my dresses. Since then I have been more shabby in appearance, and not
so much noticed.”
CRIMINAL RETURNS.
It is very interesting to philanthropists and people who take an
interest in seeing human nature improved, and to those who wish to see
crime decrease, to notice the fluctuations of crime, its increase, its
decrease, or its being stationary, especially among different classes.
Through the kindness of Sir Richard Mayne, and the obliging courtesy of
Mr. Yardley, of the Metropolitan Police-Office, Whitehall, I am enabled
to show the number of disorderly prostitutes taken into custody during
the years 1850 to 1860. Mr. Yardley supplied me with the criminal
returns of the Metropolitan Police for the last ten years, from which I
have extracted much valuable and interesting information, besides what
I have just mentioned.
NUMBER OF DISORDERLY PROSTITUTES taken into Custody during the years
1850 to 1860, and their Trades.
1850 2,502
1851 2,573
1852 3,750
1853 3,386
1854 3,764
1855 3,592
1856 4,303
1857 5,178
1858 4,890
1859 4,282
1860 3,734
After some search I have been enabled to give the trades and
occupations of those women.
74 were Hatters and trimmers.
418 „ Laundresses.
646 „ Milliners, &c.
400 „ Servants.
249 „ Shoemakers.
58 „ Artificial flower-makers.
215 „ Tailors.
33 „ Brushmakers.
42 „ Bookbinders.
8 „ Corkcutters.
7 „ Dyers.
2 „ Fishmongers.
8 „ General and marine-store dealers.
24 „ Glovers.
18 „ Weavers.
The remainder described themselves as having no trade or occupation.
In ten years then 41,954 disorderly women, who had given themselves
up to prostitution, either for their own gratification, because they
were seduced, or to gain a livelihood, were arrested by the police.
The word disorderly is vague, but I should think it is susceptible of
various significations. In one case it may mean drunkenness, in another
assaulting the police, in others an offence of a felonious nature may
be intended, while in a fourth we may understand a simple misdemeanour,
all subjecting the offender, let it be borne in mind, to a fine or
incarceration.
Now, 41,954 is an enormous total for ten years. In an unreflective
mood I should be inclined to say that prostitutes, taken collectively,
were most abandoned, reckless, and wicked; but it is apparent, after a
minute’s study, that they must not be taken collectively. This forty
odd thousand should be understood to represent, for the most part, the
very dregs, the lowest, most unthinking, and vilest of the class.
We must look for them in the East, in Whitechapel, in Wapping, in
transpontine dens and holes, amongst sailors’ and soldiers’ women.
In the Haymarket there is not much drunkenness, and the police are
seldom interfered with. If a man, with whom a woman is walking, is
drunk, and makes an assault upon the police, the woman will content
herself with the innocent, and comparatively harmless amusement of
knocking off the policeman’s hat, afterwards propelling it gracefully
with her foot along the pavement. This pastime is of rather frequent
occurrence in nocturnal street rows, and always succeeds in infusing
a little comic element into the affray. Amongst the disorderly women
of loose habits we see that milliners largely preponderate; 646 in ten
years, who have broken the laws in some way, enables us to form, by
comparison, a vague idea of the number of milliners, dressmakers, &c.,
who resort to prostitution; for if so many were disorderly, the number
of well-behaved ones must be very large.
Another curious item is laundresses, of whom there were 418 in
the hands of the police. Either the influence of their trade is
demoralizing in the extreme; or they are underpaid, or else there are
large numbers of them; I incline to the latter supposition.
That there should have been only 400 servants is rather a matter of
surprise than otherwise, for they are exposed to great temptations, and
form a very numerous body.
In our next statistics we are able to be more precise than in the
former ones. Peculiar facilities are afforded prostitutes for
committing larcenies from the person, and there are annually some
hundreds taken into custody, and some few convicted. Only the other
day I was passing through Wych Street, on my way from New Inn with a
friend, and it so happened that we were instrumental in protecting
a gentleman from the rapacity of some men and women of infamous
character, by whom he had been entrapped.
In Wych Street there are five or six houses, contiguous to one another,
that are nothing more or less than the commonest brothels. The keepers
of these places do not in the least endeavour to conceal the fact of
their odious occupation; at almost all hours of the day, and till
twelve o’clock at night one may perceive the women standing at their
doorways in an undress costume, lascivious and meretricious in its
nature. Although they do not actually solicit the passer-by with words,
they do with looks and gestures.
