EXPOSED! Victorian SECRETS of FALMOUTH Cornwall Nostalgic walk
In our video we take a deep delve into the history of Falmouth's Victorian brothels. With many women engaged in the oldest profession in the world, Falmouth was similar to many sea ports of the era. So what makes Falmouth different?
We locate the site of the area with the most brothels listed in the 1871 census, and explain what happened to clean up the town.
The standard description bit…
We are Sarah and Andrew and we film our walks around Cornwall and publish on KZhead, usually weekly. Sometimes we stay in accommodation in Cornwall and upload our vlog. Sarah is fascinated by sea glass and likes to collect it so there may be the occasional sea glass video too. The channel is a hobby and we both have normal day jobs!
Unfortunately we cannot answer comments coming in more than a week after the publishing date of the video.
Frequently asked questions:
Do we do meet ups?
We regularly receive requests to meet up from viewers and subscribers, but unfortunately we do not have availability to be able to do this.
The channel is a very time consuming hobby, fitted around our employment and family commitments. Setting aside time for meet ups, means that we are not able to film and edit our weekly videos that you love to watch.
If you happen to bump into us while out and about, we will be more than happy to have a quick chat!
Sarah and Andrew
What camera do we use?
Since December 2018 we have used: Canon Powershot G7x MkII
How do I find the books you use?
Most are still in print although some we pick up in charity shops and may be available on Amazon secondhand. Please refer to the video for the book titles. Every video shows the book three times. Sorry but we can’t put a link in every description.
Best time of year to visit Cornwall?
We love May, June for flora and fauna, July and September for spectacular scenery.
What is your dog’s name?
Sorry but we do not release the name of our dog, perhaps you can make up your own name for him.
To embed this video please contact us. We have disabled this feature.
Our links:
To support our channel with a donation: www.cornishwalkingtrails.co.u... Many thanks
Contact us by email: cornishwalkingtrails@gmail.com
Patreon: Join us on Patreon to support the channel and watch ad free
/ cornishwalkingtrails
Support us on ‘Buy me a Coffee’ - buymeacoffee.com/cornishwal2
Facebook: for news about video posts facebook.com/Cornish-Walk...
Instagram: for lots of stunning images instagram.com/cornishwalk...
Website: for more information about Cornish Walking Trails www.cornishwalkingtrails.co.uk/
Considering the subject matter, all I can say is "WTF ?" 😋🤪😂🤣 Getting your 'sea legs' takes on a different meaning! 🥰 Or as Ronnie Barker would say, "Open All Hours" 😏
Never mind Steed being an investigative journalist, you guys could give him a run for his money. Well researched and an insight into life in not only Victorian Falmouth but almost every port in the land back then.
And even until this day.
Thank you! Sarah :)
Ladies of the night ,that was a giggle,good fun
Wow, thank you, Sarah and Andrew for this history tour of Falmouth and taking us down the back alleys of the town😊
You two are always fun!
Great as usual.full of interesting facts xx
This was just so interesting history has taught us that nothing changes and these sort of stories were very common all over England especially in London, Bristol,probably most of the big cities. Thanks I enjoyed this very much.❤
Our pleasure!
Bells court was part of my dad’s backyard in the 50’s
Interesting history on this walkabout. It looked like Mena Dhu weather Thanks for posting
Hah...exactly what I thought Sarah.....looks very similar to Keigwin Place in Mousehole with the Granite supports to the first floor. Not all sailors were married I guess as well...creating even more demand for brothels. Fascinating walk round Falmouth.
That's the one! Thank you! Sarah :)
As a youngster, my family always stayed at the Lobster Pot in Mousehole, and Keigwin Place (both the look of it and its history), used to spark my imagination and hold me enthralled....I used to run around to see it as soon as we arrived, to stand and stare at it every year imagining what it was like inside. Recently it was up for sale, so I now know how it looks inside. I wasn't disappointed.....lovely.@@CornishWalkingTrails
An amazing insight into days gone by all found in your awesome investigations , who would have thought there could be so much of interest in those little alleyways, brilliant once again ,,,,,Brian&Jane.
