First published in 1981, this book examines the life of Arthur Harding, a well-known East End underworld figure during the first half of the twentieth century. The first five chapters survey his early life in the `Jagö slum, offering a different view of an often vilified district. The subsequent phases of his life as a cabinet-maker, street trader and wardrobe dealer reflect the changing fortunes of the East End from hand-to-mouth conditions in the late-nineteenth century to comparative security in the 1930s. Drawn from transcripts of recorded reminiscences, this book provides an important text for understanding the political economy of crime ¿ extended by the authors extensive footnotes.