London Labour and the London Poor

Unflinching reports of London’s poor from a prolific and influential English writerLondon Labour and the London Poororiginated in a series of articles, later published in four volumes, written for the Morning Chroniclein 1849 and 1850 when journalist Henry Mayhew was at the height of his career. Mayhew aimed simply to report the realities of the poor from a compassionate and practical outlook. This penetrating selection shows how well he succeeded: the underprivileged of London become extraordinarily and often shockingly alive.

Henry Mayhew (1812-û1887) was a journalist, social investigator, novelist, and author-ù his work distinguished by vivid reportage, unsentimental sympathy, humor, and an eye for detail.
Victor Neuburg is a former senior lecturer at the School of Librarianship, University of North London. His publications include Popular Literature and A Guide to the Western Front.