Genealogy Chat

I am well and truly stuck with the Phillips / Gidley branch of the family so have been trying to go through my ggrandmothers siblings for clues. There was a Betsy Phillips born Plymouth 1852 and while going through the records up popped a Elizabeth Phillips brothel keeper. Modern day morality had me laughingly shocked, not at the profession but that it would be in a census return or was prostitution legal in the 1870's? Another record I came across was John Phillips in some sort of institution and his occupation was Appel and ideas what that was anyone?

I think there were lots of brothel keepers in the census - I'm sure it probably was legal.

Which census did you find the occupation Appel?- just wanted to have a look as I've never heard of it.

Kath. x

it was the 1871, In Plymouth I have the family before then, 1841 and 51 but then they seem to disappear. Emma might have died and some of the children too so I was going through the rest when I came upon these.

In the 1881 my OH has someone staying with one of his gr gr uncles - she's a lodger - shows as prostitute. Still makes me laugh when I think of how she may have paid her rent!

I've heard that prostitutes normally gave their occupations as dressmakers

Its weird,I'm not a bit shocked at the profession its that its so brazenly listed. I always thought that they would have tried to disguise it as something else, like masseur perhaps.

Oh dont say that , I have loads of dressmakers

I think there were quite a few prostitutes on the 1881 at least.

I know that some prostitutes called themselves dressmakers or laundresses but if you think about it there must have been plenty of real dressmakers and laundresses around so the chances of one of those being your ancestor are a bit remote Dumpling. Don't worry about it!

Again the weirdness., dont mind a prositute or two in the family but to think that my poor widowed great granny (dressmaker) was one !!!!!

Well I know that one of my gr grandmas was a bit of a trollope from what I've managed to find out about her! Not sure whether I'm proud of her or not - I'll have to think about that one!

Going off now to google appel or one ofthe sites that explain old occupations, thanks everyone

Prostitutes were sometimes called charwoman or gay girl.
According to Whos.Who of 1871 a number of "gay girls" lived in Wharf St in Bradford.

For each of the women recorded there was a corresponding man whos details were ( perhaps unsurprisingly) unknown

Now all you members with missing Bradford men on census night in 1871 . Well they might be in Wharf Street lol

Lust makes the world go round!

Check surnames meanings such as for Hollister.

I have come across definition for that surname as; Brothel-keeper, also as Whoremonger

Wonder how many Holisters are on GR and dont know that Robert