[COMPLETE] London Labour Volume III -ans

Peter Why · Post by **Peter Why** » November 10th, 2020, 1:08 pm

Gill,
I've marked Section 22 as PL okay, but you could correct two minor slip-ups if you like.

2838 and he'd put the tow in the fire-pan. Read as "frying pan".
3954 I had a sceptre in my hand of two serpents ... Read as "and two serpents"

What an awful way to make a living. Breathing sulphur dioxide and eating the molten sulphur! Let alone snacking on molten sealing wax.

Peter

GillH · Post by **GillH** » November 11th, 2020, 2:02 am

Thanks, Peter.
I'll make the changes later.

Section 24 (33:19)

https://librivox.org/uploads/annise/londonlabour3_24_mayhew_128kb.mp3

Quote of the day:
"It was quite accidental was my accident."

GillH · Post by **GillH** » November 11th, 2020, 3:48 am

Edited Section 22 (46:30)

https://librivox.org/uploads/annise/londonlabour3_22_mayhew_128kb.mp3

Peter Why · Post by **Peter Why** » November 11th, 2020, 5:00 am

Edited Section 22 is now PL okay; very cleanly edited.

Peter

Peter Why · Post by **Peter Why** » November 13th, 2020, 12:55 pm

Section 23 PL notes

I don't know whether you'll want to change the first two ....
0928 ... , over spots, called a boa-constructor. Read as constrictor.
1000 ... it was a boa-constructor, and I believe it knowed me. As above.

1217 I must tell you one thing before you finish, just to prove what tremendous courage I've got. Repeat "what tremendous"

Just a minor point ... please do feel free to ignore it. When I used to talk about money, I would always insert an "and" between the shillings and pence; so ... 1 L, 2s. 3d. would come out as "one pound, two shillings and thrupence", with any half pennies and farthings added cleanly onto the end: 5s. 7 1/4d. "five shillings and sevenpence farthing; 2s. 5 3/4d "two shillings and fivepence three farthings; 1 L. 14s. 3 1/2d. "one pound, fourteen shillings and thrupence hapenny"

Interesting people Mayhew met; I do hope he paid them for their time.

Peter

GillH · Post by **GillH** » November 13th, 2020, 3:32 pm

Brilliant. Thanks, Peter.

Edited Section 23 (28:16)

https://librivox.org/uploads/annise/londonlabour3_23_mayhew_128kb.mp3

All changes made, including the "LSD"
from 18:50 - 19:32,
from 19:58 - 20:33
and at 20:35. (I'll do it that way in future.)

It seems as though he's paying them a shilling for each interview. Some definitely deserved a lot more! Although perhaps if he'd offered more he would have got people queuing up to tell him nonsense as well.

GillH · Post by **GillH** » November 13th, 2020, 3:47 pm

Section 25 (39:52)
https://librivox.org/uploads/annise/londonlabour3_25_mayhew_128kb.mp3

The Canvas Clown. Pages 126 - 131

It seems that comedy consisted mostly of hitting each other.

Peter Why · Post by **Peter Why** » November 13th, 2020, 4:20 pm

The edited Section 23 is PL okay; perfect!

I do find it easier to say those LSD phrases with an "and" in the middle of them; I hope you do, too. It's an odd thought that minor stuff like those pronunciations will be historical minutiae one day soon. Decimalisation was in 1971 ... and, yes, I do still make comparisons! "I remember when a packet of chips cost four pence ... in REAL money!"

All these interviewees are real people ... all dust long ago. I tend not to read biographies for exactly that reason; the feeling that I'm holding in my hand a whole life, from birth right through to death.

I suppose, given the number of interviewees, that all those shillings must have added up for him. Did he mention his payments in your Volume Two? ... or have I read it and forgotten?

