Genealogy Chat

somebody was asking the other day what a hawker was, i have found in a 1930s law book this defanition if any one is interested HAWKER. A hawker is a person who travels with a Horse or other Beast of Burden, and goes from place to place or house to house exposing goods for sale, or any person who travels to places other than where they resides by any means of locomotion and there exposes goods for sale in any shop, stall or other hired place. Hawkers must take out annual excise licences (£2) and, under pain of fine or imprisonment, must produce a current license upon demand. Exemptions:(1) Commercial Travellers;(2) the original makers of the goods hawked and his children, or servants residing in the same house as himself;(3) sellers of victuals and coal;(4) sellers in public and legally established markets or fairs. The licence is first granted only on the production of a certificate of good character from a local inspector of police, justice of the peace or clergyman. A hawker must have the words "licensed hawker" on each of his vehicles, shops, boxs or handbills. PEDLAR. A Pedlar is a person who travels on foot from town to town or house to house exposing goods for sale or barter, or obtaining orders for immediate delivery, or offering his skill in handicraft (eg. tinkers and chairmenders are pedlers). A pedlar must obtain a Police Certificate (five shillings) by application to the chief police officer of the district in which he has resided for at least one month. He must show his certificate on demant to any constable or person to whom he offers his goods for sale. The following to not require a certificate to act as pedlars: (1) Commercial Travellers;(2) the sellers of victuals;(3) sellers in public and legally constituted markets or fairs.