| Abstract: | Drawing upon Mayhew's interviews with rat-catchers, sewer workers and the dog-men of the rat pit, the article explores the varied relationships these aforementioned groups had with rats across three distinct spaces: the country, sewers and rat-pits. In addition to developing a framework for historicizing the practices of rat-catching, the article illuminates Mayhew's highly ambiguous relationship with two key rationalizing projects: the emerging discourses of sanitary progress and ‘animal welfare’, which had consequences for how he conceptualized the diverse cultures of London's working poor. |
