Cunny Corner

Cunny Corner Stories of the streetwise women surviving by selling themselves on the streets of 19th Century Devon, from Sue Pengelly and Stef Fox.

Podcast now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify & Amazon music Sue Pengelly, local historian fascinated with the lives of the poor working class, their struggles and ingenuity, rebelliousness and sheer guts makes them so much more interesting than the wealthier element. Walking tours, Talks and Podcasts.

1885. Eliza Loram was aged 35 and running a grocery shop beneath her house at 28 Smythen Street, Exeter. She was also an...
29/05/2026

1885. Eliza Loram was aged 35 and running a grocery shop beneath her house at 28 Smythen Street, Exeter. She was also an entrepreneur.

This enterprising woman came up with a novel way to supplement her and her labourer husband’s wages. She rented rooms upstairs, to pr******tes. The women could rent the room by the hour, one shilling an hour, paid in advance.

Eliza would have made more money renting space than selling veg. The majority of pr******tes in Exeter shared tenement rooms, usually four of five women to a room and sometimes more, so privacy was scarce. But there was only so much business they could conduct in a stable or alleyway before being lifted by the police or catching pneumonia.

Eliza's idea was a masterstroke in a profitable business arena. Predictably, the police got wind of this little enterprise and decided to keep watch. 'Keeping watch' meant sidling up to windows to listen for the sounds of carnal pleasure, or where possible, looking into upstairs windows from an adjacent building. For six months. After all, they had to be sure.

Eliza was arrested and appeared in court and was most surprised to hear the police had a witness. Bessie Southard, age 16, was brought in to give evidence and admitted to taking a soldier to 28 Smythen Street for immoral purposes. The soldier paid the shilling, adding 'it was at night' as though that was less incriminating than the daytime.

Eliza would have been making a mental note that Bessie was a turncoat and would never see the inside of her house again. In truth, Bessie, not considered one of the brightest, was likely paid to be a witness.

The police cheerfully admitted they had watched pr******tes enter the shop for six months. The magistrate, probably tired of this petty drama, turned to the officer and stated 'it wasn't illegal for pr******tes to enter a greengrocers'

Eliza was fined five pounds or two months in prison. She asked for time to pay. No, was the stout reply. Magistrates knew at a shilling an hour, Eliza had made an absolute mint.

⭐️ Hear more about the Westcountry’s Victorian working girls on the C***y Corner podcast, available on Amazon, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. ⭐️

1865. Sarah Bradford, fresh out of Exeter prison after a six month stretch, had some catching up to do in her trade and ...
28/05/2026

1865. Sarah Bradford, fresh out of Exeter prison after a six month stretch, had some catching up to do in her trade and set about recouping her losses with alacrity.

John Thomas, a sailor with a full purse and already half cut, was in the Kings Arms on West Street in Exeter, and was anxious to give his own John Thomas an outing. He met Sarah, who would have noticed his purse and done a happy dance while making promises of a libidinous good time. Promises she had no intention of fulfilling.

With an eye for a main chance or an idiot to be fleeced, Sarah took John Thomas to her lodgings and, as was the rule, was paid up front for her services. John Thomas wanted beer and took out his purse to give Sarah the money to get some. Sarah, with eyes like a hawk, spotted the five pound note in his purse and asked to see it. John Thomas, who was being entirely led by his own John Thomas, gave up his purse and Sarah swanned off with it.

He lay back on the bed, assuming Sarah would be back soon, and fell into the deep slumber of the intoxicated. When he woke in the morning Sarah was not laying beside him. Indignant at the loss of money and pride, John Thomas had her arrested.

Sarah was remanded while the police searched for the five pound note. Sarah wasn't in the least perturbed - she'd had hours to prepare for this. That five pound note would have been laundered so many times in the criminal fraternity it was probably in another county.

While she languished in the cell Sarah was likely to have been congratulating herself. That five pounds meant good food, drink, her rent paid for weeks and she didn't have to touch anyone she didn't want to. Bonus!

John Thomas did not appear at the hearing. He would have slunk back to his ship, the HMS Liverpool, to a thorough ribbing from the crew. Sarah walked free.

⭐️ Hear more about the Westcountry’s Victorian working girls on the C***y Corner podcast, available on Amazon, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. ⭐️

Kings Arms, West St, Exeter.

1865. Magistrates described Sarah Bradford as a brazen faced young hussey. They weren't wrong.Someone in Frog Street, Ex...
27/05/2026

1865. Magistrates described Sarah Bradford as a brazen faced young hussey. They weren't wrong.

Someone in Frog Street, Exeter, had annoyed her enough for her to hurl stones at their windows at 1am. The stones were accompanied by colourful obscenities issued at full throttle.