Peter

GillH · Post by **GillH** » November 14th, 2020, 5:19 am

Yes, Peter: much better. Thanks for that. I'm old enough to remember sixpences. A packet of crisps used to cost a sixpence when I was a kid, although it was really 2 1/2 p by then. And my gran's electricity meter ran off two-bob bits. Our dog's license cost 37 1/2p because they had just converted the old cost of 7s 6d ("seven and sixpence" - we never used to say the word shilling) into decimal. The amount was negligible but just showed willing!

A couple of times he says something about the interviewees (especially children) coming to him because of the shilling. It must have been in Volume II but I think it was mentioned in this volume as well. It was such an amazing undertaking. Trying to ensure that he was somewhat consistent with his questions as well, to gather the statistics he 'needed' must have been tough with those who were monosyllabic and/or suspicious of what he was going to do with the information, or garrulous and couldn't tell him enough - possibly hoping they would get some kind of relief when the book was published. I imagine he interviewed something like five times the number of people whose interviews were finally published.

Peter Why · Post by **Peter Why** » November 14th, 2020, 8:01 am

Section 24 PL okay; Ri too loo ral roo, loo ral lido!

Yes, I remember saying "five and six", rather than "five shillings and sixpence", but it's probably a bit too casual for Mr Mayhew's narration.

I'll see if I can find where the one shilling payment is mentioned.

Peter

GillH · Post by **GillH** » November 14th, 2020, 10:49 am

Thanks, Peter.

Section 26 (22:56)

https://librivox.org/uploads/annise/londonlabour3_26_mayhew_128kb.mp3

Street Exhibitors Part 18: The Penny-Circus Jester
Pages 131 - 134.

Peter Why · Post by **Peter Why** » November 16th, 2020, 4:26 am

Gill,
I couldn't find a mention of Mayhew's one shilling payment by searching for "shilling", but I could easily have missed it.

Section 25 PL. Most of these could have been left as they are, but as there's a definite change to be made, you might like to change the others, too. Your choice.
Peter

***

0900 ... he hadn't no wardrobe. Then the heavy man .. Read as "he had no wardrobe"

1153 I’ve coome up here to Lunnon [to see my Dolly. I feel rather dry, and I’ll just gi’ in here to get half-a-point of yale. I’ll just leave my bunnel outside, and keep a strict eye on it, for they say] as how Lunnon has plenty of thieves in it. Bracketted section is missing.

1321 (that means, search me). Read as "he means, search me".
1901 We fixes up the theatre and the seats which we take with us. Read as "theatres".
2348 .. such as Ajax defying the lightning ... Read as "... Ajax defending..."

GillH · Post by **GillH** » November 16th, 2020, 7:10 am

Thanks, Peter.

Maybe it was a sixpence for the children and a shilling for the adults. On page 31:

“It’s no good you’re coming here for him, he’s off hopping to-morrow with his mother, as has asked me to look after him, and it’s only your saxpence he’s wanting.”

[Or maybe I'm just imagining I read about a shilling payment somewhere.]

GillH · Post by **GillH** » November 16th, 2020, 1:56 pm

Edited Section 25 (40:04):
https://librivox.org/uploads/annise/londonlabour3_25_mayhew_128kb.mp3

Changes made as per your notes:

0900 he hadn't no wardrobe.

1153 I’ve coome up here to Lunnon to see my Dolly. I feel rather dry, and I’ll just gi’ in here to get half-a-point of yale. I’ll just leave my bunnel outside, and keep a strict eye on it, for they say as how Lunnon has plenty of thieves in it.

Now 1333 (that means, search me).

Now 1914 We fixes up the theatre and the seats which we take with us. Read as "theatres".

Now 2402 .. such as Ajax defying the lightning

I also realised I'd ignored the Yorkshireman's accent so I've done my best with 11:53 above and also

1232 "ME" (the Yorkshireman says)
1348 "‘I’ll take you to the station-house".

Thanks again!

GillH · Post by **GillH** » November 16th, 2020, 2:00 pm

Section 27 (35:02)

https://librivox.org/uploads/annise/londonlabour3_27_mayhew_128kb.mp3

Street Exhibitors Part 19: Silly Billy & Billy Barlow (pages 134 - 139)