Hop-Pickers on the Road, Hop-Pickers Resting antique print c1858.

by The Illustrated London News

2 scenes of happy hoppers given more energy from their descriptions. On the reverse is a poem to Hoppers. Kent and Sussex are the chief hop-growing regions of England - between early September and middle of October.

With colour added later, this pair of woodcuts was published in The Illustrated London News on October 2, 1858. It was one of the most important illustrated periodicals of the 19th century. Young printer and newsagent, Herbert Ingram noticed that newspaper sales increased when they included illustrations. Ingram moved from Nottingham to London and set up The Illustrated London News in 1842. His chief advisor was his friend, Mark Lemon, the editor of Punch magazine. The illustrations have been collected, coloured and treasured ever since the first day they were published.

Page size is 40 x 28cm (15 5/8 x 11 inches).