The Hidden History of Jumble and Rummage Sales and Why They Mattered

  Remember the humble jumble sale in Britain, or as they are called in the US, rummage or yard sales? There was always the thrill of the chase – you never quite knew what you might find, treasure or trash. Today they barely survive as everything has gone online, or into charity shops. But once these sales were important. They had their origins in the Victorian era and their history gives us a glimpse into the way in which poor families kept themselves clothed.   Emma Donovan, who is an independent scholar, has just published an interesting paper about the origin of jumble sales and why they were vital for working-class families – helping to keep them dressed so that they could go to school, and church or find a job at a time when clothing was expensive and every scrap was valued.