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Brothels/boarding houses

Posted by Cecilia Lister on 12/5/2025, 2:56 pm

I do not wish to besmirch my Great Grandmother's reputation but she ran a couple of boarding houses in Spiller street, Exeter. Her name was Ellen Jane Pyne. She had (at least) 4 children, one of whom was my grandfather, Walter Douglas Smith Pyne, none of whom has the name of a father on their birth cerificate. If she was a brothel keeper I don't altogether blame her, as she was probably uneducated and she wished to provide her chidren with an education. My grandfather certainly had a good education and beautiful handwriting, which I can see in the later censuses filled out by him. Can anyone tell me if she was a brothel keeper?

Re: Brothels/boarding houses

Posted by Deborah on 14/5/2025, 4:39 pm, in reply to "Brothels/boarding houses"

Have you obtained the marriage certificate for Walter in 1904? Does it name a father?

Re: Brothels/boarding houses

Posted by Deborah on 14/5/2025, 4:41 pm, in reply to "Re: Brothels/boarding houses"

Forgot to mention there's an obituary and photo of him at https://www.findmypast.co.uk/image-viewer?issue=BL%2F0001061%2F19400108&page=6&article=110&stringtohighlight=walter+douglas+pyne

Re: Brothels/boarding houses

Posted by Karen Newman on 14/5/2025, 9:57 am, in reply to "Brothels/boarding houses"

There are no mentions of her or any of the other women living with her in the censuses in local newspapers.

I was looking for any of them being prosecuted for offences relating to prostitution.

It's probably more likely that Ellen formed liaisons with men who promised her marriage but then left her in the lurch.

Re: Brothels/boarding houses

Posted by judith on 13/5/2025, 11:48 am, in reply to "Brothels/boarding houses"

was there anyone named Smith lodging there? similarly with the other children, did they have extra surnames?

Re: Brothels/boarding houses

Posted by Cecilia Lister on 13/5/2025, 3:17 pm, in reply to "Re: Brothels/boarding houses"

I don't know if there were any Smiths residing with Ellen Jane at the time of my grandfather's birth, 1874, which of course was between censuses. Also non of his siblings had two surnames, just first names and surname Pyne.

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