Toffee apple men -- registered??

[queencorgi1]

I have a man who had been a conscientious objector in WW1. Afterwards, struggling to find work, he 'applied for registration as a toffee apple man' and followed this line of work for the rest of his life. It's obvious what he did, what surprised me was that he needed registration. Presumably this was to allow him to sell his wares on the street? This is in Suffolk, by the way, if that's relevant. Any comments welcomed.

[PaulineJ]

A hawker or pedlar required a licence.

[Rena]

A hawker or pedlar required a licence.

You beat me to it.  A hawker had to (and still has to) pay for a licence from the local authority tp sell wares or a service (such as a knife sharpener) in the streets.   I was surprised recently to see how much a modern hawker was fined in Singapore for selling hot chestnuts (yum yum) without a licence.

[queencorgi1]

Thank you both very much! Of course it's obvious he would have needed a licence once I gave it two minutes' thought. I'm still astonished that my chap apparently made a living out of it -- that's a lot of apples!

[queencorgi1]

Thank you both very much, I should have realised that a licence would be needed. I am still surprised that he apparently made a living out it -- that's a lot of apples!