In this episode, we introduce three real forebears to the fictional Eliza Doolittle who were found over the centuries in Covent Garden's iconic fruit and vegetable market.
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Piazza
,
Covent Garden
,
London
Corpses and Cucumbers
Written by
Joanna
Clarke
Performed by
Cassius
Konneh
Delve Deeper
bkthisandthat has a short history of market gardeners. Read Pepy’s diary entry about learning that people are dying of eating ‘cowcumbers’.
About this story
During the Great Plague of 1665 fruit and veg market traders try new venues away from plague ridden City of London and the demands made on them to sell there. Covent Garden Piazza’s fledgling market begins to flourish.
Piazza
,
Covent Garden
,
London
Cleaning Strawberries
Written by
Joanna
Clarke
Performed by
Lulu
Freeman
Delve Deeper
London’s Wallace Collection has one of Joshua Reynold’s paintings of a Strawberry Girl (though his girl is younger than the girl in our story). London Overlooked has an article about Strawberry Sellers.
About this story
18th-Century strawberry girls walk through the night to bring freshly-picked produce to Covent Garden’s market. But what if those strawberries have got dusty on the way?
Oi! You! Jollocks!
Written by
Joanna
Clarke
Performed by
Stephen
Fry
Delve Deeper
Covent Garden Memories has a copy of the newspaper that described the Irish porteress’s bet, and a sketch of her. Victorian London has an article of social historian Henry Mayhew’s about Victorian costermongers. Thrillist has more Victorian slang.
About this story
Sturdy Irish portresses have become a feature of Covent Garden fruit and veg market in the 19th-Century. They carry ridiculously heavy loads to and from the market. In 1837 one woman accepts an unusual bet.
