Even today, roaming salespeople set out their wares along roads or sidewalks in the large cities. They appeal to crowds and tourists and make the most of certain events. They are not a new phenomenon. On market days, in the cities, many settlers would go from door to door, selling their merchandise. Here are a few of these trades which were long a part of the landscape in the St. Lawrence valley.

A veritable little traveling store, present in both the cities and the rural areas, the door-to-door salesman was particularly popular with the settlers who were unable to visit the merchants regularly.  He sold everything: medications, moth balls, sewing tools, combs, jewelry, pocket knives, toys, matches, etc. Obtained from a wholesaler, this merchandise would be carried in a rack, in a bag, in a suitcase carried on the salesman’s back, in a cart. To attract attention, the salesman would occasionally pin a few products to his hat.

Certain salespeople specialized in the sale of medications, books, watches, newspapers. When they had a vehicle, they could sell larger items such as clothing and carpets.  When a salesman was invited into a home, he always aroused the curiosity of the children.  Occasionally, he would give them gifts, in an effort to encourage sales.

Many traveling salespeople focused on selling food.  The first to make his rounds in the morning was the milkman. He would get up before dawn to milk his cows or to go and get milk from a farmer. The milk containers were then placed in a cart drawn by a dog or a horse. The milkman would then transfer the milk into containers left out by his clients. To keep the milk out of the reach of cats, the containers would be placed in a closed box made of wood or metal. Some milk men delivered milk that was already in bottles, merely replacing empty ones with full ones.

The fishmonger’s day for visiting people’s homes was Thursday, the day before a lean day. First, he would go to the homes closest to the shores, offering fresh fish. Then he would visit more distant areas, carrying salted or smoked fish, along with some live fish. During Lent and on lean days, people would buy large quantities of frozen fish. Some fish were not sold by weight or unit, but by the bowlful.

Eggs, which were also eaten during Lent, were sold by some farmers, from door to door, in the cities and villages. Carrying fresh eggs in baskets or crates, these merchants would use bells to announce their arrival. Some of the buyers did not eat the eggs.  Instead, they would hatch them in order to renew their flock. Of course, they made sure the eggs came from a site with a rooster.

Buying their stock at the market in the morning, the fruit and vegetable sellers would travel through the city offering bananas, corn, pumpkins, potatoes, apples, etc. During good weather, the children would imitate them, selling wild berries. The spice seller, for his part, carried a very precious commodity that served to improve the taste of food that was less than fresh. Among other things, he sold cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, tea, coffee and occasionally medicinal herbs.

In the 20th century, shortly before Christmas, the rural areas would be visited by sellers of candies, apples and oranges. These sweet treats and fruits would be offered to children during the holiday period.  As winter approached the honey merchant would also find takers for his goods which, it was said, cured colds. In the spring, the maple product seller would make his rounds. Maple syrup was carried in large containers, and then transferred into smaller ones. As for sugar, pretty molded pieces were appreciated for gifts during the Easter season. Maple sugar was also offered in the shape of large cakes that were to last the entire year.

Other merchants made the most of certain events to solicit clients, such as the French fry and hot dog vender, in the 20th century, who would set up shop near churches on Sundays and feast days. The ice cream and spruce beer vender would also be at work during the summer in busy areas. For his part, the pork and bean vendor was highly appreciated in the lumber camps where there were no cooks. When he left, he would carry boxes of letters for the loggers’ families.

The traveling salespeople satisfied the needs of the people, whether this meant their daily needs or more exceptional ones, related to festival events. The portrait painter, for his part, satisfied a very particular need, that of immortalizing important events in life and faces. To learn more about this individual, we invite you to come back on January 20, 2009.


Sources

LACHANCE, André. Vivre à la ville en Nouvelle-France. Outremont: Libre expression, 2004, 306 pages.

POMERLEAU, Jeanne. Métiers ambulants d’autrefois. Montréal: Guérin littérature, 1990, 467 pages. 


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