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Sewer hunter 1860s
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Sewer hunter 1860s
Sewer hunters who made their money by combing through the sewers beneath London streets, sieving through the raw water for a small opportunity of finding something valuable like a ring that somebody has lost.
circa 1860s
Mary Evans Picture Library makes available wonderful images created for people to enjoy over the centuries
Media ID 23071236
© Mary Evans Picture Library
Beneath Community Hunter Opportunities Scavenger Scavengers Scavenging Services Sewage Sewer Sewers Sieve Sieving 1860s
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative image captures the daily life of a sewer hunter, or 'tosher,' in 1860s London. The man in the photograph is shown hunched over in the dimly lit sewer, his lantern casting a feeble light on the murky water before him. With a large sieve in hand, he meticulously sifts through the raw sewage, searching for any valuable items that may have been lost in the maze of pipes beneath the city streets. The toshing community, as they were known, made their living by providing a unique and essential service to the residents of London. They would scour the sewers, often at great personal risk, in search of lost items, from jewelry and coins to keys and other valuable possessions. The raw sewage and cramped conditions made the work dangerous and difficult, but the potential rewards were worth the risk for these intrepid individuals. The image captures the grim reality of life in the 19th century, where the divide between the haves and have-nots was stark. The toshers were an essential part of the community, providing a vital service that helped people recover lost items and offered a glimmer of hope in the face of adversity. Despite the challenging conditions, the toshers formed a close-knit community, bound together by their shared experiences and the knowledge that they were making a difference in the lives of the people they served. This photograph offers a glimpse into a bygone era, a time when the streets of London were filled with the sounds of industry and the constant flow of people and goods. It serves as a reminder of the resilience and resourcefulness of the human spirit, even in the most challenging of circumstances.
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