Vagrant Collection (#5)

Cheeky London vagrant asks a smart lady for a kiss. " I never give money away on the street." " Well, then, give us a kiss Lydie." !!! Date: circa 1897

Unhelpful Phrenological assessment of a Park Loafer. Phrenologist (to Park Loafer) - " Now, you re full o Nerves, you are

Wit of a toothless old soak when faced with Sally Army pair
The witty reposte of a toothless old soak when faced with a pair of Salvation Army women: Salvation Sal (to village toper) - " If thou doesn t mend thy ways, Ben Bosker

Tramp asks a horrified lady for a hairpin to clean his pipe
A Tramp asks a horrified smart lady, seated on a park bench for a hairpin to clean his pipe! Weary Willy seating himself beside nervous Miss Jones) - Will yer lend me a nairpin, Lidy

Witty tramp and disgusted older woman - Phil May Cartoon
In the Bars and Streets. Cartoon drawing by Phil May depicting a witty (if rather drunk) tramp and disgusted older woman, who refuses to provide charity

Vagrant couple on Satutday night - drawing by Phil May
In the Bars and Streets. Cartoon drawing by Phil May depicting an elderly, ragged vagrant couple on Saturday Night - their only solace a bottle of something strong. Date: circa 1890s

Tramp holding out a strip of paper
Down on his luck tramp in rags, seated and holding out a strip of paper Date: circa 1890s

Blind Russian Beggar and ragged child Date: 1901

A Russian Tramp. Date: 1902

Buff-bellied Pipit (Anthus rubescens rubescens) American Pipit nominate subspecies, adult, non-breeding plumage, vagrant standing on tidal wrack, Burton Marsh, Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB Reserve

Lanceolated Warbler (Locustella lanceolata) vagrant, standing on lichen covered drystone wall, Fair Isle, Shetland Islands, Scotland, September

Rockhopper Penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome) four adults, swimming in kelp forest, South Africa, June (captive)

Rockhopper Penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome) adult, swimming in kelp forest, South Africa, June (captive)

Brunnichs Guillemot (Uria lomvia) adult, non-breeding plumage, vagrant swimming, Isle of Portland, Dorset, England, December

Siberian Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita tristis) adult, vagrant standing on tidal wrack, Burton Marsh, Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB Reserve, Dee Estuary, Cheshire, England, December

Arctic Warbler (Phylloscopus borealis) immature, first winter plumage, vagrant perched on wire fence, Fair Isle, Shetland Islands, Scotland, September

Ivory Gull (Pagophila eburnea) immature, first winter plumage, vagrant standing, Patrington Haven, East Yorkshire, England, December

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis ibis) adult, breeding plumage, in flight, High Island, Bolivar Peninsula, Galveston County, Texas, U.S.A. april

Desert Wheatear (Oenanthe deserti) immature male, first winter plumage, vagrant standing on sand, Norfolk, England, December

Desert Wheatear (Oenanthe deserti) immature female, first winter plumage, vagrant standing on sand, Norfolk, England, November

Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus caudatus) white-headed northern race, adult, perched on twig, Norfolk, England, February

Steppe Grey Shrike (Lanius pallidirostis) immature, first winter plumage, vagrant perched on twig, Norfolk, England, October

Picture No. 10984719
Vagrant Darter Dragonfly sunning itself on flower seed head in garden - Lower Saxony, Germany (Sympetrum vulgatum) Date:

Picture No. 10984720
Vagrant Darter Dragonfly sunning itself on flower seed head in garden - Lower Saxony, Germany (Sympetrum vulgatum) Date:

Two-barred Crossbill (Loxia leucoptera) adult male, vagrant drinking, Lyndford Arboretum, Norfolk, England, April

Macqueens Bustard (Houbara) 10/12/1962. Photo by Eric Hosking

Macqueens Bustard (Houbara) Near Minsmere Suffolk 10/12/1962. Photo by Eric Hosking

Desert Wheatear (Oenanthe deserti) immature male, first winter plumage, standing on beach, Holme, Norfolk, England, November

