Hard Life of Victorian Match Sellers (Worst Jobs in Victorian England)
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- Опубліковано 29 вер 2024
- The harsh living of a match seller wasn't mere fantasy, but a hard reality for the poor on the streets in the 19th Century Britain. Like the Little Match Girl story - in a world of few labour laws, child workers were an everyday feature of Victorian trade and could often be found doing some of the worst jobs and selling wares on the streets. Neglected children and destitute women often took to the streets to sell matches for it was, sometimes, little more than begging. They could be helping to support a family or keeping an intemperate man in drink. Some would merely pretend to offer for sale the few battered boxes of matches they held in their hands as an excuse for asking for pence. In this video we travel back in time to the 1840s with the Victorian Journalist Henry Mayhew and hear a genuine account of match sellers' lives told in their own words.
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Credits: Narration - markmanningmedia.com
CC BY - A drunken man begs in the street with his family, all ruined by Wellcome Collection; An old beggar with a wooden leg moves with the aid of two crutches by Wellcome Collection; Bryant & May ‘Pearl’ safety matches, London, England, 1890-1 by Wellcome Collection; Matchbox by Auckland Museum; Members of the Matchmakers' Union by Wellcome Collection
CC BY-SA - Old tinderboxes by Timpsk; Blue Plaque erected in 1953 by London City Council at 55 Albany Street, Regent's Park, London NW1 4BT by Spudgun67
#MatchSeller #LittleMatchGirl #VictorianEraJobs #VictorianJobs #VictorianLondon #VictorianDocumentary #VictorianLondonDocumentary #VictorianEraDocumentary #VictorianLife #Victorian #FactFeast
✅ Please support the channel by sharing this video on social media 📲 It really helps the channel grow so we can bring you more content to watch 📺 Thank you 👍
🇬🇧❤🇬🇧 Doesn't this take me Back, To the Good old DAZE, U could rent a rope for 3 pence, 4 a safe place to sleep without getting bit by Rats 🐀🐀in the slums 🐀🐀 .The Bubonic Pluage did a number 1445 until 1666. ❤✝️❤‼️ .
I had an ancestor who was sentenced to death for stealing food in that era - she was eventually sent as a convict to Australia - best thing that ever happened to her - she met another young convict and they were released early for good behaviour given a grant of land in sydney set up a hotel and became quite well off - a lucky escape from the life of the poor in England in those days but what a way for it to happen
Really interesting story here. Thanks for sharing!
Approx what year?
Interesting, yes, I think I’d rather take my chances in Australia back then over the miserably cold, dreary weather and poverty in London.
Downside being, there’s a lot of creatures that can kill you. I’d take it tho if I was in your ancestor’s shoes.
Something about the old man with the dark glasses made me tear up. The fact that he was 72 and still working because he didn't want to be a bother to his family and the fact that so many folk were paying for the match boxes clashing violently against the circumstances of Victorian Britain. I went down the family tree to confirm that we were part of the travelling community and in the 1880-1890 period our family, at least on the mother's side, contained a cluster of hawkers including the youngest daughter who sold ribbons. Knowing that they might have sold matches on the go as well...
A match seller's life was a hard one. Thank you for sharing your story!
So sad as a child the little match girl story always made me cry especially at the end when she lights her last match…
A very sombre tale.
me too.
But I liked it at the same time bc at the end she is "with" her beloved grandmother.
And I always saw it as a reminder to be grateful that we are not in that situation
I find the first match the saddest. At that point she is basically screwed.
Thanks agian. Times change, but the hell of poverty never really does. Timeless, perennial, and seemingly an immutable part of the human experience.
The poor were often confronted with the worst of jobs.
Poverty has changed, those in poverty are granted benefits in first world countries, the poor get education and learn to read and write, it's possible to move up in social class, there's (speaking as a British citizen) free healthcare, free medication, free education and further education, those in poverty have smart phones, televisions and clothes. We doing much better now trust.
@@bradj977 same here in the US, except we're up to our eyeballs in medical debt and student loans.
