Is anyone still following this thread as to Italian street musicians in England in late 1800's? You will find much fascinating information in the book "Little Slaves of the Harp," by John Zucchi. Portions of it are online if you search GoogleBooks. It is about the "white slave trade" in Italian child street musicians about 1850-1890 (they were essentially street beggars, run by a padrone a la Fagin, to oversimplify). These kids were bought and sold all over the world. Quite a story.
Valerie