Thank you! Sarah :)
I remember falmouth during my rn days. Squadron pulled in for fefueling . Good run ashore in the vrapes and grb a grannie night at the mecca ball room in town.
Great video guys thanks , I think madam Sarah sounds pretty good 😂😂👍
My ancestor was born there in 1810, Thomas Hunt
And he served in the Royal Navy
Men have needs, and women have wants, especially at Christmas!
Hi guys great family values for sure. Falmouth is a real Warren of passages we found on our visits. Loved walking the area we must visit again when we're down in Padstow kayaking. Keep the videos coming😅 Let's hope the weather improves 😊 Kev the brinklow kayaker
So true! And I fear there are a few more weeks of winter yet… 🥲
I spend a fair bit of time transcribing old records and it is common to find prostitutes' occupations given as "Laundress" on later census entries after prostitution was no longer recorded.
That's interesting. Also seamstresses and tailoresses, I believe?!? Sarah :)
Like and shared out in you tube community another good watch ⌚ 👍 👌
Cheers, thanks, Sarah :)
No problem more than welcome 😊
Late to this one as have been fighting the Covid from hell here. Feeling a little better this evening & catching up on videos I've missed that I subscribe to.....Well, you never cease to amaze me with the variations of your videos! From Car Park charging to The Brothels of Falmouth and a lot more in between! If those little alleyways could talk eh??.....what sad tales would they tell?...... As always, an interesting history of the past times of our ancestors done in your usual light hearted, interesting style x J x
How brave you are in that weather,,, thanks for taking us around another fascinating town, so cute those little lane ways,, pitty about the modern buildings tho thanks again, keep up the good work 🦘🦘🐨🐨
The back streets of Falmouth are an interesting place to explore! Sarah :)
Well that was a refreshing diversion from the norm. Thank you , fascinating insight
That was amazing you guys must spend so much time researching. Love it!
Hi Sarah and Andrew. Really interesting subject matter delving into the oldest profession for women in Falmouth. Just one thing it would of been nice to see what's behind Wilko now days.. but it was interesting to find the place in a way and to see the other side of Falmouth.
Thankyou guys anither brilliant video.
You do take us to the nicest places 😂 Love hearing all these bits of history!
The best! Sarah :)
very enjoyable,thankyou
Our pleasure! Sarah :)
Well that put Falmouth in a new light ha ha!! there’s me thinking that nothing like this went on in sleepy Cornwall’ - shows the ‘sheltered’ life I have lived looking at everything through ‘rose tinted glasses’ Seriously though - another history lesson delivered with a sense of humour and a lot of commitment on a damp, blustery day in December. Well done.
Maybe we look too hard! Sarah :)
This was great fun! I love your historic 'treasure hunts'. The mossy back alleys and yards are part of it. Here in the Southwest of the U.S. (California, Arizona, and Nevada), gold, silver, copper, and lead mining (along with gypsum and borax) sparked countless 'boom towns' between the 1840s and 1920s. There are so many ghost towns, and every one seems to have had a 'red light' district, even if it was only a building or two. Here in San Diego there was a section called "The Stingeree" back in the late 1800s. The surviving buildings are part of the renamed "Gaslamp Quarter". The infamous Wyatt Earp even owned several blocks in the area. Between the skyscrapers, you can still find places like the Horton Grand Hotel, which was once stables and a brothel. Great to see you two...hope you got warmed up. :) P.S. Nevada is the only state where prostitution is legal.
Who would've thought that Falmouth had such a seedy past?
Another really interesting video! So great to go round this aspect of Falmouth history
Glad you enjoyed it! Sarah :)
Oh! my goodness I learn something new every day, I’m a bit lost for words really, I could make a pun out of that remark but I’ll never be has good as Andrew so better not! another interesting topic Sarah….the mind boggles trying to picture what life was like without proper sanitation and all mod-cons that we take for granted though 😮best wishes until next time 🤗
Definitely paints a picture! Sarah :)
great video guys will see if i can give you a present for christmas x
Thanks, Sarah :)
Wow, another interesting, and well told story. The lives of some women were (and are!) so hard, for them to have to resort to prostitution to survive is a sad indictment of our society .
