A costermonger was/is a traditional street-seller of?
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,
Costermonger hucster [=huckster], with a costardemonger and an hostler." The derivation of the term, costermonger, is mentioned in Samuel Johnson's "Dictionary of the English language," published in 1759. Charles Knight's "London", published in 1851, also notes that a costermonger was originally an apple-seller. Although the original meaning of "costermonger" applied to itinerant apple-sellers, it gradually came to refer to anyone who sold fresh fruit or vegetables from a basket, hand cart or temporary stall. The term can be used to describe anyone who sells goods outdoors or in the streets and has come to be a synonym for "street vendor". Most