I've had one bit of bread to-day nothing else whatever,and I've earned nothing to-day or yesterday;I had threepence the day before.Gets my living by carrying parcels,or minding horses,or odd jobs of that sort.You see I haven't got my health,that's where it is.I used to work on the London General Omnibus Company and after that on the Road Car Company,but I had to go to the infirmary with bronchitis and couldn't get work after that.What's the good of a man what's got bronchitis and just left the infirmary?Who'll engage him,I'd like to know?Besides,it makes me short of breath at times,and I can't do much.I'm a widower;wife died long ago.I have one boy,abroad,a sailor,but he's only lately started and can't help me.Yes!its very fair out here of nights,seats rather hard,but a bit of waste paper makes it a lot softer.We have women sleep here often,and children,too.They're very well conducted,and there's seldom many rows here,you see,because everybody's tired out.We're too sleepy to make a row."Another party,a tall,dull,helpless-looking individual,had walked up from the country;would prefer not to mention the place.He had hoped to have obtained a hospital letter at the Mansion House so as to obtain a truss for a bad rupture,but failing,had tried various other places,also in vain,win up minus money or food on the Embankment.
In addition to these sleepers,a considerable number walk about the streets up till the early hours of the morning to hunt up some job which will bring I copper into the empty exchequer,and save them from actual starvation.I had some conversation with one such,a stalwart youth lately discharged from the militia,and unable to get work.
"You see,"said he,pitifully,"I don't know my way about like most of the London fellows.I'm so green,and don't know how to pick up jobs like they do.I've been walking the streets almost day and night these two weeks and can't get work.I've got the strength,though I shan't have it long at this rate.I only want a job.This is the third night running that I've walked the streets all night;the only money I get is by minding blacking-boys'boxes while they go into Lockhart's for their dinner.I got a penny yesterday at it,and twopence for carrying a parcel,and to-day I've had a penny.Bought a ha'porth of bread and a ha'penny mug of tea."Poor lad!probably he would soon get into thieves'company,and sink into the depths,for there is no other means of living for many like him;it is starve or steal,even for the young.There are gangs of lad thieves in the low Whitechapel lodging-houses,varying in age from thirteen to fifteen,who live by thieving eatables and other easily obtained goods from shop fronts.In addition to the Embankment,al fresco lodgings are found in the seats outside Spitalfields Church,and many homeless wanderers have their own little nooks and corners of resort in many sheltered yards,vans,etc.,all over London.
Two poor women I observed making their home in a shop door-way in Liverpool Street.Thus they manage in the summer;what it's like in winter time is terrible to think of.In many cases it means the pauper's grave,as in the case of a young woman who was wont to sleep in a van in Bedfordbury.Some men who were aware of her practice surprised her by dashing a bucket of water on her.The blow to her weak system caused illness,and the inevitable sequel--a coroner's jury came to the conclusion that the water only hastened her death,which was due,in plain English,to starvation.
The following are some statements taken down by the same Officer from twelve men whom he found sleeping on the Embankment on the nights of June 13th and 14th,1890:-No.1."I've slept here two nights;I'm a confectioner by trade;I come from Dartford.I got turned off because I'm getting elderly.
They can get young men cheaper,and I have the rheumatism so bad.
I've earned nothing these two days;I thought I could get a job at Woolwich,so I walked there,but could get nothing.I found a bit of bread in the road wrapped up in a bit of newspaper.That did me for yesterday.I had a bit of bread and butter to-day.I'm 54years old.
When it's wet we stand about all night under the arches.'
No.2."Been sleeping out three weeks all but one night;do odd jobs,mind horses,and that sort of thing.Earned nothing to-day,or shouldn't be here.Have had a pen'orth of bread to-day.That's all.
Yesterday had some pieces given to me at a cook-shop.Two days last week had nothing at all from morning till night.By trade I'm a feather-bed dresser,but it's gone out of fashion,and besides that,I've a cataract in one eye,and have lost the sight of it completely.
I'm a widower,have one child,a soldier,at Dover.My last regular work was eight months ago,but the firm broke.Been doing odd jobs Since."No.3."I'm a tailor;have slept here four nights running.Can't get work.Been out of a job three weeks.If I can muster cash I sleep at a lodging-house in Vere Street,Glare Market.It was very wet last night.I left these seats and went to Covent Garden Market and slept under cover.There were about thirty of us.The police moved us on,but we went back as soon as they had gone.I've had a pen'orth of bread and pen'orth of soup during the last two days--often goes without altogether.There are women sleep out here.They are decent people,mostly charwomen and such like who can't get work."No.4.Elderly man;trembles visibly with excitement at mention of work;produces a card carefully wrapped in old newspaper,to the effect that Mr.J.R.is a member of the Trade Protection League.He is a waterside labourer;last job at that was a fortnight since.Has earned nothing for five days.Had a bit of bread this morning,but not a scrap since.Had a cup of tea and two slices of bread yesterday,and the same the day before;the deputy at a lodging house gave it to him.
He is fifty years old,and is still damp from sleeping out in the wet last night.
