Plymouthhistory

Prostitution was endemic in the district, as it was in all naval and dockyard towns. Prostitution
has existed in Plymouth for centuries. The main prostitution district during the first half of the
nineteenth century was above the Barbican and commercial docks, centred around Castle Street
(appendix F, p. 104), also known as ‘Damnation Alley.’ But a relocation of the commercial docks in
the late 1840s, and new licensing laws used in the 1870s, led to prostitution being spread to the
west of the town and over a larger area. Prostitution was ignored, or accepted and in some social
circles even expected by women who, for many reasons, could not gain employment. Yet after
centuries of toleration, wealthy mid-Victorians and clergy decided that something ought to be done
about this vice due to the criminal activities attached to the “profession”. The immorality of the
nation was making headlines as religious authorities and philanthropists criticised the general lax
attitude to vice by the authorities, namely the police and the Admiralty. Then the Admiralty and
Home Office decided that to stem the flow of military personal taking time off due to sexually
transmitted disease, some regulation was in order. The result of this state-intervention was the
highly controversial Contagious Diseases Acts of 1864, 1866 and 1869; which is explored later in
this study.
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Even without the troubles of prostitution-related crime and
disorder, alcohol caused or played a part in a great number
of offences from murder to public obscenity. For example, in
1850, Plymothian William Ambrose was walking with his
friend William Thomas after an evening of drinking in
Stonehouse Lane. Ambrose decided to escort the worse-forwear
Thomas back to his home in Morice Town and the
quickest route to the Devonport suburb was up Stoke Hill.
Unfortunately for the two men, this meant walking to the end
of Stonehouse Lane, past the junction with Quarry Lane.
Both were pursued and knocked down by Irishmen next to
the junction and Ambrose later died of his head wound.
The two Irishmen, who had drunkenly boasted of their part in the assault, were quickly arrested,
convicted and sentenced to transportation for life
.Later, in 1856, husband and wife, John and Mary Long, were arrested in Plymouth for being drunk
and disorderly. The police officer at the trial alleged the couple had consumed over a gallon of ale.
In 1858 William Parker was charged after a policeman, upon hearing a great commotion and
expecting to find a brawl upon his arrival, had found Parker arguing with his own shadow in
Whimple Street. Reading these stories in their morning paper may have amused the wealthier
inhabitants of the town, but for the people who resided in the poorer districts, the evenings were a
scary place to be outside. Unfortunately for the young, even their homes could not shield them
from the effects of alcohol abuse