It might have been a little after twelve o’clock, when, as I was
passing one of these houses, a gentleman, with his coat off, and
without his hat, rushed out of the doorway and ran up the street. He
held a small clasp-knife in his hand, which from his manner I guessed
he would not hesitate to use if hard pressed. He was in an instant
followed by a pack of men and women, perhaps four or five of each sex,
in full cry. They were nearing him, when he turned suddenly round and
doubled upon them, which manœuvre brought him in my direction. I saw,
when near enough, that he was intoxicated. Directly he perceived me
he implored my protection, saying, “For God’s sake keep those fellows
off.” The noise attracted the attention of a policeman at the end of
the street, who came up to see what the origin of the disturbance was,
and the crowd fell back at his appearance.
The gentleman said he went into one of the houses to get a cigar, when
he was set upon by some women, who attempted to rob him. Although
drunk he was able to put his hand in his pocket and take out a small
clasp-knife he always carried about with him. He brandished this in
their faces, when some bullies descended from the upper regions, and
the victim fortunately effected his escape into the street.
This man might have been robbed and subsequently drugged, without much
fear of discovery, for the subjoined statistics will prove that such
outrages are of frequent occurrence in the metropolis.
LARCENIES from the PERSON by Prostitutes, during the years 1850 to 1860.
Larcenies. Convicted. Total loss.
1850 684 116 £1,814
1851 640 98 1,890
1852 639 97 2,095
1853 605 112 1,578
1854 607 119 2,019
1855 688 96 3,017
1856 780 94 2,668
1857 854 79 2,928
1858 777 39 2,370
1859 681 93 1,743
1860 692 39 1,936
The first thing that strikes us in looking at these figures is the
small amount of convictions that followed arrest. For instance in
1850 out of 684 arrested only 116 were convicted. Yet we must not
forget the difficulty of proving a charge of this description, and
the unwillingness of men to prosecute. It is only natural that a man
should have a repugnance to appear in public and mix himself up in a
disgraceful affair of this sort. Any one who cared for his character
and reputation would at once refuse, and in this repugnance we must
look for the cause of the escape of so many offenders.
Whenever an occurrence of this sort takes place in a brothel, one would
imagine the police would have some grounds for prosecuting the keeper
for harbouring thieves and persons who habitually break the public
peace, but the criminal returns of the metropolitan police, from which
we have before quoted, do not give one reason to think so.
Let us examine the number of arrests for keeping common brothels,
during the last ten years.
NUMBER of PERSONS taken into custody for keeping Common Brothels,
during the years 1850 to 1860.
Females. Males. Total.
1850 4 4 = 8
1851 12 5 17
1852 4 6 10
1853 9 3 12
1854 none.
1855 6 4 10
1856 12 7 19
1857 6 8 14
1858 10 8 18
1859 9 9 18
1860 12 5 17
---
143
The largest number (19) was in 1856, while in 1854 there were none at
all. But we have already drawn attention to the difficulty the police
have in dealing with these cases.
Of those arrested:
1 was a clerk,
1 „ sailor,
13 were servants,
3 „ tailors,
1 was a printer,
1 was a sawyer,
1 „ interpreter,
1 „ cabinet-maker,
1 „ brass-founder,
1 „ green-grocer,
1 „ butcher,
2 were milliners,
3 „ laundresses,
9 „ labourers,
2 „ smiths,
6 „ carpenters,
3 „ general and marine store-dealers,
1 was a carver and gilder,
4 were shoemakers,
2 „ watch-makers,
2 „ painters,
3 „ bricklayers.
The rest were of no trade or occupation, and depended for a livelihood
solely upon this disgraceful means of subsistence.
It is odd to see butchers, printers, tailors, carpenters,
brass-founders, interpreters, bricklayers, and cabinet-makers combining
this with their own legitimate trades, and if this is a common thing
among the trades, how wide-spread the evil must be, for we have
only an average of about 12 arrests annually, and this very small
amount, with the perhaps light punishment awarded the offender by the
sitting magistrate, or if committed by the judge, is evidently purely
insufficient and ineffectual to act as a deterrent to others holding
the same demoralizing views, and practising the same odious profession.
A few pages back, while commenting upon crime amongst bawds and
prostitutes, we took the liberty of criticising some remarks of Dr.
Ryan’s about the prevalence of murder in immoral houses. The best proof
presumptive he could have adduced in support of his theory he utterly
neglected to bring forward. I mean the returns of the metropolitan
police of the number of persons reported to them annually as missing.
This return, so enormous, so mysterious, so startling, is certainly
very alarming before it is analysed. But when with the eye of
reflection we calmly and dispassionately look at it, our alarm
diminishes as rapidly as it was excited.
