The seedy side of Georgian London

by Ben Soton

 Harlots}(2017–2019). Creators: Moira Buffini and Alison Newman. Stars: Lesley Manville, Kate Fleetwood, Holli Dempsey. BBC2, from Wednesday 5th August at 9pm, starting with a uble-bill. Series one and two will air back-to-back.

It is a common misconception that the past was more puritanical than the present. It may have been the case in the Victorian era and obviously the short-lived Puritan-led English Republic of the 17th Century but not Georgian London which is the setting of the BBC drama Harlots. This was Whig England. The Whigs, the principal supporters of the 1688 ‘Glorious Revolution’ were largely aristocratic land magnates, who had made their wealth from financial investments in land, tobacco, sugar and of course the slave trade. They opposed the excesses of absolute monarchy, which they saw as a hindrance on trade. They were in many ways the ‘extreme centre’ of their day.
    The theme of the drama is the sex industry. There is an ongoing discussion about the nature of prostitution and its role within capitalism. Some argue that it is no different than any other form of wage labour. However, when we sell our labour power, whether working as delivery drivers, nurses, construction workers or even entertainment correspondents we are selling something external to ourselves. This is not the same as selling your body.
    Harlots shows the multiple sides to prostitution in the Georgian era and is best be described as anti-prostitution and pro-prostitute. At one extreme Charlotte Wells, played by Jessica Brown-Finlay is the mistress of a wealthy aristocrat and Member of Parliament Sir George Howard. She gets him to pay off her gambling depts and buy her jewellery. At the other extreme Mary Cooper is found in the gutter dying of syphilis whilst the drama shows various degrees between the two extremes.
    Much of the plot centres around the rivalry between two rival Madams. Lydia Quigley, played by Lesley Manville plays an established Madam and is able to attract many of the Whig elite. Whilst Margaret Wells (Charlotte Wells’ mother), played by Samantha Morton is coming up in the world. Quigley makes every attempt to thwart her rise by trying to get Wells’ brothel closed down and even hiring a religious zealot to campaign against her; hypocrisy is not a new phenomenon. Wells is no saint either as she sells her younger daughter’s virginity to obtain the lease on a new property in Greek Street. This raises the question of who are we to judge? In eighteenth century London there were few other means of survival for these women.
    Full of sex scenes Harlots shows the sleazy and decadent side of Georgian London. It has the makings of a successful costume drama with an element of intrigue and a touch of tragedy. The characters come to life with strong acting. In a non-judgmental way, it gives us a limited insight into the period just prior to the Industrial Revolution.