title: British Chimney Sweeps: Five Centuries of Chimney Sweeping
author:  Benita Cullingford 
description: An intriguing social history. (Peter Reading <i>Times Literary Supplement</i>)<br /><br />A lively social history, full of meticulous research. (<i>Fires and Fireplaces</i>)<br /><br />A fascinating piece of industrial and social history. (<i>Herts Advertiser</i>)<br /><br />The art of chimney sweeping is examined in detail for the first time in Benita Cullingford's lively and fascinating book...this definitive work makes extremely interesting reading. (<i>Best Of British</i>)<br /><br />Impressive...delightful.... An absolute must. (Martin Glynn, NACS President)<br /><br />Well researched.... Enlivened by anecdotes and intriguing glimpses of a sweep's life. (G. D. M. Frizelle, University of Cambridge)
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  # Mrs. Lirriper's Legacy
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ### Charles Dickens
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ### CHAPTER I--MRS. LIRRIPER RELATES HOW SHE WENT ON, AND WENT OVER
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  Ah! It's pleasant to drop into my own easy-chair my dear though a
  
  
  little palpitating what with trotting up-stairs and what with
  
  
  trotting down, and why kitchen stairs should all be corner stairs is
  
  
  for the builders to justify though I do not think they fully
  
  
  understand their trade and never did, else why the sameness and why
  
  
  not more conveniences and fewer draughts and likewise making a
  
  
  practice of laying the plaster on too thick I am well convinced
  
  
  which holds the damp, and as to chimney-pots putting them on by
  
  
  guess-work like hats at a party and no more knowing what their
  
  
  effect will be upon the smoke bless you than I do if so much, except
  
  
  that it will mostly be either to send it down your throat in a
  
  
  straight form or give it a twist before it