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XXXV
About 18 years of age, she was a travelling theatrical chorus girl. Losing her position owing to
reduction of staff, and being without money, she had gone to Walthamstow with a chance man she
had met. Late at night he told her he could not get her a single room, but knew of a double one, and
this she shared with him, with the usual result. It was her first fall, so she declared, and she dared not
go home to her mother. The only suitable hostel was full, and all we could do was to send her to a
shelter for the night, always a risky proceeding in such cases. Fortunately the next day she came back
to us, and we were able to place her suitably, and have every hope of being helpful to her to redeem her
position.
In both these striking cases the proposed home would have been of inestimable value.
(In the last six weeks hardly a night has passed but we have had cases for which the home would
have been an immediate and helpful haven.)
* * * * * * *
I have ample proof of the success of our work and one girl's recent letter is well worth quoting.
Only 20 years of age, she had spent 18 months of her first three years in London in Holloway;
she was rescued after a hard struggle; treated for disease, cured, and then found a position as a general
servant. She is making a brave fight in a hard place, and is determined to go straight.
At one time in her career she was in receipt of £15 a week from an officer; now she tells us with
pride that she has in six weeks saved and put in the Post Office Savings Bank 14 shillings out of her
wages and is also paying back money lent her during her illness. She writes: "I would not go back
to the old life for anything, but I never had a real chance till I met you. Hundreds of girls like I was
are seeking the same chance. No one could have had a blacker life than mine. Do carry on, and help
others like you helped me."
*******
Many other typical instances could be given if required to prove the immediate need of the
proposed home, so that we could strike while the iron was hot, and thus almost certainly rescue the girls.
It is of interest to note that our work and duties are known to the girls and that, though at first
they may, and do, resent our interference with their vicious traffic, yet when they are in trouble, in the
hands of the police, in prison, ill, or distressed, they often come to us for help, advice, and succour.
They know we are their real friends in time of need.
In this way, inter alia, we have been able to reconcile a number with their mothers, occasionally
to bring husband and wife together, and in these and other ways get them away from the streets and
on the path to reformation.
At times we have even had boys bring to us girls who they themselves knew were in need of help.
*******
The area in which we work should, in my opinion, receive special attention, so that precautions
might be taken against the diseased prostitute on account of the large soldiers' and sailors' club situated
in it—a club which is filled night after night—and is the home of scores of boys on leave. These men
on leave often take much more to drink than usual, consequently are not themselves, are out for what
they call a good time, and have no idea of the woman and her condition. She makes certain suggestions
to them, their brain is too dazed to realise what they are up against, and they go with her, and the result
too often is "hospital" on return from leave, and possibly months of misery and shame. We do all
we can to separate them, and thus avoid this danger. A word at the right moment has proved very
valuable to many of our boys in hundreds of cases.
The patrols in this one district, during 1919 alone, persuaded over 3,700 men to leave the women
with whom they were found in the streets. We tell them to remember the girl they will one day marry
and who is to be the mother of their children, and thus putting it to them, it is very seldom the boy will
obstinately take the risk in face of such an appeal.
* * * * * * *
The above experiences relate mainly to the special district in which my work lies, and where
that amongst and on behalf of the girls has grown with considerable rapidity, specially during the last
few months as it has become known to them.
For every girl who was willing a year ago to leave the streets there are at least six to-day. The
time is ripe for a great effort to meet this tremendous problem so fraught with danger to young life and
to the community at large.
I have practical knowledge of similar work in other parts of London, and know the need to be
just as great, and am certain that a centrally placed home of the kind suggested would serve several
of these districts in the S.E., S.W., W. and W.C. areas.
I have found, too, that any fellow workers, who have gone into the facts, and who have, first hand
knowledge of the conditions I have indicated, all agree how much our efforts are hampered by the want
of such a home, and are convinced the street problem is one of the most dangerous, perplexing and
difficult that exists at the present time in our great cities, and particularly in London itself.
To cope with it requires energy, tact, patience, and, at times, calm faith under disappointments,
which are inevitable in some cases. Opportune prompt action, taken sometimes on the spur of the
moment, when the girl's feelings are tuned to the right pitch, when the heart is stirred to the very
depths, can well be the turning point to higher, brighter, better things, and to seize this opportunity
when the occasion offers it is of primary imporrtance to have at hand the means to begin the cure without
an hour's delay.
I came into the street patrol work little knowing the ravages that immorality and its consequent
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