Desert Wheatear (Oenanthe deserti) adult female, standing on rock on beach, Lincolnshire, England, November

Rose-coloured Starling (Pastor roseus) juvenile, vagrant perched on metal, Norfolk, England, October

Hornemanns Arctic Redpoll (Carduelis hornemanni hornemanni) immature, first winter plumage, feeding on beach, Aldeburgh, Suffolk, England, December

Wilsons Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor) juvenile, first winter plumage, vagrant foraging at edge of water, Cley Marshes, Cley-next-the-sea, Norfolk, England, September

Southern Migrant Hawker (Aeshna affinis) adult male, close-up of head, formerly an extreme vagrant to Britain, but started colonising in 2010, Wat Tyler Country Park, Essex, England, August

Buff-bellied Pipit (Anthus rubescens rubescens) American Pipit nominate subspecies, vagrant, Queen Mother II Reservoir, Berkshire, England, December

Great Snipe (Gallinago media) adult, vagrant, walking on grass, Spurn, East Yorkshire, England, September

Fire at Langley Court, London WC2, 2 February 1956. Showing an elderly man occupying a derelict room on the top floor, with timber planks used in an open fireplace for heating

Man and woman performing a comic song
Man and woman in shabby costume, performing a comic song

Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda) adult, vagrant, walking in field, Isles of Scilly, England, october

JUVENILE CRIME, 1868. A six year old, sentenced to the House of Refuge on Blackwells Island, New York City, for vagrancy, pleads unavailingly for mercy for his first offense, 1868

WOMAN WITH PISTOL, 1879. A woman repulses a thieving tramp with a pistol at Mayville, Illinois. Wood engraving, American, 1879

LONDON: VAGRANTS, 1861. Vagrants in the Casual Ward of Workhouse. Wood engraving fromhe first (1861) edition of Henry Mayhews London Labour and The London Poor

WOMAN WITH PISTOL, 1879. The value of a pistol. A villainous tramp repulsed by a young lady at Mayville, Illinois. Wood engraving from an American newspaper of 1879

PRISON: THE TOMBS, 1871. The temporary pen at the Tombs in New York City for the detention of drunks, vagrants and other street sweepings. Wood engraving, 1871

PICKPOCKETS PARADISE. Beauties of street-car travel in New York. A jaundiced view of New York Citys street-car system. Wood engraving from an American newspaper of 1871

Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta) dead juvenile, washed up on beach, Cornwall, England, january

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"Vagrant: A Journey Through Time and Space" Step into the world of vagrancy, where stories unfold in unexpected places. From the historic Mount Pleasant Hotel in Kings Cross, London to the iconic image of Charlie Chaplin as the little tramp, vagrancy has left its mark on our collective consciousness. In "Modern Times" (1936), Charlie Chaplin and Paulette Goddard portray a pair of wanderers navigating life's challenges with resilience and humor. Their characters embody the spirit of those who have roamed aimlessly, seeking solace amidst an ever-changing world. Luke Fildes' poignant painting "Houseless and Hungry" captures the harsh reality faced by many vagrants during Victorian times. The Union Workhouse in Wokingham, Berkshire stands as a reminder of society's attempts to address homelessness through institutionalization. Nature too holds its own surprises when it comes to vagrant sightings. The Pallass Warbler spotted at Burnham Overy Dunes in Norfolk or the Little Crake male on Unst Shetland showcase how even birds can become temporary wanderers. The Industrial School for Girls in Maryhill, Glasgow tells tales of young girls forced into lives of uncertainty. These institutions aimed to provide shelter but often perpetuated cycles of destitution instead. History reveals moments that touch our hearts; Thomas Becket washing beggars' feet reminds us that compassion transcends social status. Meanwhile, images from early 1900s London depict rough sleeping as a stark reality for countless individuals struggling against adversity. Among these narratives emerges one that resonates deeply - "VAGRANT ORPHAN 4/4". This enigmatic phrase invites contemplation about lost souls searching for belonging amid a vast universe filled with fleeting encounters. As we reflect upon these hints scattered across time and space - from stone-breaking cells within workhouses to cinematic masterpieces.