Hindoo Tract-Seller

This engraving was published in Henry Mayhew's study of 'London Labour and the London Poor: The condition of those that will work, cannot work, and will not work', first published in 1851, with an additional volume in 1861. This illustration has the date 1864 which refers to a revised reprint of the publication in 1865. Mayhew commissioned the photographer Richard Beard to make daguerreotype portraits of some of the 'street folk' he interviewed. These were copied to make engravings to accompany the text of the publication.
Mayhew's research suggested there were at least 50 sellers of religious tracts in London in the mid-19th century, more than half of which were identified as 'foreigners such as Malays, Hindoos, and "Negros"'. Of them, he observed 'some cannot speak English, and some—who earn a spare subsistence by selling Christian tracts—are Mahometans, or worshippers of Bramah!' Mayhew was unable to interview the the 'Hindoo Tract Seller' depicted in this engraving as 'he was unable to speak a word of English, and the absence of an interpreter, through some accident, prevented his statement being taken at the time appointed.'