No-one came out to remonstrate with her. They had likely seen Sarah at full tilt before and were hunkered down in the house, hoping her fire would die out or her arms would ache from lobbing every bit of aggregate within reach.

P.C Martin, attracted by the noise, went to investigate and later probably wished he hadn't. Sarah saw him coming and - by now having smashed every window and too tired to run, or just couldn't be bothered - lay down in the street.

The hapless constable tried to pry Sarah from the floor. She, equally determined he wouldn't, affected all the movability of a co**se. P.C Martin called out for a fellow officer who came swiftly to his aid. Also attracted to the racket (her body didn't move but her tongue still did) was a male friend of Sarah's who tried to rescue her.

If he hadn't been drunk, he may have made a better job of it. Instead, he was arrested for interfering. The journey to the lock up was a long one. Sarah, as with many pr******tes, wasn't fazed in the least to be arrested but wasn't going to make it easy.

Her arms on either side held by the Constables, Sarah would lose the use of her legs and sink to the floor. This pantomine would be enacted every few feet accompanied by Sarah yelling the 'Blue Devils' had her, thus alerting every petty criminal and pr******te on the town to skedaddle. By the time they reached the lock up the officers would be exhausted and probably made a mental note if they heard her again, to keep walking.

Sarah, as an incorrigible pr******te, was given six months in prison with hard labour. Her hopeless rescuer was fined ten shillings.

Prison did not deter Sarah from her trade in the least. She is highly likely to have learned more from the women she was incarcerated with because, twenty years later, she was still in business and had lost none of her temper.

⭐️ Hear more about the Westcountry’s Victorian working girls on the C***y Corner podcast, available on Amazon, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. ⭐️

Frog Street. Photo from www.exetermemories.co.uk

1903. Margaret Gregory supplemented her meagre widows pension by letting pr******tes use her house in Litchdon Street. E...
24/05/2026

1903. Margaret Gregory supplemented her meagre widows pension by letting pr******tes use her house in Litchdon Street. Elizabeth Dibble and Annie Kelly were frequent visitors bringing back anyone who fancied their services.

Annie Kelly’s mother was sick to death of her daughter’s antics and decided to haul her out of the house of ill fame … which is a bit rich as she had been a popular pr******te in her day. Mrs Kelly, with PC Tucker in tow, strode down to the house and began banging on the door and demanding entry. They were ignored. Everyone in the surrounding houses could hear the police and a woman were trying to gain entry into the Gregory house and offered helpful comments like ‘they’re not in’ and ‘some of us are trying to sleep here!’

Mrs Kelly was becoming more furious by the minute. If a policeman hadn't been present she could have put the door in with brute force … but as she chose to drag him along, she had to abide by the law - something she was probably regretting. She and PC Tucker, banged on the door for over half an hour until, at last, a window opened and someone looked out. They heard a male voice say ‘look sharp! Get your things on, it’s the police’

When the door was eventually opened, two men, one a foreigner, were partly dressed and fully drunk. Their reason for being in the house was ‘they were just having a sit down with Mrs Gregory.’

Annie Kelly, 26, didn’t want to go home. As she was shoved out of the building by her irate mother, Annie loudly accused her of ‘always ruining things!’

In court Mrs Gregory, described in the newspaper as ‘aged 67’, was sentenced to a month with hard labour for operating a house of Ill fame. She was more put out to be thought 67: she was 51.

⭐️ Hear more about the Westcountry’s Victorian working girls on the C***y Corner podcast, available on Amazon, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. ⭐️

Barnstaple, Bygone Brothel Tour. THURS 18th JUNE 7.30pm. Real women, fascinating, uplifting and amusing true stories of ...
22/05/2026

Barnstaple, Bygone Brothel Tour. THURS 18th JUNE 7.30pm. Real women, fascinating, uplifting and amusing true stories of Victorian pr******tes antics.
www.theploughartscentre.org.uk to book or just turn up. Meet outside St Anne's Chapel, Barnstaple. £12pp

1880. Many pr******tes ended up in court but were usually given a derisory sentence of a week or month in prison or a ve...
22/05/2026

1880. Many pr******tes ended up in court but were usually given a derisory sentence of a week or month in prison or a verbal slap on the wrist. F***y Mock was found drunk at lunchtime in Litchdon Street in the company of a man. She was issuing forth with filthy and obscene language, covered in mud and holding her shoes and umbrella.

F***y had taken her client to Rock Park. Entwined in passion - his real, hers less so - they had slid down the embankment. F***y had half the riverbank up her back and was not happy. When a constable remonstrated with her about her language, F***y, clearly at the end of her rope, threw her shoes and umbrella at him and lay in the street kicking her legs and screaming blue murder.

