Please rotate your device

The Hard Life of a 'Faker'

Facebook
Twitter
Google+

17/01/1897

Information

Two Salvation Army Officers, armed with the requisite brooms and suitably rigged, ragged and disguised, practised the art of 'faking' - the name given to crossing sweeping by professionals. Relating their experiences - extended over a considerable time and a wide area - the amateur sweepers arrived at the conclusion that unless one had a really good crossing, and that, too, on a very muddy day, pence were few. If the road was fairly clean the average man in the street was apt to treat the mournful 'faker' - although he simulated the most racking cough - with scorn by crossing beside, not on, the cleanly swept path. At the same time the investigating Salvationists brought the knowledge that there are crossing sweepers who manage to make a decent living, but by also working up a connection in window cleaning, running errands, and doing odd jobs in genteel neighbourhoods. However, the poor fellow who spends his last copper in the purchase of a penny second hand broom, and sallies in search of a crossing to sweep, may well deem himself fortunate if at the end of the day he has gained enough to secure a shelter for the night and food for the morrow. (Peterborough Advertiser)

Taken from The Peterborough Book of Days by Brian Jones, The History Press, 2014.

Search and filter

Time periods
Themes
Significant Events
People
Buildings
Objects
Decades
Curriculum Subjects
Places
Locality

Chronicle Writers (and a Wild Hunt)

Facebook
Twitter
Google+

1127

Information

Much of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, our key source for early medieval English history, was written at Peterborough Abbey in this period – today preserved in the Peterborough D and E Manuscripts. Another chronicle was written here by a monk called Hugh Candidus, telling the story of the abbey. One tale he told was of a corrupt abbot, Henry d'Angély, who was a rather godless and worldly man who planned to loot Peterborough of its wealth. As a result a dread portent followed in the form of a spectral 'wild hunt' sent to terrorise the area. 'In the very year in which he came to the abbey, marvellous portents were seen and heard at night during the whole of lent, throughout the woodland and plains, from the monastery as far as Stamford. For there appeared, as it were, hunters with horns and hounds, all being jet black, their horses and hounds as well, and some rode as it were on goats and had great eyes and there were twenty or thirty together. Many men of faithful report both saw them and heard the horns...'

 

Anglo Saxon Chronicle , Hugh Candidus , Henry d'Angely

Discover, understand, and enjoy the rich and diverse stories which make the city of Peterborough what it is today.

ON THIS DAY…

The Hard Life of a 'Faker'
See the story
GET INVOLVED NOW…
Teachers Public


  • Privacy Policy
  • Contributors
  • Copyright
Copyright ©2020 City Culture Peterborough. All rights reserved.
Log In Create account
  • 0 stories
  • 0 stories
  • 0 stories
  • 0 stories
  • 1 story
  • 0 stories
  • 0 stories
  • 0 stories
  • Chronicle Writers (and a Wi…

    Much of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, our key source for early medieval Englis…

    Anglo Sax…
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Google+
  • Return to search
  • 0 stories
  • 0 stories
  • 0 stories
  • 0 stories
  • 1 story
  • 0 stories
  • 0 stories
  • 0 stories
Download acrobat reader