Youth of Darkest England: Working-Class Children At The Heart Of Victorian Empire, Troy Boone. Clearly written and intriguing even for the non-academic, I unreservedly recommend it. Boone structures his book around the Baden-Powell youth movement, Y culture, and its reflections in literature of the time.
Originally read March 2005
Twisted Librarian
http://www.twistedlibrarian.com/article.php/troy_boone_youth_of_darkest_england