London Labour and London Poor : A Cyclopaedia of the Condition and Earnings of Those that Will Work, Those that Cannot Work, and Those that Will Not Work.(4 Volume First Edition set)

Four volume first edition set from 1861. Signed and dated (1991) on front end papers by Peter Townsend (see below). Also name (& dated 1892) on reverse of frontispiece of Vol I. No other marks or inscriptions but with some foxing throughout. No creasing to any of covers. Vols I-III bouind in original mauve cloth cover the London street-folk and their trades. Well rubbed and a little ragged ends of faded fully gilt spines of Vols I-III. Softening of most corners of Vols I-III. Volume IV in much better condition with slightly faded spine covers 'those that will not work' - prostitutes, thieves, swindlers and beggars. Publication date of Vol IV not given but intro advertisement dated 1861. Very tight copies with clean pages and 97 superb wood-engraved plates and numerous maps and tables. 492+512+442+504pp. Mayhew's classic portrait of Dickensian London, considered one of the great social documents of all time in the English language. From the Personal Library of the late Emeritus Professor Peter Townsend of Bristol University and the London School of Economics, Founding Professor of the University of Essex and founder of the Child Poverty Action Group. Tucked in is the receipt for the purchase of these volumes in 1991 plus their full desciption from the bookseller's catalogue.