Moving through the margins : an analysis of mobility and interaction in the sex trade of St. John’s, Newfoundland, 1893-1911

• Main Author: Cole, Johanna E.
• Other Authors: Byers, Michele, 1971-, Kehoe, S. Karly
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Halifax, N.S. : Saint Mary's University 2023
• Subjects: Sex workers > Newfoundland and Labrador > St. John's (N.L.) > Social conditions; Sex work > Newfoundland and Labrador > St. John's (N.L.) > History; Sex work > Social aspects > Newfoundland and Labrador > St. John's (N.L.); Sex work > Economic aspects > Newfoundland and Labrador > St. John's (N.L.); St. John's (N.L.) > Social life and customs; Newfoundland
• Online Access: http://library2.smu.ca/xmlui/handle/01/31843

1 online resource (99 pages) : illustrations (some colour), colour maps, graphs (some colour) Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (pages 90-99). This thesis examines the historical sex trade between 1893 to 1911 in St. John’s, Newfoundland using court and prison records. These records reveal a decline in arrests for prostitution and brothel-keeping due to changing legal terminology, reflecting societal shifts in the Edwardian Era. Mapping the distribution of sex workers' residences shows concentration in working-class neighborhoods, indicating economic necessity. However, sex workers were active agents in their financial security, choosing their profession over limited alternatives like the poorhouse or factory work. Understanding sex workers beyond their trade, as active members of their communities, is vital. This research sheds light on a crucial period in St. John’s history and contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the lives and experiences of historical sex workers.