Working Girls: 1863-1993

~ beetleypete

Prostitution is often called ‘The Oldest Profession’, and with good reason. Since the dawn of history, women who found themselves in need of money could sell their sexual favours to eager men willing to pay. But not all the men who were visiting prostitutes were customers. Some were interested in their stories, and also wanted to paint them.

Once cameras were invented, other men sought to keep a historical record of the women working in the sex industry. Sometimes paying them to pose, or capturing images of them at work in brothels or on the streets. They left behind a fascinating record of those working girls throughout history, and showed us the reality in contrast to the often romanticised idea.

44 thoughts on “Working Girls: 1863-1993”

  3. Interesting to see how the profession might not have changed that much, but fashion has. The stories must have been interesting, but I suspect not that many of the clients would have asked. Thanks for sharing those.

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    1. Looking back at many photos of prostitutes in the 19th century, it seems to me that they were a sort of ‘uniform’, advertising their trade. Similar photos were taken in America, and also in most European countries at the time.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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    1. They are very common in photos of the period. A cross between a ‘uniform’, and an advertisement for their services, I presume. As well as in America, they were also worn by many working women in Europe, especially in France.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  8. Cool pics! I’ve always wondered, though, why it’s mostly women who sell their bodies for carnal pleasure … it isn’t, after all, only men who enjoy sex? But do you often hear of women paying for it?

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    1. Male prostitution has long been well known in the UK, but the customers are mainly other men. However, male ‘escorts’ are also used by women, usually arranged online, or through mutual contacts. Some of the women are in unhappy marriages, others just don’t want a relationship.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  9. Oldest hooker and stripper line in the world “I’m just doing this to pay for school.” Muso and Strippers have a long history of relationships.

    Q: What does a stripper do with her asshole before work?
    A: She drops him off at band practice.

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  10. There are over two 20 brothels in Nevada. Two of them are “over the hump” in Pahrump (west of Las Vegas, on the other side of the Spring Mountains) in Nye County. I’ve heard that at least some of the prostitutes are university students (UNLV) who are using their sexual talents and assets to pay for their educational expenses.

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  11. I remember Jack Dawson showing his drawings of French prostitutes to Rose DeWitt Bukater aboard the Titanic.

    Rose:: “You liked this woman. You used her several times.”
    Jack: “Well, she has beautiful hands, see?”
    Rose: “I think you must have had a love affair with her.”
    Jack: “No no no, just with her hands… She was a one-legged prostitute. See? Ah, she had a good sense of humour though.”

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    1. There were some women who gained financial security and independence from being working girls, Cheryl. But the other side of the coin (trafficking, drug use, pimping, violence) is much darker of course.
      Best wishes, Pete. x

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  16. These photos are fabulous! When I was just a teenager, as a young woman I had a vision that someday I’d pay a prostitute to just talk to her and relieve her from having to have sex with a man for an hour. Like, give her a break, you know? (That was my innocent teenage mind at work). Then in 1986 “Mask” came out and the character Rocky basically did just that. It’s refreshing to hear when men can go beyond the sex and explore who a woman really is without judgement. Excellent blog post!

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  17. Thanks for the post, Pete. A lot of high end prostitution goes on behind closed doors. For example escorts visiting clients in hotel rooms or homes. This aspect of the sex industry is rarely captured by photographers as the vast majority of interactions go on under the radar (which is how both the working girls and clients like it). Many working girls are not obvious. They are students trying to pay their way through university and don’t wish to be photographed. It is, I believe a necessary safety valve in society helping to mitigate lonliness and sexual frustration. Best wishes. Kevin

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    1. Yes, that is all true, Kevin. Plus the Internet and mobile messaging have made it easier for women to connect with potential clients who can make appointments online, and even pay by credit card.
      That was one of the main reasons why I limited my research to the time before widespread use of the Internet.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  18. I imagine there are some fascinating stories. I was In Rio de Janeiro many years ago with 2 male travelling companions. It was hot and we sat down to have a drink only to have a very cheerful young working girl sit down with us. None of us had a word in common but it didn’t seem to matter. She wasn’t (as far as we could make out) trying to make a sale. She accepted a beer and we all smiled and nodded and when we left we waved goodbye.

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