The Crossing Sweeper, No. 6 from Familiar Figures of London Series
Dublin Core
Title
The Crossing Sweeper, No. 6 from Familiar Figures of London Series
Subject
Street Sweeper
Victorian Period city life
London, England
Women clothing and dress in Victorian Period,
Trafalgar Square,
Nelson’s Column,
Picture Postcards 1900-1909
Lithograph postcard
Child Labor during the Victorian Period
Women clothing and dress in Victorian Period
Victorian Period city life
London, England
Women clothing and dress in Victorian Period,
Trafalgar Square,
Nelson’s Column,
Picture Postcards 1900-1909
Lithograph postcard
Child Labor during the Victorian Period
Women clothing and dress in Victorian Period
Description
1 postcard recto and verso.
Street Sweeper acknowledging a Lady near Trafalgar Square, London, England
Street Sweeper acknowledging a Lady near Trafalgar Square, London, England
Creator
Sauber, Robert (1868-1936)
Source
Originally created in 1898 within the “Familiar Figures of London” series of 12 lithographs prints by Robert Sauber.
Publisher
The Pictorial Stationery Co., Ltd.
Date
Published circa 1906-1909.
Format
JPEG
Language
en
Type
Still image, picture postcard with divided back, 3.5 x 5.5 in
Identifier
ff6_crossing_recto.jpg
ff6_crossing_verso.jpg
ff6_crossing_verso.jpg
Abstract
From the Peacock "pictorette" Post Card Series, Figure 6 features a crossing sweeper asking for gratuity from a lady near Trafalgar Square in London, England. Street sweepers would clear a path ahead of a person in exchange for money, and were a common site in cities throughout Europe. Cities at the time were very dirty due to horse-drawn carriages and overcrowding. Typically it was a low class child, and many considered them to be a nuisance.
One account describes street sweeping as "one of those occupations resorted to as an excuse for begging" and it was punished with imprisonment (Mayhew 465).
Trafalgar Square, located in the center of the city, features Nelson's Column in the center. Four lions surround Nelson's Column. Early construction of the square began in 1840, and Nelson's Column was completed in 1867.
One account describes street sweeping as "one of those occupations resorted to as an excuse for begging" and it was punished with imprisonment (Mayhew 465).
Trafalgar Square, located in the center of the city, features Nelson's Column in the center. Four lions surround Nelson's Column. Early construction of the square began in 1840, and Nelson's Column was completed in 1867.
References
For more examples of this series see: http://www.mystudios.com/artgallery/R/Robert-Sauber/The-Newsboy,-No.10-from-Familiar-Figures-of-London,-c.1901.html
and: http://www.lookandlearn.com/history-images/XD141009/The-Soldier?img=1&search=Robert+Sauber+%28after%29&bool=phrase
For information on street sweepers see:
Henry Mayhew's account in his book "London Labour and the London Poor: A Cyclopædia of the Condition and Earnings of Those That Will Work, Those That Cannot Work, and Those That Will Not". Volume 2 of London Labour and the London Poor published by Cosimo Inc.
and: http://web.archive.org/web/20080321105914/http://www.leeds.gov.uk/armleymills/gallery/gallery2.html
and: http://www.lookandlearn.com/history-images/XD141009/The-Soldier?img=1&search=Robert+Sauber+%28after%29&bool=phrase
For information on street sweepers see:
Henry Mayhew's account in his book "London Labour and the London Poor: A Cyclopædia of the Condition and Earnings of Those That Will Work, Those That Cannot Work, and Those That Will Not". Volume 2 of London Labour and the London Poor published by Cosimo Inc.
and: http://web.archive.org/web/20080321105914/http://www.leeds.gov.uk/armleymills/gallery/gallery2.html
Provenance
Original Collection passed from Gertrude Kinnear to her sister Luree Jobe to her daughter Eleanor Jobe, who left it to her niece Elizabeth A. Mealy who left it to her granddaughter Caitlin Mealy.
Rights Holder
For rights and permissions, please contact Caitlin Mealy, catydids515@gmail.com.
Collection
Citation
Sauber, Robert (1868-1936), “The Crossing Sweeper, No. 6 from Familiar Figures of London Series,” Omeka 389, accessed December 13, 2024, https://omeka.lib.jmu.edu/389/items/show/544.