Those pessimistic souls who declare with paradoxical relish that the nation's morals have never
been worse should
take time off to glance at the extent of Victorian English prostitution. Archenholtz talked of
the 50,000
prostitutes in London, Marylebone alone having no less than 13,000 (such figures are
generally thought to be
exaggerated). The Kronhausens reckoned that the number of prostitutes in the London of
Walter's days was
around 80,000 (in a total London population of only about two million). If we add to this
figure the estimated
number of "semi" - or occasional prostitutes we find a figure of something like 100,000 -
150,000 women
engaged in full-time or part-time prostitution at the height of the Victorian era in the London
district alone!