Who is Street Magician from London Labour and the London Poor and what is their importance?

Like many street entertainers, the Street Conjurer or magician had seen better days. His father earned a comfortable living as an employee at the Customs house, but died when the magician was ten years old. The Street Conjurer or magician interviewed was the son of an affluent man who worked in the Customs office. He attended school, and like many entertainers, could read and write. His father died when he was ten, and his mother sold the family's furniture, including a valuable library, to a man who cheated her out of most of the money.

The street magician worked in some capacity since he was ten years old. At the age of 14, he began working as a coster, selling oranges outside the theater. He soon managed to get a part in a play as an extra, and from there went on to become an actor. When the play closed, he worked taking money at the door until there was an opening for a magician. Teaching himself a few tricks, he began working as a conjurer at the age of 15, putting on as many as 20 or 30 shows per day.