@@FactFeast Thank you!!! When I read the about the plight of women during that time, it makes me weep!!! Without any rights, they could not escape an abusive relationship. Opportunities were limited, and today, domestic violence is common. Heartbreaking!!! Feminism is NOT about bra-burning, but about life and death.
@@gordanazakula5669 6pp
The old Swan Vestas factory in Bow, East London still exists. Its now a very fashionable and hence expensive apartment block. If only those walls could talk, eh?
The little match girl was one of most sadest movie of Christmas time I ever saw, I cried the whole time. I look for it every Christmas, only seen this movie twice, a real tear jerker.
Begging is still criminalised in the UK, so having a fig leaf of a match to sell could keep a kid out of harsh fines and imprisonment.
These days matches have been changed to the 'big issue' newspaper, to stop the £1000 fines. While you're not ment to be imprisoned for begging, you still can be for not being able to payment of the fines.
Yeah, and supposedly we outlawed debtor's prisons in the US long ago, but we still have that indirect route to to jail here as well. In Montana, this disgusting pos hospital sues patients, they get hauled into court, they are, bb unable to make the ridiculous 6 or 7 payments, then they sit for long weeks or months, lose their job, their place to live, and come out with a fresh new charge of probation violation. And start the process all over again
The big issue kept me out of prison for quite a while lucky for me I had good people as friends
Thank you ❤️
You’re most welcome 😊
Just love your story's thanks love history as well
I'm glad you enjoy these real life stories from the past. I like to think it brings history alive. Thank you very much for your support!
Lack of contraceptives mean too many children. We no longer understand this situation.
Imagine having to advertise your products as being non poisonous 😂
How are you doing happy valentine day thank you sir for reminding us of past beautiful childhood memories cartoon we watched when we were kids in Arabic subtitles called little match girl written by danish Hans Christian Andersen actually victorian period was really misery for most of people at that time as always iam gathering main points about topics you mentioned briefly here it’s match sellers are women who worked 14 hours a day in east of London who were exposed to deadly phosphorus vapours on daily basis nickname was given by match maker to particularly hasty conditions phosphorus necrosis of jaw and poor working conditions in match factory including fourteen hours work a day poor pay excessive fines and severe health complications of working with all o tropes of white phosphorus
The Little Match Girl is a sad story and speaks for the plight of child workers in the Victorian era. Thank you for watching and taking the time to write a comment.
When I was a kid the story of the match girl made me tear up. Now I'm a grown man and I still tear up. I actually have a painting of her hanging in my entertainment room as a reminder to be grateful for what I have. Thanks for the vid as always great stuff!
It really is a sad story. Thanks for your comment!
I remember it as a child also. I always cried
It's heartbreaking 😣
Same! In the Netherlands you have a roller-coaster park, it's called the Efteling....they build an story scene of the girl with the 3 matches....it's so beautiful and when you walk there it's like a fairytale.
This story reminds me of my sister who passed away in 2005 as kids in the early 70's we both being girls and only 18 month's apart we both loved this story of The Little Match Girl but also it brought home the hard times this girl suffered and it always made us cry. The Little Match Girl and all of those selling matching and other items for money had such dreadful hard lives back then I couldn't even imagine how awful it must of been for them living in those times. We certainly have it a hell of a lot easier compared to them that's for sure.
I sometimes walk the industrial parts of the South Bronx where immigrants set up little shacks right on the street selling all manner of goods to the local workers. They are mostly South American and Caribbean immigrants. Seeing how they operate reminds me of Victorian London street sellers because the methods of their operation is very much the same. I enjoy buying loose cans of soda straight from their coolers full of ice. Ice cold soda conveniently available on a hot summer day - I sometimes give the guy $2 eventhough he only charges $1. I think how much some big companies charge at theme parks for soda with no effort at all and figure there is this dude sitting here in the blazing sun all day just for my convenience and only charging $1. So I give him $2 because it's worth it, some old man who doesn't speak English and just wants to make an honest living.
