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(www.communitysites.co.uk), Community Sites. “Daily Life in the 19th Century: Covent Garden Market: Covent Garden - 400 Years of History: Covent Garden Memories.” Daily Life in the 19th Century | Covent Garden Market | Covent Garden - 400 Years of History | Covent Garden Memories, 1 Jan. 1AD, http://www.coventgardenmemories.org.uk/page_id__59.aspx?path=0p36p.

Almeroth-Williams, Tom. “Syphilitic City: One in Five Georgian Londoners Had Syphilis by Their Mid-30s, Study Suggests.” University of Cambridge, 5 July 2020, https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/syphilis-georgian-london.

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Espey, Nigel T. “The Sex Trade from the 16th to the 18th Century: Prostitution in Covent Garden: Covent Garden - 400 Years of History: Covent Garden Memories.” The Sex Trade from the 16th to the 18th Century | Prostitution in Covent Garden | Covent Garden - 400 Years of History | Covent Garden Memories, 5 Nov. 2012, http://www.coventgardenmemories.org.uk/page_id__34.aspx.

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The location and descriptions of some of the women on Harris' List from 1793

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During the 18th and 19th century it was estimated that there was over 50,000 prostitutes in London, which led to some individuals considering the sex trade an endemic during this time. While the common belief surrounding the word “prostitute” is that it represents a single individual who sells their body for sex, the term was widely used in the 19th century to describe any woman with relationships outside of marriage, with illegitimate children, or a woman who had sexual relations with men for reasons other than money(Flanders). The term “prostitue” was introduced to English Common Law in 1824 under the Vagrancy Act, which was the first time the act of prostitution was considered explicitly illegal, where before terms like “whore” nor “harlot” would be used to describe a woman involved in the sex trade. The number 50,000 in relation to the number of prostitutes doesn’t necessarily paint the full picture of the sex trade during this time period, nor does the word endemic represent the sentiment of the public towards prostitution. It is believed that around 20,000 women described under the term “prostitute” were women who explicitly sold their bodies for money, while more than half the women defined as prostitutes were likely women with extramarital affairs, illegitimate children, or multiple partners for pleasure rather than money(Flanders). Courtesans of high ranking members of society could also be considered prostitutes, and many of the women who were prostitutes had a higher ranking status in society, and weren’t impoverished individuals selling themselves to make a living. Institutions like brothels were common, as well as circulated printed lists of prostitutes in different parts of the city, some of which being incredibly well-known for having a large number of women in the sex trade, demonstrating the frequency and normalization of the act in society in London during this time. While there were a number of women who were successful in the sex trade, a large number of women were motivated by financial reasons to enter the business of prostitution, also represents the darker side of London’s economic history, as well as the abuse against women as well.

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Found in areas like Covent Garden or other neighborhoods associated with prostitution, brothels were common meeting places for individuals seeking transactions in the sex trade, as well as economic ventures for the women that owned them. Known as “bawds”, the female owners of brothels were known to take in impoverished women from the street and train them to become prostitutes and courtesans, calling them “bagnios” if being trained for prostitution, or “nymphs” if being trained as a courtesan(Espey). The majority of the women who were trained by bawds did not reside in the brothel, but could use it as a meeting space for clients, as well as experience extra benefits of being part of the brothel, including protection against violence. Brothels were also used as social gathering places for people, not just for sex, though sex normally followed. During the Gregorian and Victorian eras brothels were highly profitable and bawds had the ability to make large sums of money, many times at the expense of the prostitutes that they trained. Prostitutes could be forced to pay back the bawds for the cost of training them, or for living expenses in order for the bawds to be able to make a continuous income of the workers. Brothels were also known for treating prostitutes poorly, as women were taken advantage of by bawds, as well as still experiencing sexual violence while doing work.

