HAWKERS and PEDLARS. The designations of itinerant dealers who convey their goods from place to place to sell. The word "hawker" seems to have come into English from the Ger man or Dutch in the early 16th century. In an act of Henry VIII. c. 9, s. 6) we find "Sundry evill disposed persons which commonly beene called haukers . . . buying and selling of Brasse and Pewter." The earlier word for such an itinerant dealer is "huckster," which is found in 1200, "For that they have turned God's house intill hucksteress bothe" (Ormulum 15, 817).
"Pedlar" occurs much earlier than the verbal form "to peddle," which is therefore a derivative from the substantive. The origin is to be found in the still older word "pedder," one who carries about goods for sale in a "ped," a basket or hamper. This is now only used dialectically and in Scotland. The French term for a hawker or pedlar of books, colporteur, has been adopted by the Bible Society and other English religious bodies as a name for itinerant vendors and distributors of Bibles and other religious literature.
The occupation of hawkers and pedlars has been regulated in Great Britain, and the two classes have also been technically distinguished. The Pedlars act, 1871, defines a pedlar as "any hawker, pedlar, petty chapman, tinker, caster of metals, mender of chairs, or other person who, without any horse or other beast bearing or drawing burden, travels and trades on foot and goes from town to town or to other men's houses, carrying to sell or exposing for sale any goods, wares or merchandise . . . or selling or offering for sale his skill in handicraft." Any person who acts as a pedlar must have a certificate, which is to be obtained from the chief officer of police of the police district in which the person applying for the certificate has resided during one month previous to his application. He must satisfy the officer that he is above 17 years of age, is of good character, and in good faith intends to carry on the trade of a pedlar. The fee for a pedlar's certificate is five shillings, and the certificate remains in force for a year from the date of issue. The act requires a register of certificates to be kept in each district, and imposes a penalty for the assign ing, borrowing or forging of any certificate. It does not exempt any one from vagrant law, and requires the pedlar to show his certificate on demand to certain persons. It empowers the police to inspect a pedlar's pack, and provides for the arrest of an un certificated pedlar or one refusing to show his certificate. A pedlar's certificate is not required by commercial travellers, sellers of vegetables, fish, fruit or victuals, or sellers in fairs. The Hawk ers act, 1888, defines a hawker as "anyone who travels with a horse or other beast of burden, selling goods," etc. An excise licence (expiring on March 31 in each year) must be taken out by every hawker in Great Britain. The duty imposed upon such licence is £2. A hawker's licence is not granted, otherwise than by way of licence, except on production of a certificate signed by a clergyman and two householders of the parish or place wherein the applicant resides, or by a justice of the county or place, or a superintendent or inspector of police for the district, attesting that the person is of good character and a proper person to be licensed as a hawker. There are certain exemptions from taking out a licence—commercial travellers, sellers of fish, coal, etc., sellers in fairs, and the real worker or maker of any goods. The act also lays down certain provisions to be observed by hawkers and others, and imposes penalties for infringements. In the United States there is no distinction between the words pedlar and hawker. In that country, and, in a lesser degree, in Great Britain, the im provement in transportation, the increase of the chain or multiple shops and the growth of the mail order business, has caused a great decrease in the number of pedlars. In their place the can vassing salesman has become common, the distinction between the two being that the canvassing salesman takes orders from samples, or from pictures of the goods, whereas the pedlar carries his stock with him.