Woman selling hot chestnuts in Soho
circa 1935
This evocative black‑and‑white image captures a stalwart street vendor roasting chestnuts on her coal‑fired brazier mounted to a three‑wheeled delivery cart. Wrapped in a heavy cardigan and wool skirt against the chill, she tenders a fresh batch of piping‑hot nuts to passers‑by along the bustling thoroughfare of Soho. Behind her, the elegant façade of Henri Stevens & Co. jewellers and watchmakers offers a sharp contrast to her humble yet essential trade.
Historical Context
In interwar London, hot chestnuts were a beloved winter snack, sold from hawker’s carts that roamed market streets and theatre districts. With electricity still scarce in many working‑class homes, vendors like this woman relied on charcoal braziers to roast maris piper chestnuts until their shells cracked open. As the City’s shop windows glittered with Art Deco displays, such chestnut carts provided affordable comfort food—and a welcome moment of warmth—for office clerks, theatre‑goers and late‑shift workers alike.
Share Your Own Vintage Finds!
Have sepia‑toned postcards, family snapshots of street vendors or other interwar London scenes tucked away in an album? Upload your photographs to OldPik.com and help us preserve the rich tapestry of Britain’s social history—one image at a time.
SEO Tags
vintage photo, 1930s Soho street vendor, hot chestnut seller, interwar London food, antique UK postcard, charcoal brazier cart, Soho history, OldPik uploads, winter street snacks, Henri Stevens jewellers
Historical Context
In interwar London, hot chestnuts were a beloved winter snack, sold from hawker’s carts that roamed market streets and theatre districts. With electricity still scarce in many working‑class homes, vendors like this woman relied on charcoal braziers to roast maris piper chestnuts until their shells cracked open. As the City’s shop windows glittered with Art Deco displays, such chestnut carts provided affordable comfort food—and a welcome moment of warmth—for office clerks, theatre‑goers and late‑shift workers alike.
Share Your Own Vintage Finds!
Have sepia‑toned postcards, family snapshots of street vendors or other interwar London scenes tucked away in an album? Upload your photographs to OldPik.com and help us preserve the rich tapestry of Britain’s social history—one image at a time.
SEO Tags
vintage photo, 1930s Soho street vendor, hot chestnut seller, interwar London food, antique UK postcard, charcoal brazier cart, Soho history, OldPik uploads, winter street snacks, Henri Stevens jewellers
Contributed by OldPik on January 7, 2024
Image
You must be logged in to comment on the photos.
Log in
Log in
No comment yet, be the first to comment...