Victorian London Street Life in Historic Photographs

by John Thomson

Classic document of social realism contains 37 photographs by famed Victorian photographer John Thomson, accompanied by individual essays — by Thomson himself or social activist Adolphe Smith — that offer sharply drawn vignettes of lower-class laborers, dustmen, street musicians, shoe blacks, and other street people. A treasure trove of astonishing historical detail.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Photography, Victorian, London, Art, British Literature

134 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

i'm reading this for an art history paper - very interesting

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a brilliant book!
If you have no interest in Victorian times then this clearly is not the book for you, but if you have and have enjoyed Victorian fiction and dramas then this is a fascinating insight into Victorian life.
What sets this apart is that it is contemporary. It was first publish in 1877 and it is clear from every page that the authors have a genuine interest and compassion for the people they write about. It gives a fascinating insight into how the poor survived all those years before a welfare state. In doing so it gives a good context and understanding for appreciating Victorian literature.

My major complaint though with this book is the extremely poor reproduction quality. They have basically just scanned the original but have failed to edit the photographs so all suffer from moire and stippling. Photography books should be 'coffee table' books with high production values and this is just shoddy. True, the book was produced in 1994 but having working with IT myself for 30 years I know that even back then you could edit scans to make them more presentable.

Consequently, I would not recommend buying this publication, it's expensive for poor quality.
You can find most of the photos reproduced here in better quality.
my link text
And the entire book can be read online here.
my link text

[IK · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting account of life in Victorian London told through photographs and accompanying vignettes. Written at the time, it is clear that Thompson took an empathetic approach to the subjects of each photograph, whilst not shying away from telling the truth of their lives. The text accompanying each photograph is contemporary and there are some potentially offensive terms like ‘street Arabs’ used.
The book tells the history of ordinary and destitute people. Some of Thompson’s observations are laced with irony and, whilst this was written over 150 years ago, still seem so relevant today. A good read for those looking to have an understanding of what life was really like in Victorian London for the poor, even if it is to provide context for literary texts.

[Suzanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This little volume contains relatively few photographs, but given the rarity of photographs from this period, and in particular those with humble subjects, they are quite valuable. The accompanying text, which is contemporary to the period, provides rich context, and is a worthwhile tool in building an understanding of the humbler classes of Victorian London.

[Mary McLennan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Each chapter is a description of a type of worker you would find plying his trade on the streets of London in the late 19th century. (Some sample chapters: "Flying Dustman", "Public Disinfectors", "Dealer in Fancy-Ware", "The Old Clothes of St. Giles", "Cast-Iron Billy".) It's interesting to read about some of these occupations that no longer exist as well as the general commentary, which is unburdened by any attempt to be "politically correct". Fascinating look at life in a time when there was little in the way of social services to help the poor and uneducated. One bout of illness or turn of bad luck could set you and your family back permanently, with little hope of improving your situation in the future. So besides the interesting depiction of the trades themselves, the underlying stories of people and their lives is fascinating.

[Laura Leaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know, those Victorians were really something. Covering up piano legs one minute (phallic implications) and building gorgeous homes for convicts the next. A strange and most fascinating people. I bought this book on a whim because I'm deeply in love with the nineteenth century, and the photographs are worth the bargain price I paid. Knowing the tendency of the age, I would say all are posed - but if you have any interest in this time period, it's most satisfying to see, actually "see," a shoe-black and his stand or the cart selling half-penny ices. The explanatory notes are very good. My favorite photo is titled "Workers on the 'Silent Highway'."

[Alessandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fantastic resource of information about London's lower classes in the Victorian era. Originally published in 1876, it starts with a large selection of photographs of street scenes of London, mostly of tradesmen and the poor. Then it has a fantastic series of essays outlining details of the lives of these people. It's full of unexpected revelations.

I would recommend this book to students of history and of poverty, and to authors who wish to write about Victorian London.

This book has also been published by Dover Books.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for college: Imaginary Cities FYI and Victorian Garbage.

A neat book of historic photographs of working-class (and poorer) Londoners, along with written descriptions of their lives.