Tales from The Ratcliffe Highway*

[Gary Barnett]

Pennington Street

Yet another Kelly connected to Breezers Hill. The sentence is more criminal than the crime.


The Old Bailey, 2nd July, 1817.


979. WILLIAM KELLY was indicted for stealing, on the 9th of June , 22 handkerchiefs, value 5l., the goods of Joseph Griffin, privately in his shop .

PAGE WARD . I am servant to Joseph Griffin . As I was taking down the shutters on the 9th of June, about seven o'clock in the morning, and carrying them into the private passage, I heard a noise, and looking into the shop, I saw the prisoner going out - I immediately followed him. He crossed over Ratcliff-highway, down Breeze's-hill, and in the middle of the hill I saw him throw the handkerchiefs down; when he got a little farther he threw off his hat - I still followed and secured him - He was never out of my sight; I gave him in charge - They were worth 5l. I had seen them safe on the Saturday night. Tailor picked them up. I am certain I did not discover the prisoner until I saw him going out of the door. I did not see him take the handkerchiefs.

CARR TAILOR. I am an officer. I saw the prisoner running and Ward pursuing. The prisoner dropped the handkerchiefs, and I picked them up. (Property produced and sworn to.)

The prisoner made no defence.

GUILTY. - DEATH . Aged 14.

Recommended to mercy on account of his youth .

Second Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Justice Park.

[Gary Barnett]

Ed:

The first edition of Neal & Jen's book is still available, if anyone wanted to know.
I didn't know Neal had put out a revised edition.

I bought my copy of the first edition second-hand on ebay. It came with photocopies of the C5 death certs.

[Gary Barnett]

Damaris Page & Co. (X-Rated)

One of the most notorious women in the 1650s was Damaris Page. Samuel Pepys described her as 'the great bawd of the seamen'. She was born in Stepney around 1620, became a teenage prostitute and married a man called William Baker in 1640.

During the following 15 years she moved from being a prostitute to running brothels. She owned two. The one on the Ratcliffe Highway catered for ordinary seamen. The second, in Rosemary Lane, was for naval officers and those who could afford more expensive prostitutes.

A spell in Newgate failed to persuade Page not to resume her career in the vice trade. In 1653 Damaris married a second husband and two years later was brought before Clerkenwell Magistrates. The first charge of bigamy was dismissed on the grounds that her first marriage had not been sanctified. But the second charge, of killing one Eleanor Pooley while attempting to carry out an abortion with a fork, was far more serious.

She was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to hang. Luckily, she was pregnant at the time and was instead given three years in Newgate. On her release she resumed her career as a madam and died a rich woman in her house on Ratcliffe Highway in 1669.

From, portcities.org.uk

[Gary Barnett]

Damaris Page & Co. (X-Rated)

[Gary Barnett]

Damaris Page & Co. (X-Rated)

[Edward Stow]

Incidentally - in 1891 old Ma Lechmere lived at 18 St George Street - which became The Highway.
18 St George Street was on the corner of Artichoke Hill - the plot now occupied by the rebuilt Artichoke pub (Domino's Pizzas).
She was listed as Maria L Forsdike - a widow aged 65, horse flesh dealer - cat.
her 16 year old granddaughter was living with her (still).
I wonder if either of them are in that 1896 picture that includes the Artichoke in the background and the Jamrach store.

Small world.

[Gary Barnett]

I don't know where this shop was, but the photo came from the STGITE website.

[Roy Corduroy]

Near the Highway, old mortuary where the body of Liz Stride was taken.

[Edward Stow]

Some electoral register entries for Breezers Hill
The Wool Warehouse must have been extended over the corner of Breezers Hill after the 1890 register was compiled at the end of 1989.

1885

1887

1888

1890


1891

1892

[SGerrard]

One of the most notorious women in the 1650s was Damaris Page. Samuel Pepys described her as 'the great bawd of the seamen'. She was born in Stepney around 1620, became a teenage prostitute and married a man called William Baker in 1640.

During the following 15 years she moved from being a prostitute to running brothels. She owned two. The one on the Ratcliffe Highway catered for ordinary seamen. The second, in Rosemary Lane, was for naval officers and those who could afford more expensive prostitutes.

A spell in Newgate failed to persuade Page not to resume her career in the vice trade. In 1653 Damaris married a second husband and two years later was brought before Clerkenwell Magistrates. The first charge of bigamy was dismissed on the grounds that her first marriage had not been sanctified. But the second charge, of killing one Eleanor Pooley while attempting to carry out an abortion with a fork, was far more serious.

She was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to hang. Luckily, she was pregnant at the time and was instead given three years in Newgate. On her release she resumed her career as a madam and died a rich woman in her house on Ratcliffe Highway in 1669.

From, portcities.org.uk

You can read her biography Gary if you're interested [published the year she died, I think] at the EEBO site http://eebo.chadwyck.com/home Simple search for Damaris should get it - it's not very long - more a pamphlet - but quite interesting.

