Street Food: Hawkers and the History of London

Street Food is a comprehensive history of street selling in London between the late sixteenth and early twentieth centuries, exploring the working lives of poor traders and their social, economic, and cultural importance. It highlights the roles street sellers played in fuelling the capital's expansion and raises questions about urban history.

Format: Hardback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 12 January 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press

Street Food is a captivating exploration of the lives of women, men, boys, and girls who sold oysters, cherries, cabbages, and pies on the streets of London, providing nourishment to the city as it transitioned from a medieval metropolis to a global hub. This book delves into the intricate world of street traders, tracing their journey from the cramped back alleys and rooms they called home to the bustling taverns, bridges, and corners where they set up shop. It vividly portrays the fast-paced nature of food chains, bustling markets, rumbling wheelbarrows, scruffy donkeys, rushing traffic, and the vibrant advertising cries that echoed through the city.

As the first comprehensive history of street selling in London, this book offers a deep insight into the complexities of hawkers' work and their profound social, economic, and cultural significance to metropolitan life between the late sixteenth and early twentieth centuries. Drawing upon the largest collection of archival and published evidence to date, it highlights the crucial roles street sellers played in fuelling the capital's expansion. Moreover, it challenges prevailing narratives and processes of urban history, such as modernization, the rise of retail, and the improvement of streets.

The book also examines why the street food of the past, characterized by its enduring vitality, differs so significantly from the fashionable street food that is ubiquitous in London today. It explores the historical, social, and economic factors that shaped the evolution of street food and sheds light on the challenges and opportunities faced by street vendors in the modern world.

Through its engaging narrative and rich historical analysis, Street Food provides a valuable perspective on the world of street selling and its impact on urban life. It serves as a reminder of the resilience and adaptability of human beings in the face of change and the importance of preserving the rich cultural heritage of street food traditions.

Weight: 558g
Dimension: 241 x 160 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780192846945