Little Slaves of the Harp: Italian Child Street Musicians in Nineteenth-Century Paris, London, and New YorkThe padrone were often known to the families of the children or were from the same villages. While some were cruel exploiters who compelled obedience through terror and abuse - a view promoted by a few, well-publicized cases - the lot of most of these children was similar to that of child apprentices and helpers in other trades. Public reactions to the child performers were different in each city and reflected the host society's view of the influx of foreign immigrants in general. Although England, France, and the United States developed legislation in the mid-nineteenth century to deal with children in factories, they did not attempt to regulate children in street trades until later in the century because they saw the work as a form of begging. The battle to get Italian child musicians off the street dragged on for years before legislation and new work opportunities - often as onerous as or worse than street performing - directed the children into new trades. |
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abroad adult animal exhibitors Antonio Appenines arrested barrel-organ Basilicata Bedonia begging bill boys Cerqua Cerruti Charity Organisation Charity Organisation Society Chiavari chil child musicians child street musicians Ciociaria consular Crosby Street dren Duchy of Parma Eco d'Italia emigration Europe France French Giuseppe Glionna Guerzoni harp harpists home town hurdy-gurdy Ibid immigrants instruments Italian Benevolent Society Italian child street Italian children Italian consul Italian law Italian street Italy itinerant June labour late Laurenzana legislation lived London Luca Luigi MAE Archivio Storico Maria Marsicovetere master mendicancy Mezzanego migrants minister Ministry minstrels Moreno newspaper nineteenth century officers organ-grinders pacco padroni parents Paris Parma peasants Picinisco playing police Potenza prefect problem reformers Relazione della Giunta Rome Saffron Hill Savoyards sent Société Italienne SPCC street music trade street organ street organists street performers Suonatori Ambulanti Terra di Lavoro tradesmen vagrants viggianesi Viggiano villages violinists wandering York young