The Covent Garden Ladies: Pimp General Jack and the Extraordinary Story of Harris' List Paperback – Import, May 1, 2006

A spot in time unique, history without the fluff old England and what women had to endure...incredible book

If you had been a rake in 18th century London, you would have been very familiar with a guidebook called _Harris's List of Covent Garden Ladies_. It was issued first in 1757 and continued for almost forty years a bestseller. It was a bit expensive, two shillings and sixpence, which was about what you could rent a room for. It was a guide to the prostitutes available around Covent Garden, their attractions, their talents, and, in some cases, their demerits. The authorship of the _List_ was attributed to "Harris", of course, but Hallie Rubenhold, a teacher of history, is the first to uncover the full story of the _List_'s production. In _The Covent Garden Ladies: Pimp General Jack & the Extraordinary Story of Harris's List_ (Tempus Publishing), Rubenhold has not only told the story of the List and given full depictions of the three main characters involved in its production, but has also given a social history of the London of the time. It is a raucous picture, funny and sad by turns. If you appreciate the work of Hogarth, many of whose pictures are included here, you will find this a fascinating account.Harris was not the author of the notorious book; he wasn't even Harris. He was John Harrison, who was a waiter at the Shakespear's Head tavern, a boisterous retreat especially for the theatrical set. Harris was a clever man who might have been a banker but for his low birth. He said, "I saw great room for an amendment in the profession of pimping," and worked out solutions to such problems of supplying new whores into the system. He called himself the Pimp General of All England, and few would have disagreed. He had an army of over 400 prostitutes, and was a well-known figure in the town, so including his name on the _List_ was a perfect selling point for it, but he wasn't the author. That honor, Rubenhold discovered, goes to a fascinating Irishman, Samuel Derrick. He ran away to London with aspirations to become a poet and a member of Dr. Johnson's set, and indeed became acquainted with Johnson, Boswell, and the rest. His real talents lay not in poetry but in whoring and in hack writing. It was he who produced the lists, and probably paid Harrison for the use of his assumed name in the title. The profits from the _List_ were the making of him, and he wound up surprisingly respectable. He was able to bequeath the profits of the _List_ to Charlotte Hayes, with whom he had had a fond relationship as customer, lover, and friend. She became landed gentry, although she never really left the business. Inspired by French examples, she became a mistress of high-class brothels mockingly known as nunneries. Even in comfortable widowhood and retirement, Hayes could not completely leave her background, and was sought out to help arrange assignations. This is a big story, and Rubenhold has wisely not restricted it to the lists themselves. She does, of course, include samples of what the _List_ had to say, showing that Derrick's prose was not only a precise, witty, and useful guide, but was material for fantasy that could be enjoyed as anyone can enjoy a catalogue without buying from it. Here you can find, for example, Miss Loveborn, of Number 32 George Street, who delighted in birching her customers, and it is revealed that the shop from which she bought her birchen brooms was so pleased with her custom, it granted her discounts on tea and coffee as well. There are scores of others.The three main characters here all fared reasonably well from their trades, but Rubenhold quite rightly describes the less salubrious and cheerful parts of being a prostitute of the times. There were diseases, and cures for the diseases that were sometimes worse. There were unwanted pregnancies and distasteful ways of dealing with them. There was rape, and there was the threat of prison, though this was often for debt rather than moral crimes. Rubenhold's description of life in the Fleet Prison is unforgettable. After Harris, Derrick, and Hayes bowed off the stage, society became more prudish and the _List_ was legally closed down. It was great while it lasted, and it was the making of the pimp, the hack, and the whore, chronicled in a vastly entertaining and revealing work of history.

This book is an absolute 'must' read for any person interested in English social history of The Georgian period. Having said this, it is a wonderful insight into sheer survival of women during this period who, whether by accident or misfortune, found that their only means of income was to resort to 'The Oldest Profession ' - Prostitution.I was fortunate to know of Harris's List prior to reading the book but not its history or that of its author(s) and this is why I bought the book in the first place. However, nothing could prepare me for the depth of information found here.An unusual book, expertly written.Off now to look for more of this ladies work!

I bought this after reading The Five by the same author. A compelling and convincing account about the victims of Jack the Ripper.I knew nothing of the Harris list and very little detail about the Georgian underworld of prostitution. The Covent Garden Ladies brings this whole period to vibrant life. They are real personalities and it’s easy to imagine and understand their lifestyle choices. It appears to be meticulously researched and it’s rich in detail. Brilliant and filled with intelligent insight which brings this period of a London society to vibrant life.

I love the 18th century. It is normally a joy to emerge myself in any book of this period. However I found this book dull, tedious and boring. Such a shame as the subject matter should and could be interesting. It just did not come alive for me.

A fascinating breath taking journey back in time. The author really takes you back to the 18th century. Never has history been so real. Highly recommended

A thoroughly researched and interesting account of the three main characters behind the 18th century publication 'Harris's List'. Brings alive the reality of life for people (especially women) with no family or friends to support them. Very readable.

Very interesting slice of little known social history

Harris's List was an annual publication that listed all the prostitutes in and around the Covent Garden area and their 'specialities'! In The Covent Garden Ladies, Rubenhold explores the story of how the list came into being and the three main personalities behind the famous book; Samuel Derrick (a down and out Irish poet), Charlotte Hayes ( a prostitute and then procuress) and John Harrison, also known as Jack Harris, who lent his name to the project.This is facinating social history. Not only do we learn about the lives of our three main protagonists, but also what it was like to be in the Fleet prison, what is was like to be a struggling writer at the time and also about the theatres, pubs and brothels of Covent Garden.The book also includes many of the entries from Harris's List, some of which are hilarious. I would have loved to have met a woman with 'breath like a Welsh bagpipe' or the prostitute who 'if you can forget she's hunchbacked, she's a little Venus'!I would have liked to know more about the lives of the prostitutes at the time. All this was confined to the last chapter of the book, which was unfortunate as it was one of the more interesting parts of the book as a whole.Recommended.

An excellent read. Really well researched. If you love social history you will be amazed and appalled with the behaviour of 18th century society. Highly recommended.

facinated with the 18th century and have to say this one is a BRILLIANT account of that time, got to be the best book about the whole covent garden scene, not kidding the author makes you actually feel as if your there, dont know how she does it but loved this book , just could not put it down...just bought another one of her books hope its as good, well doneshould be 10 stars

Well researched and giving a taste of what life must have been like for many women during this time. The down side of Jane Austen's world.

I know this book has quite a few reviews but it dragged to much for me and I found it a little dull in places. Well researched though credit to the author just was not for me.

Enjoyed the first part f the book but after a while, I lost interest because it became a bit ' samey'.

Interesting book about a subject that is glossed over in most of the history books. Well written by the author.

This is a great insight into the lives of 18th century prostitutes and the clients who visited them. As a piece of social history it is fascinating to read about the systematic cataloguing of each one's charms and specialities and the text is enlivened with some amusing insights into very mundane matters such as where the ladies who provided whippings bought their birches...at a reduced rate of course!

So boring waste of money