Victorian Street Prostitutes

[Pcdunn]

Gossip, or what?

There were many stories of her 'rolling' a punter, running into pubs and switching shawls with other prostitutes.

"stories" as in gossip printed in papers, or what, exactly? Do you have a citation you could share with us?

[Mary_Jane_Kelly]

"stories" as in gossip printed in papers, or what, exactly? Do you have a citation you could share with us?

Iv definitely heard it brought up on a few threads on casebook, I dont have a source to hand but im going to try see if I can find a source...

[GUT]

There were many stories of her 'rolling' a punter, running into pubs and switching shawls with other prostitutes.

Where?

Never heard any stories along those lines.

[Michael W Richards]

Where?

Never heard any stories along those lines.

Ms Kelly has made quite a few statements without any substantiation about Mary Kelly GUT.

[Michael W Richards]

She was in a totally different situation. The other victims were older, homeless and worked in the backstreets and side alleys alone, they were hardly 'successful' at streetwalking. Mary was different because she was young, attractive, dressed well and had her own place (I started another thread on whether millers court was a brothel as theres alot suggesting it might be). She wasnt some poor old wretch in some dark alley, she was a popular young prostitute working from a busy location. She wasnt the usual type he went for at all. Not to mention she was known to rob her clients, was supposed to be as tall as the average man and by the sounds of it could fight with the best of them so she wasnt what youd call especially vulnerable.

I think Ms Kelly that Mary had seen better days, although her looks and youth probably still offered her some marketability. For now. She was apparently a finely dressed woman a few years back, and accompanied by what we might assume was an affluent gentleman to Paris...a trip which was also apparently abbreviated for some reason. Its worth mentioning that there is no mention of finer clothing in that room, one might assume it had been pawned some time before she moved into the court.

I think the evidence suggests that Mary is on the decline, and also that her interest in the lifestyle has waned. She would rather just have someone like Barnett look after her. Or perhaps the other Joe she was seeing behind his back.

[ChrisGeorge]

I think Ms Kelly that Mary had seen better days, although her looks and youth probably still offered her some marketability. For now. She was apparently a finely dressed woman a few years back, and accompanied by what we might assume was an affluent gentleman to Paris...a trip which was also apparently abbreviated for some reason. Its worth mentioning that there is no mention of finer clothing in that room, one might assume it had been pawned some time before she moved into the court.

I think the evidence suggests that Mary is on the decline, and also that her interest in the lifestyle has waned. She would rather just have someone like Barnett look after her. Or perhaps the other Joe she was seeing behind his back.

Except that Mary Jane Kelly's Paris sojourn depends on her say so. It might be a total fairy tale. My thought is that most of these women had tales that they told about themselves to make themselves seem more exotic, interesting, or worthy of pity. In terms of the latter, Stride's tale of losing her husband and children in the Princess Alice disaster provides a good possible parallel example.

[Penhalion]

Except that Mary Jane Kelly's Paris sojourn depends on her say so. It might be a total fairy tale. My thought is that most of these women had tales that they told about themselves to make themselves seem more exotic, interesting, or worthy of pity. In terms of the latter, Stride's tale of losing her husband and children in the Princess Alice disaster provides a good possible parallel example.

I completely agree. There's so little objective documentation on MJK's life that each tale she told needs to be taken with great caution. In a related note, if she was so lovely and such a prize as a prostitute, why was she in such dire straights at the time of her death? Surely on the mean streets of Whitechapel she could have gotten better than average compensation for her company?