they appeared idmst to have a rowd piece of flesh scooQed out of the
cemre of each of them" as ad Englads om whistling a&
-
daDdag boysw T he warae
glee-singersu0. Ethiopian saecladas U1, and oegro saezmks *'. Many of Mayhew's
readas must have irltntified with the m t customafy cries: '"'ha! yards a penny! Three
yards a penny! Beautifid songs! Newest songs! Popular Songs! Three yards a pemy!
Song, song, songs!" Sellers of Race Cards aad Lists - like Tom Cole, the Wooden Lzg,
Old Bnunmagem, and Hell-Fire Jack who wae all famous sellers of "secoad editions"
ar later editious of the mxning ard evening newspapers, especial.ly the Globe and
Standard - cried out: "Here's Daling's Correct Card of the Races. - Names. weights.
and cdours of the Riders. - Lmgh of Bridle, and Weight of addle**' b effect. in an
oral culture such as this, it must have been impossible to read London Labour silently all
the way through The street voices of London at tk very least must have been read aloud
248 Ibid, 197.
2'9 Ibid.. 199.
One gleesinger told Mayhew "We have been streec vocalists f a twenty-five years. We sing
solos, duets, and glees, and only at night" (Maybew, m: 194).
ZSI
he of the sereDadets told Mayhew: "Sometimes, when we are engaged fa it, we go to
concert-roans and do the nigger-statues, which is the same as the tableaux vivants. We illusuate
the adventures of Pampey, a the life of a negro slave*' (Ibid, 193).
32
Acco~ding to Mayhew, there were "50 Ethiopian serenaders, and above 250 who Live by balladsinging
alme" (Mayhew, IT: 190).
253
Mayhew, I: 221.