Record Number: 1265

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

Henry Mayhew interviews a 'cheap John': "From selling the printed songs, I imbibed a wish to learn to read, and, with the assistance of an old soldier, I soon acquired sufficient knowledge to make out the names of each song, and shortly afterwards I could study a song and learn the words without anyone helping me."

Century:

1800-1849

Date:

Between 1 Jan 1830 and 31 Dec 1849

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

city: London
specific address: a lodging house in Mill-lane, Deptford

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

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Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

anon

Age:

Unknown

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

n/a

Socio-Economic Group:

Labourer (non-agricultural)

Occupation:

cheap john or jack

Religion:

n/a

Country of Origin:

n/a

Country of Experience:

England

Listeners present if any:
e.g family, servants, friends

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

Title:

n/a

Genre:

Poetry, Ephemera

Form of Text:

Print: Broadsheet, broadside ballads

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

owned
purchased to sell

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Source Information:

Record ID:

1265

Source:

Print

Author:

Henry Mayhew

Editor:

n/a

Title:

London Labour and the London Poor

Place of Publication:

London

Date of Publication:

1861

Vol:

1

Page:

337

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Henry Mayhew, London Labour and the London Poor, (London, 1861), 1, p. 337, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=1265, accessed: 15 January 2025

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Additional Comments:

None