Barrow boy far from home

Last week-end we were sampling Chilean empanadas in Kensington market here in Hogtown. I stopped at a street stall which had two railway books. The guy asked six dollars so I offered him five - he said toss a coin for it and I lost! He said: "My dad was a 'barrow boy' in Manchester" and we shook hands. I hadn't heard that expression for a while - nor 'knocker boy' for that matter - a 'wide boy' who'd knock the front door and offer to buy household antiques on the cheap.
The books I got are "Canadian Pacific" by J. Lorne McDougall and "Then Came the Railroads" by Ira G. Clark. Annette bought a Carlton Ware Foxglove jug for $2 - deal.