Harris’s List of Covent Garden Ladies was a long-running guidebook to some of London’s more popular prostitutes. It first appeared in the mid-1750s and was published more or less annually until 1795.

The list offered summaries of each lady’s age, appearance and demeanour, as well as an assessment of their sexual services. Prices were also included: they ranged from sixpence to in excess of two pounds. The 1793 edition of Harris’s List’s included entries on Mrs Russell of Fludger Street, Westminster:

“…[who] is a fine plump girl, at the age of 28, rather dark hair and eyes… much in vogue with the bucks and bloods of the town who admired her more for her vulgarity than any thing else, she being extremely expert at uncommon oaths…”

Mrs Brooks, who lives next to the pawnbroker on Newman Street:

“A genteel lady, about 23… with well formed projecting bubbies that defy the result of any manual pressure, panting and glowing with unfeigned desire, and soon inviting the gratification of senses.”

Mrs Pierce, 19 St George’s Row, Apollo Gardens:

“She is still in her teens, with fine dark eyes and hair, her mouth opens to display a regular set of teeth… [with] pretty panting bubbies… in bed she will twine and twist, sigh and murmur, pant and glow with unfeigned emotions, and never be tired of love’s game, whilst the blind boy can find the way in…”

And Mrs Harvey of Upper Newman Street:

“…is a tall genteel lady, about 26… a brown beauty and very agreeable, has fine eyes, and a good set of teeth. She became a proselyte to the sport of Venus very young… She is very active and nimble and not a little clever in the performance of the art of friction [and] she understands the up-and-down art of her posteriors as well as any lady of her profession.”

Source: Harris’s List of Covent Garden Ladies, 1793 edition.