NUMBER OF PERSONS reported to the Police as lost or missing, and the
number found and restored by the Police, during the years 1841 to 1860.
Reported lost Restored by
or Missing. the Police.
1841 1,000 560
1842 1,179 623
1843 1,218 623
1844 1,111 543
1845 2,201 1,000
1846 2,489 1,082
1847 2,216 1,111
1848 1,866 1,009
1849 1,473 994
1850 2,204 1,137
1851 1,876 928
1852 2,103 1,049
1853 2,034 900
1854 2,286 941
1855 2,178 964
1856 2,371 1,084
1857 2,171 1,198
1858 2,409 1,264
1859 2,374 1,054
1860 2,515 1,164
For twenty years the number of persons reported lost, stolen, strayed,
and missing has been steadily increasing.
In 1841 it was 1,000
„ 1851 1,876
„ 1860 2,515
Of which
In 1841 560 were restored by the police.
„ 1851 928 „ „
„ 1860 1,164 „ „
Now unscrupulous statisticians and newsmongers would not hesitate to
say that the “Fleet Ditch” Dr. Ryan is so fond of might unfold a tale
that would elucidate the mystery.
It is surprising that in these enlightened days such monstrosities
should be listened to.
How many, I should like to know, disappear from home and enlist in the
army? How many run away to sea, and how many commit suicide?
A little reflection shows us that the tales of murder in immoral houses
are only bugbears conjured up by moralists to frighten children. Not
designedly perhaps, but more through ignorance than anything else.
Perhaps the number of suicides committed annually in London may be of
some use in reducing the number of lost and missing.
NUMBER OF SUICIDES committed during the years 1841 to 1860.
Year. Suicides committed. Year. Suicides committed.
1841 139 1851 120
1842 134 1852 109
1843 112 1853 131
1844 155 1854 118
1845 144 1855 116
1846 162 1856 127
1847 152 1857 154
1848 100 1858 90
1849 131 1859 180
1850 140 1860 104
I find also that the number of suicides prevented by the police, or
otherwise, is on an average nearly equal to the actual number of
suicides committed.
Many attempted suicides may not be genuine attempts; for we often hear
in the police courts of people endeavouring to make the public believe
they wished to destroy themselves, with the sole object of exciting
sympathy and drawing attention to their case. However, it is difficult
to distinguish, and it is clear there are annually many unhappy
wretches who do make away with their lives, and also numbers who are
providentially prevented.
Rape is a crime that has not fluctuated to any great extent during
the last ten years. I see that in 1850 there were 22 arrests for this
offence, and the same number in 1860. Most of the prisoners were in
a low station in life; 17 in 1850 only being able to read, or read
and write imperfectly, and 15 in 1860 were in the same unintellectual
position. In 1855, 21 individuals were given in charge, 16 of whom were
imperfectly instructed. It must be remembered that not all those who
were charged were convicted, or even committed for trial, because the
charge of rape is one easy to trump up, and it requires very sound and
unconflicting evidence to bring the charge home.
Concealing the births of infants is a crime I am glad to perceive
of more frequent occurrence, than feloniously attempting to procure
abortion; for of two evils it is better the less preponderate.
Concealing Feloniously attempting
Year. Birth of their to procure
Infants. Abortion.
1850 12 1
1855 10 1
1860 17 0
In 1860 there were 2 cases of abduction, and in 1850 none at all; but
in the latter year there were 61 cases of indecently exposing the
person, which offence had in 1860 attained the dimensions of 103, three
only, of which number were females, in the former instance eight.
Of course it is only natural to expect that as the population of the
empire increases, crime also will increase; and will more especially
show its hideous and unwelcome visage in the metropolis, the centre of
a vast and densely-populated kingdom. Where masses of men congregate,
there disorder, dissension, and crime will have a place. We have to
thank an efficient police force for keeping them within reasonable
dimensions.
I have already adverted to the difficulty experienced in even
approximating to the actual number of prostitutes existing; but the
magisterial authorities are enabled to catalogue and number those who
are known to the police and those living in brothels.
The subjoined table will be found extremely interesting:
-------------------+-------------------------------------
| Number known to the Police.
+------+------------+-----------------
Division | | | Who walk
and | | | the Streets.
Local Name. |Total.|Well dressed+--------+--------
| | who live in| Well | All
| | Brothels. |dressed.| others.
-------------------+------+------------+--------+--------
A or Whitehall | None.| None. | None. | None.