Pity that others are not as thoughtful as you.✊♥️
@Geiger Tec
People like you make the world a better and brighter place. ❤️
When I was a teen, we crossed the border into Mexico. Watching those little kids selling chicklets alone in the streets and bathing in the river broke my heart. I gave one little one 20 dollars. I remember him looking round eyed and running off. The kids really get to you. I live in Texas. That was back in the 90's. Not sure i would bring my kids across these days though. 😞
The human condition remains unchanged , all else is window dressing .
I miss being a child and having the blissful ignorance in thinking "The little match girl" was just a story and never really happens in the real world. That poor old man towards the end. I always feel so heartbroken when any elderly man/woman struggles or suffers in any time
He was too old to be on the streets selling matches, more so for life spans in the Victorian era. I suppose, in this example, he at least had some family support.
This story of the little match girl is so sad 😢
I'm 75 and still happy healthy and fit as a flea after a lifetime of good health care and decent ( although not rich ) living - people were broken early and cast on the trash heap in those days
The desperate status of a match seller reached amputees from the first World War. As a junior in the thirties accompanying a tearful grandmother handing coins to brave men. A pitifully small pension reduced men who served their country to this indignity.
How sad that they squandered their lives just so that the elites of the establishment could carry on making money hand over fist.
What a great story teller, you should definitely have many more subs. I hope your channel grows and grows.
That’s very kind of you to say, thank you! I’m glad you enjoy the history content on my channel.
Imagine walking past one of these poor children and then reading that story, how much you'd cry. 😭😭😭 I really hope nobody in the future will ever have to be poor.
Seems like Children have always been treated like Nothing for many many years.
Hard life and quite frankly many kids were not planned or wanted.
Hope these little angels are in Paradise now. Having all the food, love etc they have been deprived off during their short live. Bless them all.
You bring these people to life for me! I can picture myself there with them ❣️
It’s nice that you think so. I’m glad you enjoyed. Thank you so much!
How sad that the elderly had to work back then. I'm nearly 68 and am still working doing in home health care work, to help my adult son who pays the rent.
The times are getting rough again.
I live in Germany and many here have 2 or 3 jobs to be able to make a living.
When i see, that our useless government is taking in millions of strangers and provide the with OUR tax money, i pray for a revolution ...
Same is happening in uk
This narrator is so talented!! I listen to these videos every night before going to bed. I used to read allot of Dickens as a child. Reminds me of how great the classics were and keeps me humble and feeling so blessed that I'm able to provide a warm bed for my little boy.
Wow, thank you! It means a lot that you enjoy listening. Lots more history to come.
The voices just add so much to the story, I love them! Always impressed with the ingenuity of desperate poor people, thanks for sharing 😃🖒
You’re welcome! It’s nice to know you enjoy the narration. Thanks for writing a comment.
@@FactFeast had to leave a comment about your narration, u make the content I'm watching very interesting for some reason. Your doing a great job sir. I'm a new subscriber, and looking forward to watching your other uploads 😊👍🏽
We don't realize how lucky we are
Indeed
Growing up dirt poor lil girl with matches story always hit home and made me cry
The picture of the boy in the doorway- makes me hold my grandsons tighter. My father's family and my granddaughters's husband's family all emigrated from Mexico. My father's family to escape the hell following the revolution and my in-laws, poverty. All are hard-working, America loving people, grateful for peace and the opportunity to raise healthy families.
Hope they're all legal.
I'm forever blowing bubbles... pretty bubbles in the air ... they fly so high nearly reach the sky and like my dreams they fade and die. .. fortune's always hiding i searched everywhere.. I'm forever blowing bubbles.. pretty bubbles in the air..
I have students read The Little Match Girl in the beginning of the school year. I love hearing students' takeaways.
What a tough live in those days like your video.
Thank you! I'm glad you liked the video. Thanks for visiting and writing a comment.
