The Street Rhubarb and Spice Seller

This engraved illustration of 'The Street Rhubarb and Spice Seller' is based on a daguerrotype photo by Richard Beard. It was published in Henry Mayhew's 'London Labour and the London Poor: The condition of those that will work, cannot work, and will not work', Vol. 1., 'London Street-Folk', first published in 1861. The seller originated from Mogadore in Morocco. When interviewed by Mayhew he was 73 years old and described himself as an Arab, of Jewish faith married to a Christian. He had been a street seller in London for about forty years and mentions that all the other rhubarb sellers he knows in London are also Jews.