Victorian street markets were crowded, chaotic, and colorful. Children helped parents, sold small items, or ran errands. They observed price fluctuation, haggling, and marketing strategies. Skills in negotiation, observation, and trade developed early. Markets also taught geography, cultural diversity, and social hierarchy. Children sometimes created micro-businesses selling sweets or trinkets. Participating in markets was both survival and practical education. Street commerce fostered practical skills rarely taught in formal schools.
Street markets trained children in commerce, negotiation, and observation.
It highlights the economic sophistication developed in Victorian urban environments.
Did you know some children tracked the daily changes in fruit and vegetable prices to maximize profits in small trades?
[British Library, britishlibrary.uk]