“I served my apprenticeship within the nation as a carpenter, however have been 49 years in London this July. I’m now 79. I’ve labored all of the 49 years in London, besides six months. In fact I can’t work now in addition to I might. I used to be obliged about 5 years in the past to put on spectacles, as my eyesight wasn’t nearly as good. I might do the rougher work of carpentering in addition to some years earlier than, however then I can’t raise heavy weights up aloft as I might. In most retailers the second a person places the glasses on it’s over with him. It wasn’t so after I first knew London. Masters then stated, ‘Let me have an outdated man, one who is aware of one thing.’ Now it’s, ‘Let me have a younger man, I will need to have a robust fellow, an outdated one received’t do.’ One grasp discharged two males when he noticed them at work in glasses, although the foreman informed him they labored as effectively with them, and as effectively each manner as ever they did, but it surely was all no use; they went. I used to put on glasses in a single make use of, and others did the identical, and the foreman was man to the lads in addition to to the grasp; and if the grasp was coming, he used to sing out ‘Take these sashes out of the best way,’ and so we had time to whip off our glasses, and the grasp didn’t know we have been pressured to make use of them; however when he did discover it out, by coming into the store unawares, he discharged two males. I now work at jobbing and repairing in buildings. It’s no use my going to ask for work of any grasp, for if I hadn’t my glasses on he’d see from my look I used to be outdated, and should put on them, and wouldn’t hear of giving an outdated man a job. One grasp stated to me, ‘Pooh, you received’t do – you have been born too quickly.’ ”
– From letter LXI, July 18, 1850, quoted in Henry Mayhew’s “London Labor and the London Poor”
