Policing Late-Victorian/Edwardian London and the ‘White Slave Trade’
The policing of the late-Victorian and Edwardian West End of London was a hugely controversial issue with regard to vice and to the elusive and strangely named phenomenon ‘The White Slave Trade’.To what extent were these allegations founded in fact? How safe were the glamorous shopping streets of London for women and girls?
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Between 1880 and the outbreak of the First World War there was growing alarm at the global trade in female flesh (what we today call ‘sex trafficking’).
A notorious 1906 incident in Regent Street led to a huge governmental Royal Commission to explore allegations made by the public that the Metropolitan Police was corrupt - turning a blind eye to the trafficking of women as well as extorting backhanders from prostitutes working the streets of the West End.
How true were these allegations and what impact did this have on women and girls working, living and walking on London's streets? Join us for this one-off lecture to learn more.
What will we cover?
As above
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
Critically evaluate the significance of the 'White Slave Trade controversy in the Late Victorian/Edwardian period
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
One-off lecture. All levels of knowledge welcome.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Interactive lecture with an opportunity for Q & A.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
No other costs. Bring a pen and paper if you wish to take notes.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Please see our London History area for other lectures/courses.
Sarah Wise is an award-winning writer and historian, with an MA in Victorian Studies from Birkbeck, University of London. She teaches social history and literature at the University of California’s London Outreach Center. Her interests are urban history, working-class history, medical history and nineteenth-century literature and reportage. Her most recent book, Inconvenient People: Lunacy, Liberty and the Mad-Doctors in Victorian England, was shortlisted for the Wellcome Book Prize. Her 2004 debut, The Italian Boy: Murder and Grave Robbery in 1830s London, was shortlisted for the 2005 Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction and won the Crime Writers’ Association Golden Dagger. Her follow-up The Blackest Streets: The Life and Death of a Victorian Slum (2008) was shortlisted for the Royal Society of Literature's Ondaatje Prize. She was a contributor to the volume Charles Booth's London Poverty Maps, published by Thames & Hudson/London School of Economics, and appeared on BBC Radio 4's In Our Time to discuss Booth's work https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000wsxf For reviews www.sarahwise.co.uk/reviews.html
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
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https://www.citylit.ac.uk/policing-late-victorian-edwardian-london-and-the-white-slave-trade3046714Policing Late-Victorian/Edwardian London and the ‘White Slave Trade’https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/history-epidemics-HHS06-1024.jpg1919GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/London history & walks/Courses/Online courses/Courses/vm/Courses in democracy, rights and representation228511771178118417311368112285117711781653<p>The policing of the late-Victorian and Edwardian West End of London was a hugely controversial issue with regard to vice and to the elusive and strangely named phenomenon ‘The White Slave Trade’.To what extent were these allegations founded in fact? How safe were the glamorous shopping streets of London for women and girls?</p>003046705Policing Late-Victorian/Edwardian London and the ‘White Slave Trade’1919https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/history-epidemics-HHS06-1024.jpgInStockEveningWedOnlineAvailable coursesOne-off onlyWeekday2026-06-10T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allJun 2026Culture, history & humanitiesHLW3141919Policing Late-Victorian/Edwardian London and the ‘White Slave Trade’191219Sarah Wisepolicing-late-victorian-edwardian-london-and-the-white-slave-trade/hlw314-2526<p>The policing of the late-Victorian and Edwardian West End of London was a hugely controversial issue with regard to vice and to the elusive and strangely named phenomenon ‘The White Slave Trade’.To what extent were these allegations founded in fact? How safe were the glamorous shopping streets of London for women and girls?</p>0000-Available|2026-06-10 00:00:00<p>Between 1880 and the outbreak of the First World War there was growing alarm at the global trade in female flesh (what we today call ‘sex trafficking’). </p><p>A notorious 1906 incident in Regent Street led to a huge governmental Royal Commission to explore allegations made by the public that the Metropolitan Police was corrupt - turning a blind eye to the trafficking of women as well as extorting backhanders from prostitutes working the streets of the West End. </p><p>How true were these allegations and what impact did this have on women and girls working, living and walking on London's streets? Join us for this one-off lecture to learn more.</p><p>The policing of the late-Victorian and Edwardian West End of London was a hugely controversial issue with regard to vice and to the elusive and strangely named phenomenon ‘The White Slave Trade’.To what extent were these allegations founded in fact? How safe were the glamorous shopping streets of London for women and girls?</p><p>As above</p><ul><li>Critically evaluate the significance of the 'White Slave Trade controversy in the Late Victorian/Edwardian period</li></ul><p>One-off lecture. All levels of knowledge welcome.</p><p>Interactive lecture with an opportunity for Q & A.</p><p>No other costs. Bring a pen and paper if you wish to take notes.</p><p>Please see our London History area for other lectures/courses.</p>HistoryLondon history & walksvirtual191912HLW314NONEWed10/06/2619:30 - 21:0019:3021:001 session1One-off onlyEveningWeekdayOnlineOnlineSarah WiseBeginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allAvailable courses2026-06-10T00:00:00+00:00Jun 2026Culture, history & humanities1919Policing Late-Victorian/Edwardian London and the ‘White Slave Trade’policing-late-victorian-edwardian-london-and-the-white-slave-trade/hlw314-2526<p>The policing of the late-Victorian and Edwardian West End of London was a hugely controversial issue with regard to vice and to the elusive and strangely named phenomenon ‘The White Slave Trade’.To what extent were these allegations founded in fact? How safe were the glamorous shopping streets of London for women and girls?</p>0000-Available|2026-06-10 00:00:00<p>Between 1880 and the outbreak of the First World War there was growing alarm at the global trade in female flesh (what we today call ‘sex trafficking’). </p><p>A notorious 1906 incident in Regent Street led to a huge governmental Royal Commission to explore allegations made by the public that the Metropolitan Police was corrupt - turning a blind eye to the trafficking of women as well as extorting backhanders from prostitutes working the streets of the West End. </p><p>How true were these allegations and what impact did this have on women and girls working, living and walking on London's streets? Join us for this one-off lecture to learn more.</p><p>The policing of the late-Victorian and Edwardian West End of London was a hugely controversial issue with regard to vice and to the elusive and strangely named phenomenon ‘The White Slave Trade’.To what extent were these allegations founded in fact? How safe were the glamorous shopping streets of London for women and girls?</p><p>As above</p><ul><li>Critically evaluate the significance of the 'White Slave Trade controversy in the Late Victorian/Edwardian period</li></ul><p>One-off lecture. All levels of knowledge welcome.</p><p>Interactive lecture with an opportunity for Q &amp; A.</p><p>No other costs. Bring a pen and paper if you wish to take notes.</p><p>Please see our London History area for other lectures/courses.</p>HistoryLondon history & walksconfigurable
11841178London history & walkshttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/history/london-history-and-walks1/2/285/1177/1178/11841/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/London history & walks
