London Labour and the London Poor Volume IV is a fascinating and in-depth exploration of the lives of the working class in Victorian London. Henry Mayhew's meticulous research and detailed interviews give readers a vivid and raw look into the struggles and hardships faced by the city's poorest residents.

The book covers a wide range of occupations, from street performers to mudlarks, providing a comprehensive view of the various ways people tried to earn a living in a rapidly industrializing city. Mayhew's writing style is engaging and immersive, drawing readers into the lives of his subjects and making them feel as if they are experiencing their struggles firsthand.

While the subject matter can be grim at times, Mayhew also highlights the resilience and resourcefulness of the people he interviews, painting a complex and nuanced picture of poverty in Victorian London. Overall, London Labour and the London Poor Volume IV is a highly insightful and eye-opening read, offering valuable insights into the social and economic conditions of the time.

Book Description:
Subtitled A Cyclopaedia of the condition and earnings of those that will work, those that cannot work, and those that will not work.

This volume: Those that will not work, comprising prostitutes, swindlers, thieves, beggars.

Henry Mayhew was a social researcher and journalist who compiled a four volume work in minute detail on the lives of the poor in London, of which this is the fourth volume, published in 1862, and co-written with Bracebridge Hemyng, John Binny and Andrew Halliday.

Notes: 1. Arithmetical errors have been left unchanged.
2. The Appendix consists of a number of maps and tables of statistics, comparing the counties of England and Wales. The 'casual listener' may wish to skip these.
Summary by Peter Yearsley and Gillian Hendrie