16/06/2026
1848. Eliza Gould, a Barnstaple pr******te, had fallen for the rugged charms of Henry Parnell, a Navvy, working locally. Eliza was young and, no doubt, like a lot of young women since time began, fell for a 'rough diamond'.
At some point, also like a lot of women, she woke up to Henry not being the best for her. A lot of pr******tes, when in love, kept only to the man until he wanted to earn from her, then the relationship ended. This is highly likely to have been the case with Eliza. She was young but she wasn't stupid.
Henry was cast into the wind and Eliza got on with her life, until Henry wanted to come back. Eliza wasn't having any of that and told Henry she was getting married (she wasn't) but the idea of another man in the picture often made for a quiet life. Unfortunately, Henry was the jealous type and, by way of retribution for being spurned, he killed Eliza's dog by bashing its brains out against a wall. That act of cruelty gives a clear idea of what kind of man Henry was and what Eliza had endured when with him.
Prostitutes, like any other woman, were not immune to domestic violence. They were not married to a man so didn't have to endure it. Many had seen their mothers suffer such treatment and weren't about to put up with it themselves. Eliza, had Henry arrested and charged. He was fined twenty shillings and costs or seven days in prison. He paid the fine and slunk back to his lodgings or encampment.
The social underbelly, as today, had their own moral code. Henry would have been dealt a thrashing he would be unlikely to forget. It might take weeks to get him, but get him the men most definitely would.
⭐️ 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. ⭐️
