Jack Black — Henry Mayhew

Henry Mayhew (1812-1887) was an English social researcher, journalist, playwright and advocate of reform. He was one of the two founders of the satirical and humourous magazine Punch, and the magazine's joint-editor, with Mark Lemon, in its early days. He is better known, however, for his work as a social researcher, publishing an extensive series of newspaper articles in the Morning Chronicle, later compiled into the book series London Labour and the London Poor; a groundbreaking and influential survey of the poor of London. He interviewed everyone - beggars, street-entertainers (such as Punch and Judy Men), market traders, prostitutes, labourers, sweatshop workers, even down to the “mudlarks” who searched the stinking mud on the banks of the River Thames for wood, metal, rope and coal from passing ships, and the “pure-finders” who gathered dog faeces to sell to tanners. He described their clothes, how and where they lived, their entertainments and customs, and made detailed estimates of the numbers and incomes of those practicing each trade.