B or Westminster | 469 | 177 | 17 | 275
C or St. James | 208 | 58 | 150 |
D or St. Mary’bone | 428 | 143 | 133 | 152
E or Holborn | 511 | 173 | 58 | 280
F or Covent Garden | 428 | 50 | 204 | 174
G or Finsbury | 225 | 24 | 33 | 168
H or Whitechapel | 811 | 73 | 82 | 656
K or Stepney | 1015 | | 310 | 705
L or Lambeth | 657 | 147 | 207 | 303
M or Southwark | 661 | 53 | 140 | 468
N or Islington | 441 | 90 | 136 | 215
P or Camberwell | 222 | 44 | 96 | 82
R or Greenwich | 570 | 172 | 124 | 274
S or Hampstead | 331 | 14 | 56 | 261
T or Kensington | 97 | | 5 | 92
V or Wandsworth | 187 | 14 | 40 | 133
-------------------+------+------------+--------+--------
Totals |7,261 | 1,232 | 1,791 | 4,238
-------------------+------+------------+--------+--------
This is the latest return that the authorities at Whitehall are in
possession of. It will be seen that the largest number of prostitutes
are in Stepney; but the prostitution in this district, it would appear,
is of a low description, and mostly ambulatory, as no evidence of any
women living in brothels is given in the return.
The registered increase since 1857, is in most districts absolutely
nothing, whilst the decrease in many localities contrasts very
favourably indeed with the increase. For instance:--
-----------------------------+----------------------------
Increase since last return, | Decrease since last return,
made in July, 1857. | made in July, 1857.
-----------------------------+----------------------------
A None | A None
B | B 55
C | C 110
D | D 98
E | E 35
F | F 52
G | G 124
H | H 992
K | K 50
L | L 145
M | M 6
N | N 4
P | P 6
R 169 | R
S 100 | S
T | T 9
V | V 22
--- | -----
Total 269 | 1,708
-----------------------------+----------------------------
The police have thought it necessary to make special arrangements in
special localities, to prevent disorder and enforce the law.
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS of POLICE made, and at what places, to prevent
disorder and enforce the law.
------------------+-----------------------------
Division and Local|
Name. |
------------------+
A or Whitehall |Cockspur Street--an additional
| constable occasionally. St.
| James’s, Green, and Hyde
| Parks--additional constables
| during summer months.
------------------+------------------------------
C--St. James |Regent Street, Waterloo Place,
| Quadrant, Haymarket, and
| Coventry Street--four additional
| constables (and sometimes
| more) from 3 P.M. to
| 3 A.M., daily.
------------------+-------------------------------------
D--St. Marylebone |Oxford Street, Edgeware Road.
| Harrow Road, and Paddington
| Green--one additional
| constable from 7 P.M. to 6
| A.M., daily. Regent’s Park
| and Bayswater Road--two
| additional constables from 9
| A.M. to 6 A.M., following
| day. Portland Place--an
| additional constable from 10
| P.M. to 6 A.M.
------------------+-------------------------------------
E--Holborn | Lower Regent Street and Portland
| Place--one additional
| constable from 7 P.M. to 10
| P.M.; one ditto from 7 P.M.
| till 2 A.M.; two additional
| constables from 10 P.M. till
| 2 A.M., and a sergeant in
| plain clothes.
------------------+-------------------------------------
F--Covent Garden | Strand--a sergeant, and occasionally
| constables. Long
| Acre--a constable frequently.
------------------+-------------------------------------
H--Whitechapel | St. George’s Street and High
| Street, Whitechapel--a constable,
| and a short beat, each
| place.
------------------+-------------------------------------
L--Lambeth | Waterloo Road, Herbert’s Buildings,
| and Granby Street--an
| additional sergeant and two
| constables patrolling.
------------------+-------------------------------------
S--Hampstead |Regent’s Park--an additional
| constable to patrol. Primrose
| Hill--two additional constables
| for eight hours after
| Park constables go off duty.
------------------+-------------------------------------
COMPARATIVE RETURN of the NUMBER of PROSTITUTES known to the Police,
at four different periods, within the last seventeen years.
Division and Local| In | In | In | In
Name. | 1841| 1850| 1857| 1858
------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----
A or Whitehall | | | |
B „ Westminster | | 660| 524| 469
C „ St. James’s | | 390| 318| 208
D „ St. Marylebone| | 429| 526| 428
E „ Holborn | | 461| 546| 511
F „ Covent Garden | | 698| 480| 428
G „ Finsbury | | 320| 349| 225
H „ Whitechapel | | 474| 1803| 811
K „ Stepney | | 827| 965| 1015
L „ Lambeth | | 854| 802| 657
M „ Southwark | | 531| 667| 661
N „ Islington | | 457| 445| 441
P „ Camberwell | | 152| 228| 222
R „ Greenwich | | 288| 401| 570
S „ Hampstead | | 216| 231| 331
T „ Kensington | | 92| 106| 97
V „ Wandsworth | | 157| 209| 187
------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----
Totals | 6598| 7006| 8600| 7261
------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----
NOTE.--The total number only for 1841 can now be given.