Last and most important part of my research match girls strike was industrial action taken up by workers of Bryant and may factory against dangerous and unrelenting demands which endangered their health with very little remuneration match girls worked in match factories their job is to dip tips of wooden matches into chemical called phosphorus most of workers in match factories were women many of them were young girls between age 13and16 in year 1888 there were match girls strike organized by William booth he took them to homes of those “ sweated workers “ who were working 11 or12 hours a day producing match companies like Bryant and may honestly the reading and writing both are great ways to improve our English language as none native speakers thank you for cultural documentary channel stay safe blessed good luck to you your family friends
Thank you for your comment! The match makers did strike due to conditions, although it’s only mentioned briefly in this video.
Phossy Jaw was the awful consequence. Necrosis with the gums glowing green when exposed in a dark environment.
240 pennies= 1/(pound). 1/-(shilling)=12 p. Crown=5/-. Halfcrown=2/-6p. Farthing= 1/4 of 1 penny. 1/(pound)=20/-(shillings). Now you guys can really appreciate how little money these people survived from...
I wonder if these people were thinking "well it could be worse at least we ain't got the black death"
Cholera was the killer. How horrible.
Unless they were hittin' the pub. 🍻
It's always a pleasure (is that the right word?) to see a new Fact Feast upload. It must be hard finding source materials you haven't already used.
I’m always looking for ideas, even if it’s for videos that will probably be made several months in future. It’s also nice to read suggestions for sources. Thank you for your comment!
Honored to be your newest subscriber sir, truly great content. Greetings from Vermont
Welcome to the channel! I’m glad you enjoy the history content on my channel. Thank you.
Unless you were born to financially stable parents unfortunately this was the norm. Philadelphia USA
Can you do a story on Victorian pit girls woman miners. “Broo-wenches”
This sounds very interesting!
We'll be back to people selling matches in the street soon enough when the gas prices go up further.
That's for Shure 😂😂🤣😭 Ann Murphy Ireland
Another fantastic video (as always!) Please keep up the amazing work, I've learned so much from you about Victorian history in England and more specifically, London!.. Please never ever stop what you are doing, my wife and I love your channel, and we even watch and listen to your videos repeatedly to learn and absorb as much as we can.
Thank you! It’s so nice to read that my content is informative about the past. I have some playlists that you may find useful for long watching/listening that you can find on the channel page. Thank you again for your support.
Great vid , sadly the stories are true but just as there were victims many fought back against the brutal poverty. Some are fighting still !
I’m glad you found this interesting to watch. There were many truly awful jobs the poor undertook in Victorian Britain. Thanks for your comment!
The little matchstick girl (meisje met de zwavelstokjes) was made into a sad but beautiful little "ride" in the fairytale park Efteling in the Netherlands.
In Turkey, instead of matches, there are children who sell bandaids and chewing gum. I'm guessing that instead of freezing to death, they probably die of heatstroke as it is often blazing hot there.
I don't know which is worse: heatstroke or hypothermia? 😢
The best anti-poverty tool available was contraception. Until then, children sprouted unabated, and were often not wanted. Thus the cycle repeated - all over the world.
And how would that have helped the industrial trade at the time, Malthus?
the uk is returning to these times, as people in dire poverty slip through the cracks and the tories erode our welfare state and NHS ..
Excellent read. Thank you for sharing it.
Very much appreciated. Thanks for listening!
Its amazing how matches were a bit more dangerous because of the phossy jaw and they're still dangerous but not toxic anymore..i like the story about how the founder of the salvation army saved lives and invented a non toxic match in the same time thats one of the better stories from this era and we still have the non toxic matches to this day as well as his wonderful organization 😊 God bless mr. Booth and his memory & legacy.....both his product and shelter helped me both many a time ..when I used to be homeless..( never sold matches lol but definitely had to use a few for light and cooking).. please excuse my lack of punctuation my eyesight isn't the best take care and God bless ❤
Oh that was good. Entertaining and edifying. Great great acting too. Thanks.
It's great you found the characters in the video entertaining. I'm grateful for your support! Thank you.
❤️Your channel!
Wow, thank you so much! I’m glad you like the content.
Excellent narration & wonderful illustrations *TY Fact Feast* 👍👍👍👍👍
Thank you Miji Yoon. I really appreciate your kind comment.
