1-150-730 - The Cartoon Collector/Heritage-Images

'A Pleasure Excursion - First-Class!', 1824. A mixed group of passengers enjoy the comforts of first-class railway travel. The large gentleman in the top hat claims to be a director. The working-class man, however, disbelieves this as it was well-known that excursion trains in particular were often late, usually over-crowded, and not infrequently involved in accidents. This cartoon illustrates the working-classes at leisure, their free and easy ways (note the large lady sitting on her beau's knee) in stark contrast to the modest manners of the young lady reading quietly at the left of the cartoon. From Punch, or the London Charivari, August 22, 1874.