It is rather different now, the idea is to get divorced, and the courts take the man for a ride financially, therefore impoverishing him for life.
And all evidence of the Victorian era has been erased! Sarah :)
Fascinating. I never knew about all that. I think it was still going on behind closed doors back in the 1970s and 80s as I remember foreign merchant seamen walking around the streets and frequenting the pubs and clubs. Thanks for sharing.
Interesting! Lol! Sarah :)
I live in the US. We went to a museum that had a display about the old west and particularly prostitutes. The information given said there was a high rate of suicide among older prostitutes because of the bleak future they had. No one would marry them and they had no social security or retirement, of course. There were few jobs for women in the 1800s and as the prostitutes aged and became less desirable, no income. I found that terribly sad.
Gosh! What a sad thought, Sarah :)
When I think of Cornwall, I think of pasties and cream teas, not brothels !. As you say all sea ports of the day back then had this going on. Good effort doing a video in that wind.
LOL! The advertising works then! Sarah :)
Reminds me of a Wycliffe episode.
LOL! Sarah :)
Very interesting. Thank you, Sarah and Andrew.
You guys are so watchable, you could cover half hour on paint drying and still make it interesting. Thanks for all your enjoyable videos!
Our pleasure! Sarah :)
Very interesting, they really do there research.
Really interesting! You are so great at digging into the historic facts and to find traces from those times. Thank you! I will look at Falmouth in a different way next time I visit 😊 Torunn 🥰
Glad you enjoyed! We never knew Falmouth's interesting past, only because of research for the channel! Sarah :)
Thank you both for another fascinating and informative video. I really do enjoy it when you dig that little bit deeper into the history of your beautiful county. (Or should that be country)? 😄👍
Awesome, thank you! A deeper delve into Falmouth's seductive past! Sarah :)
❤
It's interesting that they maded that alleyway disappear. Reminds me of the husband walking to a shop we brought a kettle from, that had broken. He was laughing on the way back to the car as one of our local towns prostitute,s had stopped him😂
What a story! Sarah :)
"Come quick" by a fountain yard was 'Whore endous' 🤪😂🤣😎
I'm currently studying for a masters in Genealogy and my diploma is about these Falmouth women! Specifically why they self identified as prostitutes in those censuses. And how their lives may have been impacted by the Contagious Diseases Act and Victorian morality. Also think you're right about Allen's Yards location!
Fascinating jigsaw of streets. Would love to see it.
I was beginning to get dizzy! Up and down all those opes was great fun! Sarah :)
Prostitution itself is not illegal but there are a number of offences linked to it. For example it is an offence to control a prostitute for gain, or to keep a brothel. ☺️
Stead went down on the Titanic.
Nothing much has changed it just isn't so obvious as it was then, and sadly child prostitution is still with us. Great Video! Ahhh Andrew I'll be drinking a Mena Dhu later today in the most excellent Star at Crowlas, a wonderful micro brewery, the IPA's are to die for!
He loves a good stout! Sarah :)
With regard to the code at the end, I bet the sailors in the brothels thought, "Queue Arr" 🤪😂🤣
:)
@@CornishWalkingTrails 🥰 :)
When the sailors got back to their ships did they have to take a brothelizer test?
Lol! Andrew was bell laughing at this one! Sarah :)
1891 there are a lot of young single female heads of households - What's a "plain server"? Very interesting Vlog, Thanks!
I have no idea! Sometimes we feel like we raise more questions than we answer! Sarah :)
👍
😄if you can't find one...will you be setting one up??? (joke)🤣
Ooooo! La La!
X@@CornishWalkingTrails
I'm sure there were brothels in every port around the world. All part of the service industry and at least they didn't import anything except the odd disease maybe. 🤔
Hmmmm, probably! Sarah :)
Fishermen catch fish with hooks, so it stands to reason that they would use 'hookers' 🤪😂
Horrible life for the women.
Indeed, awful. And unthinkable for the children. Sarah :)
I hope no one asked you what you was looking for