Children.the Essence of humanity.for all times
Great video, it would be I interesting to see your take on the people who did fulling in the 19th century
Glad you enjoyed watching! I plan to make more videos on ‘worst’ Victorian jobs in future. Thank you for your comment.
If you can afford to live in west London drinking artisan gin all day long you can't be that skint....
I would pass on the lucifer matches, bad name. I think shoelaces and flowers would be better. G-d bless.
jobs evolve, today they sell the big issue.
The aul women's impersonation 😂😂😂👍
I’m glad it was entertaining!
So what I got from this was that the old blackpowder gunners with their flint and steele culd keep them sence the new guns came around that same time, as they were left ashore in old age.
Excellent! 👍
Thanks very much for the visit
The Little Match Girl was not a feel-good bedtime story ~ no way. I remember it very well, I couldn't sleep after having that story told. My mother made up her own words for it, but the general idea was the same. A tear-jerker story.
Definitely an unhappy story for young children.
Fascinating insights into the lives of Victorian poor; just not sure the 'voices ' of the poor detract from the stories themselves.
I've always loved the voices.
That was a long time ago, thats the great thing about history is that it passes and can be analyzed by those blessed enough to not be living at that time.
How fascinating - thank you. Have subscribed.
Welcome to the channel! It’s great that you found this compelling to watch. I have more videos about the ‘worst’ Victorian jobs you can find on the channel page. Thank you and I hope you enjoy the content.
@@FactFeast I can guarantee I will - thank you
Stop watching when misuse God's Name
Amazing video. Thank you
Thank you too! It's kind of you to write a comment.
It's kind of you fo make such work of art. 👏
When I heard this story it broke my heart. It's so sad. I am thankful for what I have
A bleak story, but a true account of peoples' lives as street sellers. Thank you for your comment.
Why are so many old stories so dark
1.42 whose hand is that on the shoulder? Also thank you for such fabulous content. We are so lucky these days, I can't imagine that level of poverty.
Thanks A Great Video Stay Safe From Blue
Thank you! It’s very kind of you to leave a comment.
A hard life for the poor, that's for sure. And no social security net if a 72 year old man has to spend his days selling matches
Terrible!
Why do I think matches were called vespers?
In a world of few labour laws ...... yes, Brexiters.
You lost me at the Poor's accent early in the video
5.35 That man has 5 fingers AND a thumb. Maybe that's a mistake, maybe not (?)
I understand what you mean, but these appear to be matchboxes.
5:45 how many fingers does he have?
I believe it shows the man holding boxes of matches, though they do look like fingers as well.
🤣🤣🔥
In Hans story there is a happy ending though…
Grandma brings her to Heaven
She dies...of starvation and hyperthermia...which bit is happy?
What I know of my family background, I traced my relatives as far back as 1851 when they arrived in Scotland from Ireland. I'm presuming they departed Ireland due to the potato famine. In the dock area of Glasgow my great great great Grandpa lived with his wife and six children in a two room home with one window and one door ( according to a census taken in 1854 ).
His ( Grandpa great x 3 ) occupation was a cattle drover, his wife's occupation is listed as a " beef pudding maker " ,, whatever the hell that is ? One of my relatives worked from home as a paper bag maker ,, another relative who could neither read or write made her mark as an X ,, poor soul died of consumption in the Glasgow poorhouse at the age of 24 ( the last resort in those days ).
What a fascinating history of your family. Beef pudding is perhaps similar to steak and kidney pudding, made with a suet pastry. It was interesting to read this and thank you for sharing.
@@FactFeast My father called it blood pudding.
@@jamieryall8341 Jamie, for the most part blood ( or black ) pudding contains no beef. I had my own shop for many years and made countless amounts of black pudding. Fresh pork or lamb's blood, pinhead oatmeal, Spanish onions, suet, rice and my blend of spices stuffed into natural casings.
I’ll pass on listening to the mocking tone in your voice 🤮
I listened to it twice and I still don’t hear a mocking tone! Do you mean when he switches voices, to be the newspaper owner? Just think that it’s his take on being a 19th century character.