Cabinet of Curiosities

In Mary Poppins (1934) and, later, Disney's film adaptation, a bird woman sells bags of crumbs on the steps of St Paul's. It's an evocative image

- Luke Honey

This Month: Penny toys

But, 110 years ago, you were as likely to buy a 'penny' toy as a bag of pigeon food. For enterprising pedlars (also known as 'gutter merchants') congregated in the streets surrounding the cathedral, selling a wide variety of cheap toys.