Wateringbury shoemaker begs in London (1846)

Post date: Apr 08, 2012 7:48:2 PM

Extract from Lloyd's London Weekly of 22nd February 1846:

BEGGING-On Thursday a young man named Francis Conally, who had scarcely a rag to cover him was charged by one of the mendicity officers with begging in Lincoln's-Inn Fields.-In answer to a question from Mr. Hall, the prisoner said he was a shoemaker by trade, and was born at Wateringbury, Kent. He came to London in search of employment, and being unable to ob- taln it, he sold the whole of his clothes to procure food. -The officer stated he had been several times in prison for begging, and that he went out with others in all manner of dresses to obtain money; repeated complaints had been made by the inhabitants of their being annoyed, both day night.-Mr. Hall: When you found you could not get work, you should have applied to the overseer.- Prisoner: I did, and he gave me a bit of dry bread.- Mr. Hall: It is dreadful that a young man should spend two-thirds of his time in prison. He must commit him for a month.