[Gary Barnett]

You can read her biography Gary if you're interested [published the year she died, I think] at the EEBO site http://eebo.chadwyck.com/home Simple search for Damaris should get it - it's not very long - more a pamphlet - but quite interesting.

Thanks for that link, SG. I'll have a look.

I would warn any sensitive gentlemen Ripperologists, though, that 'Damaris' appears also to be a range of lingerie.

[Gary Barnett]

Ed,

Does that mean the McCarthys weren't at no. 1 when Kelly was supposed to have stayed in Breezer's Hill?

Gary

[Gary Barnett]

Damaris Page & Co. (X-Rated)

This is from The English Rogue, a picaresque tale written by 'Meriton Latroon' in 1665. It concerns the author's search for his wife among the haunts of her erstwhile profession. Damaris and her 'geese' receive very unflattering treatment:

While I was thus hammering out some new design on the Anvil of experience, I bethought my self where probably I might find my Wife: First, I went to Ratcliff high-way, and made enquiry of Dammaris, &c., the Metropolitan Bawd of those parts, for a Gentlewoman of such a complexion, stature, and age, ('twas but a folly to mention her name, for those that follow that trade change their names as often as they do their places of abode) but that cart-load of flesh could give me no information, neither was it possible for me to have staid to hear it, she so stunk of Strong-waters, stronger then that Cask that never contained any thing else; I went down all along to the Cross, in my way I saw many Whores standing at their doors, giving me invitation; but being poor, they could not afford the charge of Fucus, so that their faces lookt much like a piece of rumbled Parchment, and by their continual traffick with Seamens Breeches, I could not come near them, they smelt so strongly of Tarpawlin and stinking Cod; yet still no tidings of her I sought for.

[Edward Stow]

Gary
Do you have a link to that Horse Flesh dealer picture? You might note the size of some of those bits of horse flesh.
Judging by the fashions I would say i dates from around the time of the First World War - which would preclude it being old Ma Lechmere's establishment. But you never know.

I can't recall all the evidence put forward in the Sheldon's book - I remember a lot of speculation surrounded the Maywood character - who had connections to Romford. I think they said his kids went to Bets Street School but I haven't found conformation of that.
I believe he had a few convictions for horse thrashing or something like that.
This is what I have found out about him.

Stephen Maywood

Birth 1859

Jul—Sep 1877 Marriage Register Romford – Stephen Maywood to Sarah Mack

1881 Census – 159 Horns Road, Barkingside
Stephen Maywood – aged 22, an agricultural labourer, born Barkingside
Sarah Maywood – aged 21, wife, born Barkingside
Stephen Maywood – aged 2, born Barkingside
Henry Maywood – aged 8 months, born Barkingside

27th July 1883 Birth of William George Maywood
19th August 1883 Baptism of William George Maywood – parents Stephen and Sarah Maywood of 1 Breezer’s Hill, St George’s – a labourer

1884 Electoral Register – Stephen Maywood – 1 Breezer’s Hill, St George’s
1885 Electoral Register – Stephen Maywood – 1 Breezer’s Hill, St George’s
1887 Electoral Register – Stephen Maywood – 1 Breezer’s Hill, St George’s
1888 Electoral Register – Stephen Maywood – 1 Breezer’s Hill, St George’s

10th April 1888 – Lower Chapman School – father Stephen Maywood – Horsedealer – 94 Cornwall Street
Stephen Maywood – born 16/06/78 – previously at school in Ilford - left school 01/05/88 – left neighbourhood
Henry Maywood – born 27/07/80 - previously at school in Ilford - left school 16/05/88

4th February 1889 – Bow High Street School – father Stephen Maywood – 49 Priscilla Road
Stephen Maywood – previously at Barkingside Board
Henry Maywood – previously at Barkingside Board

1891 Census – 1 Rich Street Limehouse
Stephen Maywood - aged 31, a horse dealer, born Ilford, Essex
Sarah Maywood – aged 29, wife, born St Georges’
William Maywood – aged 8, born Limehouse

190 Horns Road, Ilford
William Box – aged 66, agricultural labourer
Lucy Box – aged 55
Henry Maywood – aged 11 grandson - scholar

1891 Electoral Register – Stephen Maywood - 7 and 1 Rich Street, Limehouse
1892 Electoral Register – Stephen Maywood - 1 Rich Street, Limehouse

1901 Census – Little Newbury Farm, Ley Street, Ilford

[Gary Barnett]

Pennington Street

Small world revisited.

From the 1896 Electoral Roll. My great grandad appears to be the only person registered to vote in Breezers Hill.

I scrolled back a page and found a Jeremiah McCarthy in Artichoke Hill. It's a while since I looked into Margaret Sullivan (Crossingham), but I'd come to the conclusion that she and and a JM may have been an item, and that he was possibly the father of her daughter, Matilda.

There was a Matilda Sullivan of about the right age at Betts Street school and her home address was given as Artichoke Hill. I can't remember who found that record, it could have been me or (more likely) Debra A.