The Coster Boy and Girl Tossing the Pieman

Engraved illustration based on a photograph showing a coster boy and girl and street seller of pies. The boy, dressed in a peaked cap, jacket, trousers and neckerchief, is kneeling on one knee, two coins that he has tossed lie on the ground beside him. Behind stands a young coster girl in a bonnet and print shawl, her hand resting on his shoulder. Beside them stands the pieman, in a top hat, coat and wearing a white apron over his trousers, his hand resting on the piecan. The tin can stands on four legs and has a large carrying handle. The pies were kept hot by means of a charcoal fire in the can, where two drawers were used to seperate the hot and cold pies. The practice of 'tossing the pieman' was common, particularly among costermongers as it appealed to their gambling instincts. The customer tossed the coin, and if the pieman won they received a penny without handing over a pie, but if they lost the pie was handed over for nothing. The illustration 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. No. 6 page 81.