Who was Henry Croft?

His name may mean nothing but his contribution to children's charity became a byword in London Cockney Folklore. Henry was a roadsweeper and rat catcher. In fact he was reputed to be one of the best of his generation. His area was Charlton Street off the Euston Road. The London at the time was riddled with death and illness including destitution with child mortality extremely high . If you were destitute your only recourse was the workhouse which was one step above living on the streets. His friends were Costermongers (Street Traders and Market Stall Holders), Beggars, prostitutes, thieves and Vagabonds.

The fashion at the time was pearl buttons. All wore them on their boots and shoes. It was the fad of the times. He noticed that everywhere he went he found lots of loose buttons on the floor especially in Charlton Street market. At that time they were not expensive. So he started to collect them and sell them at a small profit. The broken ones he sewed on his working suit so he stood out when he went charity collecting in the Market for his favourite orphanage up by Chalk Farm somewhere.

One day while he was collecting the chief costermonger asked him what he was doing and was so impressed by his fortitude he decide to contact all the other costermongers throughout London and outside markets to collect for him. To celebrate they wear pearly suits and dresses when they collect births, marriages, death and their harvest festival at St Martin in the Fields, in the Strand.

So from one person's good deed sprung a tradition that is now known the world over and doesn’t it make you proud to be a cockney and a Londoner.

El Moano

The image is from www.paviyarns.co.uk