Fortune Teller

This photograph shows a street fortune teller with her birds. Above the cage is written 'Ladies & gents these innocent little birds take a planet from the box telling your past and future life for one penny'. In the 1850s Henry Mayhew estimated that up to 30,000 Lodnoners attempted to earn their living in the street. Earnings were extremely low, particularly in winter. Many street workers were children or the elderly. Although limited old age pensions were introduced in 1908 many of London's poorest were often forced to work their entire lives.