[1765 Edition] Miss B-rrows, Holborn. ----- A fine woman; tall and genteel in her person, in her face handsome: if she is not a first-rate beauty, yet she does not much fall short of it. Her complexion is fine, and her eyes and hair black, which colour, in the opinion of the ancients, surpassed all others. An adventure of somewhat an extraordinary nature once befell her. An elderly gentleman offered her something more than the usual price for the favour; but when they were retired to an apartment by themselves, he took out one of those instruments which are used at School for another purpose, and desired her to lay on hastily, which she did; this exercise was repeated three times, and excited such a titillation in the feeble old gentleman’s blood, that he three times renewed the assault. The whole scene of lechery, however, was seen by a third person thro’ a chink in the partition; and the story coming to the ears of many of Miss B-r-ws’s acquaintance, she has sometimes been rallied upon it, and has always peremptorily denied the fact without being disconcerted. The old gentleman, not being able to shew his face after the affair became public, left the kingdom, and has never been seen since. ----- Images: Hannah Horneck – Sir Joshua Reynolds (1759), Beer Street - William Hogarth (1751), The Cully Flaug'd - Marcellus Laroon II (1674-1702)

About Her: Miss Burrows: Reversing Harris’ anonymisation technique gives us the name ‘Burrows’, from the Old English ‘bur’ (chamber) and ‘hous’ (house). She is described as tall, genteel and handsome, with dark eyes and hair. Her entry provides an anecdote about a previous elderly client who asked her to smack him with either a paddle or a broom, she complied, but they were then caught. She denies it ever happening, but the man fled the country soon after from embarrassment. Her past and her age are unknown as Harris makes no mention of either. The most common ages found in Harris’ List are 19 and 20 so I would imagine she is around those ages.

Her Surroundings: flagellation: Flagellation, the act of whipping, flogging, or beating in this instance for sexual gratification was a rather niche interest in the 18th century. The practice was first put to text in Sir John Davies’ c.1600CE poem In Francum: “When Francus comes to sollace with his whore, He sends for rods, and strips himselfe stark naked”. Flagellation, at least as a sexual practice, seemed aimed more at men than at women, with women holding the power in the scenario. There is, usually, at least one woman per Harris’ List offering flagellation as a service if not multiple, and the price of the service is often above a couple of guineas (a few hundred pounds). The primary tool used was made with birch twigs wrapped together, like a brush or a broom, but paddles and other instruments were not unheard of.

[1765 Edition] Miss B-rrows, Holborn. The old gentleman, not being able to shew his face after the affair became public, left the kingdom, and has never been seen since. #georgianera #18thcentury #devianthistory #nottokinkshamebut #safesaneandconsentual