Barrow boys pushed wheelbarrows loaded with newspapers, toys, sweets, or exotic items. They shouted sales pitches while weaving through crowds, learning persuasion and negotiation early. Many also spread gossip, rumors, or local news. Street corners became social hubs where buyers and urchins exchanged tidbits. These children learned commerce, bartering, and urban geography from experience. Barrow boys became indispensable to local street life and city economies. Older kids sometimes ran “mini-stalls” while younger ones assisted.
Barrow boys were early participants in urban informal economies.
It shows how Victorian children gained street smarts through commerce.
Did you know some barrow boys became famous in their neighborhoods for selling rare trinkets or clever headlines?
[British Library, britishlibrary.uk]