[1783 Edition] Miss Th-mp--n, at Brown’s Hotel, Goodman’s Fields ----- Reclin’d upon a couch the maiden lay, And all her Virgin Charms expos’d to view; I saw them all, unseen, and in her eyes, Read the mad language of untaught desire. She has a Brown Hotel of her own, situated in the middle of Good-Woman’s Fields: it was formerly at the bottom of Maiden Lane, you now pass down Snow Hill, through Hare Court, immediately into Exchange Alley, then it is impossible to mistake the road. You are no sooner entered the premisses, but the reckoning is call’d for, and so pretty a method has she of demanding it, that what you do spend must be done with pleasure, and altho’ she gives full change always, unless you take particular care, you will find your purse quite empty when you depart. Just arrived at the tempting ripe age of twenty-two, with little sparkling blue eyes; her breasts rather full, but not less firm; very fair, and contrasted beautifully by the blue branching veins which surround every part: apparently light brown hair, but so covered with powder, that the colour is doubtful; good teeth, rather short, of a very sprightly and amorous disposition, and a very warm temper, especially when tempered by Bacchus. I forgot to inform you, although she in general gives full charge, she never gives any out of a guinea. ----- Images: L'agreable neglige – Jean-François Janinet (1779), The Four Times of Day: Noon - William Hogarth (1738), Theatre in Great Alie Street Goodman's Fields - William Capon (1801)

About Her: Miss Thompson: ‘Thompson’ is Anglo-Scottish surname meaning son of ‘Thom’, or ‘Tom’ as is more commonly used nowadays. The ‘p’ in Thompson possibly originated from the sound made when moving the mouth from a closed ‘m’ to a slightly open ‘s’. 22 Years Old: Born in 1761, not much is said about Miss Thompson’s past prior to her entry to the list. She is likely to have been on the scene for at least a few years but exactly how long is unknown. She’s described as having sparkling blue eyes, fair complexion and heavily powdered hair. Price: 1 Guinea. Approx: £221

Her Surroundings: Brown’s Hotel, Goodman’s Fields: Like many hotels of the day, Brown’s Hotel around Goodman’s Fields is difficult to locate. In the eighteenth century, Goodman’s Fields was a small pasture fields surround by houses on all sides. To the north was Great Aile Street (see below) also known as Great Ayliff Street, to the east Lemon Street, south was Great Prescott Street, and to the west was Mansel Street. Outside of purely residential buildings, Goodman’s Fields was home to sugar refineries, gun workshops, and several German schools and proto hospitals serving the areas predominantly German and Jewish (Ashkenazi) population. When it comes to hotels and inns there are a few possible areas that could pass as Brown’s Hotel but there are no records that I have found that can definitively say where its exact location was. On Alie Street there is the White Swan pub which has been open since 1825, it is suggested that there was a pub located there before but its name is unknown. There is a ‘Brown Bear’ pub mentioned in an Old Bailey court document from 1764, which is the strongest contender for Brown’s and it is remarkably still in place at 139 Leman (Lemon) Street.

[1783 Edition] Miss Th-mp--n, at Brown’s Hotel, Goodman’s Fields. Reclin’d upon a couch the maiden lay, And all her Virgin Charms expos’d to view; I saw them all, unseen, and in her eyes, Read the mad language of untaught desire. #18thcentury #georgianera #18thcenturylondon #goodmansfields