These are the only statistics relative to prostitution that I have
been able to procure--indeed I may almost say they are the only
ones procurable; and for them I am indebted to the courtesy of the
authorities at Whitehall, who, during my researches, have most kindly
afforded me every facility that I could wish for.
I dare say that few things contribute so much to the spread of
immorality as the sale of indecent and obscene prints and books,
which were until lately so widely disseminated over the country by
book-hawkers and the filthy traders of Holywell Street. Even now this
trade is not entirely suppressed, although the police restrictions are
rigorous, and the punishments awarded severe.
Selling obscene prints and exposing for sale:--
In the year 1850 1
„ „ 1851 4
„ „ 1852 0
„ „ 1853 0
„ „ 1854 1
„ „ 1855 0
„ „ 1856 5
„ „ 1857 4
„ „ 1858 0
„ „ 1859 3
„ „ 1860 4
--
22
Recently a man called Dugdale, who has grown grey in this disgusting
occupation, was brought before a magistrate for selling obscene prints,
and also sending some to customers in the country. The magistrate
committed him for trial, when he was sent to prison for two years.
It is always more or less interesting to know the extent of instruction
among criminals, and with that idea in view I have put together the
annexed table, in which I have included all the offences that bear
directly and remotely upon the subject I am treating.
As regards the man Dugdale, and the sale of immoral publications,
obscene prints, &c., a long account of the prisoner’s antecedents was
given in the newspaper reports. He had been engaged in this infamous
and diabolical traffic nearly forty years, and had spent a great number
of them in prison at various times; tons weight of obscene books,
pictures, and plates had been seized upon his premises, and he was well
known to be the principal instrument for the dissemination of this sort
of pollution all over the country. The prosecution was instituted by
the meritorious Society for the Suppression of Vice. The judge made a
few brief but impressive observations upon the inconceivable enormity
of the prisoner’s offence, and the whole course of his life, which
he said had been one of vice, wickedness, infamy, and villainy, the
real extent of which words would fail to describe. From the records
of public proceedings for years past the Court had a knowledge of the
prisoner’s previous history, and it would be a waste of words and the
public time to say any thing further to such a person. He was liable
to three years’ hard-labour, but, considering his age, the Court would
refrain from going to extremity, but in the discharge of their duty
to society and the rising generation they felt bound to pass upon him
a severe sentence, which was that he be kept to hard labour for two
years.
TABLE SHOWING THE DEGREE OF INSTRUCTION OF THE PERSONS TAKEN INTO
CUSTODY DURING A PERIOD OF TEN YEARS--1850 TO 1860.
------------------------------------+------+------+--------+------------+--------+------------
| | | | Read only, | |
| | |Neither |or Read and |Read and| Superior
| | |Read nor| Write | Write |Instruction.
OFFENCES. |Years.|Total.| Write. |imperfectly.| well. |
------------------------------------+------+------+--------+------------+--------+------------
Concealing births of their infants | From | 167| 28 | 124 | 15 |
Feloniously attempting to procure 1850 | | | | |
abortion | to | 9| | 3 | 4 | 2
Rape | 1860.| 324| 44 | 226 | 97 | 1
Disorderly Prostitutes | |41,914| 10,134 | 30,921 | 784 | 75
Indecently exposing the person | | 1,155| 129 | 785 | 212 | 26
Keeping common Brothels | | 143| 22 | 81 | 40 |
Selling and exposing obscene prints | | 22| | 16 | 6 |
for sale | | | | | |
------------------------------------+------+------+--------+------------+--------+------------
Whilst I am dilating upon statistics it may not be inappropriate to
refer to certain figures and facts relating to the Midnight Meeting
movement.
By the courtesy of Mr. Theophilus Smith, secretary to the Midnight
Meeting movement, I have been furnished with the general statistical
results.
20 meetings have been held.
4,000 friendless young women heard the gospel.
23,000 Scripture cards, books, tracts, and Mr. Noel’s address at the
second meeting circulated.
89 females restored to friends.
75 placed in service.
81 in homes.
1 set up in business.
2 emigrated.
6 married.
1 sent to France.
1 to Holland.
1 to New-York.
30 left homes after a short residence.
---
287
Of this number (287) very many (upwards of thirty) have given evidence
of a change of heart.