If you're interested in this sort of thing, you might take a look at the work of Thomas Mayhew: http://web.archive.org/web/20080923195808/http://etext.lib.virg

If you're interested in this sort of thing, you might take a look at the work of Thomas Mayhew: http://web.archive.org/web/20080923195808/http://etext.lib.virginia.edu:80/toc/modeng/public/MayLond.html http://web.archive.org/web/20080923195808/http://etext.lib.v... He catalogued the work done by the poor in the early 19th century extensively, and I do mean EXTENSIVELY. He gathered details not only of the types of 'gigs' being performed, but the specific costs and potential profits involved. He was actually trying to estimate how much these London hustles were contributing to the broader economy at the scale of hundreds of thousands of people. It's a little dull, racist, and sexist, but the subject matter is fastidiously catalogued. Some examples: Of Oyster Selling In The Streets: http://web.archive.org/web/20021129180421/http://etext.lib.virginia.edu:80/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=MayLond.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=60&division=div2 http://web.archive.org/web/20021129180421/http://etext.lib.v... Of Roasted Chestnuts And Almonds: http://web.archive.org/web/20021129184309/http://etext.lib.virginia.edu:80/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=MayLond.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=71&division=div2 http://web.archive.org/web/20021129184309/http://etext.lib.v... Of The Cries, Rounds, And Days Of Costermongers: http://web.archive.org/web/20021129180440/http://etext.lib.virginia.edu:80/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=MayLond.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=42&division=div2 http://web.archive.org/web/20021129180440/http://etext.lib.v... Of Coffee-Stall Keepers: (I learned about 'saloop' from this one) http://web.archive.org/web/20021129180034/http://etext.lib.virginia.edu:80/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=MayLond.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=135&division=div2 http://web.archive.org/web/20021129180034/http://etext.lib.v... And of course, Of Street Piemen: http://web.archive.org/web/20030127022056/http://etext.lib.virginia.edu:80/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=MayLond.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=146&division=div2 http://web.archive.org/web/20030127022056/http://etext.lib.v...