Costermonger Costermonger Costermonger, coster, or costard is a street seller of fruit and vegetables, in London and other British towns. The term is derived from the words "costard" (a now extinct medieval variety of large, ribbed apple) and "monger" (seller), and later came to be used to describe hawkers in general. Some historians have pointed out that a hierarchy existed within the costermonger class and that while costermongers sold from a handcart or animal-drawn cart, mere hawkers carried their wares in a basket. Costermongers met a need for rapid food distribution from the wholesale markets (e.g., in London; Smithfield for meat,
Self Defence Against Fresh Fruit Self Defence Against Fresh Fruit "Self-Defence Against Fresh Fruit" is a Monty Python sketch that appeared in the episode "Owl Stretching Time". It is about an RSM-type instructor who is teaching a class about self-defense, but all he teaches is how to defend oneself against an assailant "armed" with a piece of fresh fruit. The first half or so of the sketch was remade for the Pythons' first feature film, "And Now for Something Completely Different". The teacher (John Cleese) is about to start off his class, but he notices that everyone, save for four students, is absent. He starts