Her paramour made a hasty departure and F***y was hauled off the street and taken to the lock up to sleep off the effects of drink and temper. In the morning she was fined five shillings and allowed to go out and earn it.

⭐️ Hear more about the Westcountry’s Victorian working girls on the C***y Corner podcast, available on Amazon, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. ⭐️

Victorian society developed an obsession with collecting ferns from cliffs, which goes to show how little there was to e...
18/05/2026

Victorian society developed an obsession with collecting ferns from cliffs, which goes to show how little there was to entertain the upper class Victorian. Unfortunately the dangerous terrain was new to them and many of them went home with severe injuries or, if they got too close to the cliff edge, they went home in a box.

When o***m was introduced by travellers from the far east the Victorians realised they could get their kicks from the safety of their sofa instead of from hurtling down a hill side.

When Victorians realised o***m rotted their brains they discovered po*******hy / erotic art and took to that with alacrity. Prostitutes who were happy to part with some or all of their clothing in exchange for money took this new career path seriously. After all, it meant they didn’t have to get their bits out for some sweaty customer to paw at and faces were often hidden by fans or hats.

To make the pictures more appealing the girls experimented with hair removal. Sugar paste was used which ripped the hair out and often skin with it. Plus, sugar was expensive, and not to be wasted torturing a v***a. Then some genius had the idea of using a pumice stone, but enthusiastic usage left the area looking like a war zone. It was not a success. Shaving was a messy business too and, if a steady hand wasn't doing it, well....

Eventually, realising profits were at stake here, photographers forked out for a proper hair removal cream from Harley Street. Apparently it burned a bit, which is no surprise, and took several attempts to work, but it was better than angry girls with sore bits.

⭐️ Hear more about the Westcountry’s Victorian working girls on the C***y Corner podcast, available on Amazon, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. ⭐️

Photo credit; pinterest

1850. Agnes Pugsley, described as a girl of disreputable character, was stood, with a man, in the doorway of a house of ...
17/05/2026

1850. Agnes Pugsley, described as a girl of disreputable character, was stood, with a man, in the doorway of a house of ill fame on North Walk, Barnstaple. Mary Essery was walking past with her mother and, no doubt feeling brave with company, made the unfortunate decision to make a disparaging remark about Agnes as they passed her door.

Prostitutes never let a snide remark pass without a poisonous reply. Agnes was no exception. The chap with her immediately leapt to her defence. Little did he know that Agnes didn't need anyone to champion for her. She launched into a venomous tirade whilst grabbing Mary's bonnet and dragging her backwards.

The verbal and physical assault came as something of a surprise to Mary who, when Agnes had run out of breath, was unceremoniously dumped on the pavement. Dusting off her hands, Agnes went back into her house and no doubt had a celebratory drink while she waited for the police to come knocking.

Mary, outraged and playing the victim to the hilt, had Agnes arrested. In court, Mary couldn't get her story straight and although she was the victim of assault the magistrates, having seen altercations like this before, said there was no reason to believe Agnes was the aggressor.

Agnes was fined one shilling. She slapped the shilling down while issuing forth her opinion of Mary and the court, before marching home bristling with indignation and making a mental note to fetch Mary Essery another one if she saw her again in North Walk, preferably in the dark. Mary Essery, if she had any sense, would forever take the long way home.

Mary got off lightly, in that Agnes was sober during their altercation. Agnes had previously been arrested for being drunk in Back Lane, she had screamed so loudly that residents had come out of their houses to see who was being murdered. An absolutely furious Agnes was flailing her arms and legs to prevent arrest. It took two policemen to pinion her arms to get her into handcuffs. Mary Essery was luckier than she realised.

⭐️ Hear more about the Westcountry’s Victorian working girls on the C***y Corner podcast, available on Amazon, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. ⭐️

1886. William Deering, a prominent member of the Salvation Army, took his role of helping people in their every need ver...
07/05/2026

1886. William Deering, a prominent member of the Salvation Army, took his role of helping people in their every need very seriously. So much so that Inspector James got a whiff of what needs William was actually seeing to.

Taking two constables as back up, the Inspector paid William a surprise visit at 4 Herbert Street, Cardiff.

What the Inspector and his posse found in William's house that December surprised even them. In every room of the house they found a pr******te in bed with a man … plus a drunken pr******te on the sofa in the lounge.

William pleaded guilty and was sentenced to six months with hard labour. William's fellow Salvationists were surprised to say the least and as an attempt at damage limitation said that William was always very particular about the use of bad language in his house.

