Five Typewritten, Manuscript and Printed items, collected together under the heading 'Re Brothels | Papers Relating to complaints as to premises being used as brothels.' [around Kingsland Road, Shoreditch, Hackney]

All five items good, on lightly aged and slightly dusty paper. A couple of with a little rust staining from a paperclip. Text clear and entire. Wrapped in a grubby and frayed piece of covering paper, bearing the title. ONE: Typed Letter Signed (one page, folio) from the Chief Clerk to the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis to John A. D. Milne, Town Clerk of Shoreditch, on New Scotland Yard letterhead, dated 28 May 1913. The Commissioner 'is in receipt of an anonymous letter, alleging that the premises at No.23, Windsor Place, Kingsland Road, are being used for immoral purposes [...] the result of casual observation kept by the Police tends to confirm the allegation'. TWO: Typed Letter Signed (one page, folio) between the same parties as ONE, and also on New Scotland Yard letterhead, dated 29 July 1913. Sent 'for the information of the Borough Council'. '[A] complaint has been received alleging that No. 25, Retford Street, Kingsland Road, Shoreditch, is being used for immoral purposes'. '[C]asual observation was kept on the premises between the hours of 10.15 p.m. and 1 a.m. from the 18th to the 26th instant, with the result that 17 couples, male and female, were seen to enter, and 12 couples to leave the house, in addition to which individual men and women were seen to enter.' A pencil note records that the property was vacated on 28/7/13. Item THREE: Manuscript Letter Signed (one page, quarto), dated 6 May 1913, from J. O. Bairstow, Agent of the Central South London Free Church Council ('Purity, Rescue, and Temperance Work.') and on the Council's letterhead, to N. M. Robinson, Town Clerk of Shoreditch. 'We have had complaints of the New Eagle Coffee Shop, 21 East Road. N1 as being used for immoral purposes. [...] We are informed that the person, or persons at present occupying the premises have been previously convicted for the same offence.' Docketed in pencil 'Watched | No case'. Item FOUR (one page, landscape octavo): manuscript 'enquiry officers report of three nights observations' referred to in THREE, on printed form headed 'Central South London Free Church Council [...] Result of observation kept on [The New Eagle Coffee Shop, 21, East Road, N.] on [28th. ult and 3rd. & 5th. inst.] by [B. Hards].' Signed by Hards. Divided into six columns: Day and Dates, Time, Enter [Male. Female.], Time, Leave [Male. Female.], Remarks. Hards clearly clocked off early: of the individuals in the ten entries only one was seen to leave. He appears to have employed a peculiar criterion in his assessment: eight of his ten remarks consist of 'No luggage Woman a Prostitute' and the other two simply 'No luggage'. Item FIVE (one page octavo): fifteen-line printed notice, with manuscript insertions, on blue paper, dated 29 July 1913, headed 'Metropolitan Borough of Shoreditch' (amended from 'St. Leonard, Shoreditch'). The Town Clerk informs the occupier of No. 17 French Place, Bateman's Row, that complaints have been made that the 'house or apartments occupied by you [...] is or are used as a brothel or disorderly house, or for the purposes of habitual prostitution', that 'strict observation has been directed to be made, to ascertain if this complaint is well founded', and setting out the consequences should the charge be proved. 'The penalty provided is a fine of Twenty Pounds or Three Months Imprisionment with or without Hard Labour.'