Station Place, Shadwell

[Gary Barnett]

Although it was ‘but a poor and squalid passage, with little houses on one side and railway arches on the other’, Station Place was described in 1904 as the wickedest street in London. (Move over Dorset Street.)

Debs discovered a woman named Maria Harvey in the STGITE workhouse/infirmary who gave SP as a previous address and that inspired me to look more closely at the Place, which had been on the periphery of my interest for some time.

This report is interesting because it introduces us to the Noddings, a notorious family who ran at least one brothel in SP, and it concerns Sophia Raby, described as a daughter of the renowned Noddings

In the report it seems Sophe has had her marching orders from SP and is off to seek fresh fields and pastures new. And I think I know where, because a year or so later she was running a brothel at 1, Rich Street, Limehouse - said to be one of the most notorious in the district. And as we know, prior to Sophe’s incumbency, 1, Rich Street was in the hands of one Stephen Maywood, formerly of Breezers Hill.



Lloyds 30th October, 1892

Note: Station Place was actually in STGITE, but it was close to Shadwell Station and was often described as being in Shadwell.

[Gary Barnett]

Nuddy Noddings

This, from May, 1892, seems an even better introduction to the Nodding clan:

[Gary Barnett]

Emily Edith Smith

Here’s a Casebook thread about the EES attack (alleged):

https://forum.casebook.org/showthread.php?t=1463

This incident has interested me for some time because Emily’s family home was in Bingfield Street, Islington, a short walk from the knacker’s yards of Belle Isle. My family were living in Bingfield Street at this time.

[Debra Arif]

I did also read about Sept 1888 violence between two residents of Station Place that resulted in one woman being glassed by the other and sustaining injuries that involved scalp wounds and a badly cut finger, causing permanent damage. The victim ended up in hospital. I remembered it because the injuries reminded me of the kind of wound we sometimes look out for in hospital records when looking for possible other JTR related attacks.

[Gary Barnett]

Station Place v. Shovel Alley

Here’s Rosina Nodding chivving one Norah Donovan of Shovel Alley. Debs will remember the census entry where a Norah Donovan of Shovel Alley confided that her grandmother had been borned in Ireland. (Probably the daughter of the victim here.)

This is of particular interest to me because my Shovel Alley family had connections to Cornwall Street near SP.

Keep Rosie in mind, we may meet her again in Limehouse.




From Reynolds 1st December, 1889

[Gary Barnett]

Sophe in Bluegate Fields

I haven’t worked out the family tree yet, but Sophia Raby is a rather unusual name and the lady in this case was running a brothel in Bluegate Fields, just to the south of Station Place, so there’s got to be some connection:


https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/brow...3-66#highlight

[Gary Barnett]

I did also read about Sept 1888 violence between two residents of Station Place that resulted in one woman being glassed by the other and sustaining injuries that involved scalp wounds and a badly cut finger, causing permanent damage. The victim ended up in hospital. I remembered it because the injuries reminded me of the kind of wound we sometimes look out for in hospital records when looking for possible other JTR related attacks.

That’s interesting, Debs. I’ll keep an eye open for that. I’m still on the hunt for Caroline Coals, BTW.

I’ve been aware of the Rabys for some time, but this Nodding lot are a new to me. Others may enjoy trying to link MJK to such luminaries as Whistler and Oscar Wilde, I prefer the subterranean route via the sewers of Shadwell, Limehouse etc.��

[Gary Barnett]

Of course, although it’s frequently described as being in Shadwell, SP was actually In STGITE.

There was a gymnasium in one of its railway arches where boxing matches were staged.

[Gary Barnett]

They seem to be all nid-nid-nodding in Station-place.

George Augustus Sala

[Gary Barnett]

A Sophia Noding married Edward Charles Raby in STGITE in Dec Q 1886.

[Gary Barnett]

The Worst Family in London

From Reynolds 4th January, 1891:

[Debra Arif]

I’ve been aware of the Rabys for some time, but this Nodding lot are a new to me. Others may enjoy trying to link MJK to such luminaries as Whistler and Oscar Wilde, I prefer the subterranean route via the gutters of Shadwell, Limehouse etc.😇

Me too, Gary. Keeping it real IMHO.

[Gary Barnett]

Me too, Gary. Keeping it real IMHO.

At the other extreme we have those who see Kelly as on a par with the semi-vagrant lodging house women who would sell themselves for a few pence in a dark alley. Only recently someone was doubting that she would have entertained a client, including singing to him, in her room in Millers Court.

Singing, dancing and charging an arm and a leg for an overnight stay and rotgut whisky was very much the business model in the Highway.

[Gary Barnett]

Henrietta Stanley 1/2

This is from Reynolds of 23/8/1896. I had misremembered that Stanley died of pleurisy rather from her injuries. Still, being thrown down the stairs by ‘Rosie’ and co probably didn’t help.

[Gary Barnett]

Henrietta Stanley 2/2