⭐️ Hear more about the Westcountry’s Victorian working girls on the C***y Corner podcast, available on Amazon, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. ⭐️

1883. Louisa Slade, said to be an attractive Nymph of the Pave, plied her trade between Barnstaple and Exeter for years....
04/05/2026

1883. Louisa Slade, said to be an attractive Nymph of the Pave, plied her trade between Barnstaple and Exeter for years. When in Barnstaple Louisa stayed with other pr******te friends in Litchdon Street. Louisa, settled in her familiar, temporary abode, decided to 'go on the town' which basically meant having a few drinks, preferably at a chap's expense, and if she felt like doing business, she would.

Frederick Bowden, not knowing Louisa was a pr******te, fell rapidly for her charms. They went drinking in various pubs, ending up in the London Inn where they were seen 'romping' in the tap room.

Louisa, deciding not to go any further with Frederick, called it a night and went back to her lodgings. It was there she found her purse, containing a silver chain, pawn tickets and one pound and fifteen shillings of her hard earned money, was missing. Immediately she returned to the London Inn. Her purse, that cost her more 'trembles' than she'd care to remember, was not there. Suspicion immediately fell on Frederick Bowden who wasn't there either.

Louisa, long used to dealing with the law and usually on the wrong side of it, was determined to use it to her advantage this time. She gave Sgt Songhurst details of the theft and Frederick’s name. On the way home, bristling with anger, she saw Frederick, pinned him to the wall and proceeded to have an unfriendly conversation. Frederick at first denied the theft, then offered Louisa two bracelets to say nothing about it then, most likely because she told him her trade, said he took her purse for a joke.

He pulled her purse from his jacket, gave it back and begged her not to take it further. Louisa counted her money and was four shillings and sixpence short. She marched a protesting Frederick, who had likely never met such a coldly irate woman, to Sgt Songhurst.

Frederick was fined forty shillings. A high price to pay for a 'joke'. When he next went to the pub he would have had a few lessons from drinkers regarding who to avoid playing such pranks on. Prostitutes being the main ones. Louisa, wasn't the sweet country girl he had thought her to be. None of them were.

And, all were very big on revenge. Usually a hat pin to the testicles. Frederick had got off lightly. Louisa probably went to the pub with her friends and calmed down after a dozen drinks. A 'romp' that cost her money was a novelty she could do without.

⭐️ Hear more about the Westcountry’s Victorian working girls on the C***y Corner podcast, available on Amazon, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. ⭐️

Photo; thepursemuseum.com

1849. John Shaw, master of the 'Ann and Elizabeth of Ayre', came ashore with £50 or £60 in his pocket. This was his firs...
02/05/2026

1849. John Shaw, master of the 'Ann and Elizabeth of Ayre', came ashore with £50 or £60 in his pocket. This was his first mistake. Getting drunk in the company of three of Barnstaple's more notorious pr******tes was his second.

The women, trained from years of spotting an idiot loaded with money and desperate for a woman, homed in on John Shaw with the alacrity displayed by predatory birds. John, befuddled by drink and his bodily needs, was revelling in his sudden attractiveness to not just one woman but three.

Other drinkers in the pub, knowing the women, were likely taking bets as to how this little scenario would play out. Thirza Turner, one of the pr******tes, probably had more bets on how soon she lost her rag. Thirza had a temper that had got her into trouble multiple times. Did she learn from this? No. No she did not. Thirza was placated by drink or money and had a vested interest in getting John’s.

Mary Ann Heale, the main predatory bird, was as unscrupulous as a pr******te could get, and that was a lot. If she had given lessons she would have earned a mint in her lifetime.

Elizabeth Williams was the least predatory, but money was money. If she could get some without touching anyone, all well and good. That was one of the reasons she ran or**es from her brothel. Everyone else could do the touching, she just collected the money.

In short order time John was divested of his funds and the women melted into the darkness to share their takings. When he was sober and broke John decided to have the women arrested.

The women would have prepared for this happening: it was a foolish person who thought them stupid. When they appeared in court the women gave such contradictory accounts and Elizabeth Hodge, who gave evidence against them, couldn't get her story straight either. The magistrates lost interest.

They had been down this road with men blinded by lust before and weren't about to do so again. Besides, dinner was waiting. The board cast a gimlet eye over the women they knew were guilty and dismissed the case adding that as a Scotsman they would have thought John would be more careful with his money.

⭐️ Hear more about the Westcountry’s Victorian working girls on the C***y Corner podcast, available on Amazon, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. ⭐️

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Barnstaple

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https://open.spotify.com/show/4m9jvgo74Md52J0J5jAfqt?si=66FjJUMNQ7isiFmKeYUi0Q, https://podca

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