The Curds and Whey Seller, Cheapside

This painting by an unknown artist shows a blind woman selling curds and whey on Cheapside. A large proportion of London street vendors were female, often migrants from the countryside. Curds and whey were a popular foodstuff made from milk. They were a cheap source of nutrition for poor Londoners and were sold widely on the streets. The woman's customers are three young chimney sweeps, their faces blackened by soot. Their facial expressions suggest that they may be conning her by taking extra food without paying for it.

Chimney sweeps known as 'climbing boys' were typically children of the parish poor. They would be apprenticed to master chimney sweeps who were, in theory, obliged to provide the children with clothing and accommodation. Unscrupulous masters took on climbing boys as young as six years old in some cases. The boys were able to use their small, nimble bodies to climb up the narrow chimney flues. The work was dangerous and the boys frequently suffered burns and falls. Some were even killed. Exposure to the soot also made them prone to develop cancer. Two of the boys are shown wearing caps that they would pull down over their faces when climbing to keep the soot out of their eyes, noses and mouths. The boys' trousers are worn through at the knees from repeated rubbing on brick.

The young woman is sitting by the base of the Little Conduit at the west end of Cheapside. Conduits provided a public water supply. The Little Conduit was demolished around the time this painting was made. Apprentices and servants would gather at the Little Conduit to socialise. Chimney sweeps would also hope to attract customers by advertising their services in the street. A number of chimney sweeps with their long brushes, sacks and shovels can be seen in the background of the painting. Cheapside was a major retail centre known principally for its cloth trade. The sign featuring a white horse's head is the Nag's Head Tavern. The spire of the Church of St Mary-le-Bow can be seen in the distance.