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Still a big risk today for individuals participating in sexual activities, sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis ran rampant throughout London during the 18th ands 19th centuries, without a cure. Historians have calculated that around the year 1775, one in five individuals living in London would have contracted syphilis before they turned 35, with a larger number contracting either chlamydia or gonorrhoea(Almeroth-Williams). This number was likely higher for prostitutes, whose profession left them at a greater risk of contracting an STI, and without the funds to treat them. Because the majority of prostitutes were young women without the financial means to support themselves, they were more likely to be exposed to unwanted sexual encounters, or take on more sexual acts in order to make money, which in turn raised the risk of catching an STI(Almeroth-Williams). Some hospitals had wards to treat syphilis patients, called “foul wards”, but were inefficient at treating the disease, and many times inaccessible to poorer individuals. Treatment in the foul wards consisted of giving the patients mercury, which did nothing to cure the disease, and is toxic to humans, meaning individuals who contracted syphilis likely died and it became an epidemic in London. The threat of contracting syphilis put women in the sex trade at an incredibly high risk of death, and contributed to yet another factor in the dangers of women working in the sex trade.

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Both the 18th and 19th centuries in London demonstrated large numbers of individuals living in poverty, as a result of bad crop harvests, a lack of jobs with a livable wage, and other economic factors that left a large number of people in London without financial stability or a place to sleep in many cases(White). During this time, it was common for large families to be living in tiny cramped one room apartments, with one or two individuals making money, but normally not enough to support the number of mouths in the house. Many individuals resorted to sleeping on the streets when there was no money to spend on a room, or individuals would brave the workhouses, which were created in 1834 under law. Workhouses provided work, but consisted of hard labor, and didn’t pay well, as well as provided barely enough food for individuals to survive, as well as separated families. Because of this, most individuals didn’t want to enter the workhouse, and chose to stay on the streets instead, or enter other forms of work. For women, many would risk prostitution over workhouses as it saved them from hours of long hard labor, could pay better, and could allow them to stay with their family members(Picard). Due to the lack of opportunities for individuals in poverty to rise in economic status and rank, prostitution became an easy way for women, especially young women to make money, creating a viscous cycle for impoverished individuals who felt they had another option, and turned to the sex trade as a result.

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Now known for its high-end shopping and dining areas as well a major tourist spot, Covent Garden was known for its brothels and prostitutes during the 18th and 19th century. Before its closing, Covent Garden was home to the fruit, vegetable and flower market in London, the biggest in the city. A portion of the vendors in the flower market, known as the flower girls, were young girls who sold flowers during the day, but stayed out after the market closed to “sell a different type of flower” which was another way of saying they were selling their bodies(Espey). The term “flower girl” became known at this time as another way of saying prostitute, and helped Covent Garden gain its reputation for a spot for sex. Adding to the reputation and number of prostitutes in Covent Garden was the monopoly on theaters in London, which confined theatre to the West End, where Covent Garden is located. The demographic of theatre goers during this time was a prime customer base for the sex trade, and many prostitutes were known to stand outside of the theatre and attract theatre-goers as customers(Espey). The high population of prostitutes allowed for brothels to thrive, with bawds(women owning brothels) taking advantage of the number of young women on the streets, and training them in the sex trade to make a profit(Espey). Covent Garden became so famous for its sex trade that a book was printed every Christmas for over 30 years, called the “List of Covent Garden Ladies”, which was a guide and description of different prostitutes in the area.

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Believed to have been written by Samuel Derrick based on a list compiled by Jack Harris, the “List of Covent Garden Ladies” was a guide book to prostitutes that was in circulation from 1757-1795(Johnson). Jack Harris, a bartender and friend of Samuel Derrick had compiled a list of over 400 of the most well known prostitutes in London, 150 of which were located in Covent Garden and used for the publication of Harris’ List. The list contained descriptions of prostitutes, including their looks, where they could be found, their background, prices, and what sexual acts they “specialized” in(Johnson). The descriptions were both positive and negative, with some prostitutes being berated for their looks or acts, while others were praised and highlighted among the list. Additionally, Harris’ List included the names of clients of the prostitutes, one being King George IV, who had a history of love affairs and scandals over the years(Johnson). Harris’ List provides a unique insight into the culture around prostitution during this time, and highlights the popularity of the profession among young men. While most women began the profession as a result of poverty, Harris’ List shows how prostitution made its way into society, and was a commonly used reference book for men looking to make a transaction in the sex trade. Harris’ List was not the only reference book for prostitutes in London, but was the most famous, and sold thousands of copies, demonstrating the interest in the sex trade, as well as the popularity of prostitution during the 18th and 19th centuries.