Costers Collection

Pearly King - or Pearly Prince? Little boy in fancy dress
A little boy posing for his photograph in a Pearly King costume. Date: 1920s

Albert Chevalier - English Comedian and Actor
Albert Onesime Britannicus Gwathveoyd Louis Chevalier (18611923) - English comedian and actor. Had a successful music hall career as a singer of coster songs of his own invention. Date: 1892

Cockney Argument between a fat man and a thin man
Fat Party (after a War of words) - " If you come our court to-morrer and bring a bit o fat with yer, I ll bloomin well eat yer." !! Date: 1895

Victorian Scrap -- Coster. late 19th century

London street scene - The Coster Girl
A series of postcards showing women (in various jobs) in London - The Coster Girl.. Romanian-born sculptor and illustrator Alexander Popini served in the Royal Air Force during World War I

Costers Market - vegetable barrow f/g people and building b/g. Part of Box 34 Boswell Collection - London Streets. Date: circa 1890s

Pieman and Costers
A coster boy and girl toss a coin for a pie Date: circa 1862

The Crab Tree Club, opened in Greek Street, London in 1914 and frequented by artists and bohemians, many who dressed in clothes imitating street costers of the period, known as the Slade Coster Gang

Cheeky Cockney man quizzes a London Policeman
The wit of the Classic London Cockney - cheekily enquiring of a Policeman (leading home a small lost child): - " Whats e done, Guvnor?" !!! Date: 1892

Ironic Conversation between two Cockney men in an East London Boozer. " Who was t bloke I see yer speakin to larst night?" " Wot sort o bloke

Cockney Comment on the purchase of a parrot
Two Pals outside a pub looking at a third bargaining for a parrot with a sailor outside a pub. " Why, es Missus jaws enough. Wot ds e want with a bloomin parrot." !! Date: 1895

A couple of Cockney Loafers. Date: circa 1890s

A Cockney lady from Whitechapel, East London
A lovely drawing of a Cockney lady from Whitechapel, East London. Date: 1895

Sailor Jack - popular with all the Cockney Women
They All Love Jack. A popular sailor, obviously a bit of a wow with the ladies, of which he likely has one in every port... Date: 1895

Funny Cockney comment on a ladies neckwear
Funny Cockney comment on a fellow Cockney ladies neckwear. " Ow Is y, look at er frills. Got erself hup like a bloomin am bone!" Date: 1900

Smug Cockney woman who has nabbed her rivals Gent
Jilted! A smug Cockney woman who has nabbed her rivals Gent, throws her a very satisfied glance! Date: circa 1890s

Two Cockney Costers - one restraining a bulldog
Two young Cockney chaps, one of whom is having to restrain his Bulldog, who is obviously rather interested in something he has sniffed or spotted! Date: circa 1890s

Two Cockney street Flowergirls
Two Cockney Flowergirls, not in their first bloom of youth - entitled (somewhat wickedly) " Sweet Violets" ! - caricature by Phil May. Date: 1897

Two Cockneys discuss the pedigree of a dog
Two Cockneys discuss the (er..) pedigree of a dog! " Say, Bill, wots is pedigree?" Bill: " Why es by a porter out o a third class railway kerridge." !! Date: 1895

Arriet - a good Cockney Girl in all of her finery. Date: circa 1890s

Cockney Couple on Hampstead Heath reading a magazine
" The Upper Ten" - being read by a Cockney Couple (and their bulldog) under a tree on Hampstead Heath. A few bottles of ale have been consumed. Date: 1901

Cockney couple off a day out at Margate
Cockney couple in their finery - all ready to depart for a day out in Margate. Date: 1900

Cockney Humour - temptation
Salvation Army Captain: " When the Serpent tempted Eve" Bill: " Oh Chuck it! There wanted no bloomin snake

Two laughing young Cockney scamps Date: 1890s

Observations at a Cockney Funeral - Phil May
One Easter Monday. Arriet (watching the funeral of Liza) - " Nice sort of Bank Oliday for er, poor dear!" Date: 1900

Cockneys visiting a Royal Navy Gunboat
An Honest London Taxpayer wanting full value for his contributions! Visiting Day on a Gunboat. Arry: " Is the Captain in?" Jack: " Yes, hes aboard

Cockney London Flowergirl sells buttonhole to city gent
A Cockney London Flowergirl sells a buttonhole bouquet to a well-to-do city gentleman. Date: 1895

Two Cockney Costers having a jovial chat: " Wots th row up the Court, Bill?" " Bob Smith was kissing my Missus, and is Old Woman caught im!" Date: 1892

Two Cockney ladies admiring an artist
Two Cockney ladies admiring (?) an artist and is bloomin at ! Date: 1895

Happy Hampstead - Coster Saleswoman at Hampstead Fair, who also seems quite open to offers for her noisy offspring! Date: 1899

Cockney ladies discuss their romantic life
Two Cockney ladies discuss their romantic life - cartoon by Phil May. There appears to have been a muddle up between the word clandestine and the word incandescent

Cockney Coster Woman - caricature by Phil May
" Shes just about the neatest, sweetest and prettiest Donah in the whole wide world" - lyrics to a Coster song by Albert Chevalier - caricature by Phil May Date: 1892

Coster Cockney couple embracing on a park bench on Hampstead Heath. Date: 1890s

Cockney lovers - marriage proposal on the grass - " How do you fancy having awkins as your other name?!". Lyrics fom a coster song by Albert Chevalier. Date: 1898

Costers and Cockneys. Having a straight conversation! Date: 1895

Corn Exchange Delft C17
A view of the Koornbeurs or corn exchange - a place of great activity with merchants and tradespeople selling their wares from barrows. Oude church & docks can be seen

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