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Link-boy
A link-boy (or link boy or linkboy) was a boy who carried a flaming torch to light the way for pedestrians at night. Linkboys were common in London in the days before the introduction of gas lighting in the early to mid 19th century. The linkboy's fee was commonly one farthing, and the torch was often made from burning pitch and tow. Link-boys and their torches also accompanied litter vehicles, known as sedan chairs, that were operated by chairmen.Bath Chronicle (2 December 2002) ''Sedan Chairs Ride Again.'' Page 21. Where possible, the link boys escorted the fares to the chairmen, the passengers then being delivered to the door of their lodgings. Several houses in Bath, UK, and many in London still have the link extinguishers on the ex ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Betty Careless
Betty Careless or Betsy Careless (–1739) was a notorious prostitute and later bagnio-owner in 18th-century London. Probably born Elizabeth Carless (though she later used the name Mrs. Elizabeth Biddulph), she adapted her name to better suit her profession. Her name, beauty and reputation made her, like Sally Salisbury before her, something of an archetypal courtesan for the popular culture of the day. Biography She was born around 1704 in London. Nothing is known of her early life, but she was an established courtesan by the 1720s. Initially under the protection of the barrister Robert Henley (later Lord Chancellor), by 1729 when she opened her own house in Tavistock Row she was attached to Sir Charles Wyndham (later Earl of Egremont). Wyndham and Careless probably had a mutually beneficial relationship; he lived for free while his society connections ensured a higher-class clientele for Careless's house. In '' Amelia'', Henry Fielding recalled seeing her at a play when she w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
