Transcripts: Evidence of complaint against a brothel
This document comprises three pages:
In the Bow Street Police Court
St Pancras Borough Council
re No 99 Gower Street Alleged Brothel
Information of A.G. Edwards and others
[end of page 1 (cover)]
The information and complaint of Arthur Gams Edwards, Alfred Hilliar and Harry Lovegrove taken on oath this 10th day of June 1903 at the Bow Street Police Court in the County of London and within the Metropolitan Police District before me the undersigned one of the Magistrates of the Police Courts of the Metropolis sitting at the Police Court aforesaid.
The said Arthur Gams Edwards saith. I reside at no 29, Chandos Road Willesden Green and am in the service of St Pancras Borough Council. From inquiries I have made I find the premises no 99, Gower Street in the Borough of St Pancras are being conducted as a Brothel.
The said Alfred Hilliar saith. I am a Police Sergeant no 28 of the “D” division Metropolitan Police. I know the premises no 99, Gower Street aforesaid to be conducted as a Brothel. The house in conducted as a brothel by man named Hugo [Olindo ?] Fuma and another man whose name I have been unable to ascertain but who acts as a waiter on the premises and is well known to me by sight; his height is about 5’ 3” his age about 22 years and his complexion & hair are dark. In company with Police Constable Harry Lovegrove no 230 of the “D” division Metropolitan Police I kept observation on these premises from 22nd to the 28th of May last both dates inclusive between the hours of 7 o’clock in the evening and 2 o’clock in the morning and saw 34 men [end of page 1] and 34 women enter the premises in couples and 26 men and 26 women leave after a brief stay. All the women whom I saw accompany men to these premises were well known to me as prostitutes who walk Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road and accost men for immoral purposes and on many occasions during my observation I saw the same woman enter the house more than once during the same evening and on each occasion being accompanied by a different man.
The couples (prostitutes with men) are admitted to the house by the man Fuma or the waiter whose name I do not know and sometimes prostitutes enter by means of latch keys. On one occasion during my observation a disturbance took place inside these premises and a constable was called. During the time the Constable was on the premises the man Fuma turned away several couples (prostitutes with men). There has been a complaint of robbery in connection with this house, a man who had entered with a prostitute and paid for a room alleging that the man Fuma had robbed him of 5/-.The said Harry Lovegrove saith. I am a Police Constable no 23 of the “D” Division Metropolitan Police. I know the house no 99, Gower Street aforesaid to be conducted as a Brothel and kept observation thereon in company with Sergeant Hilliar and corroborate the statements made by him and herein before set forth.
Sworn the day and year first above written at the Police Court aforesaid
Before meR.K.B. Marsham
One of the Magistrates of the Police Courts of the Metropolis
}
A.G. Edwards
Alfred Hilliar
Harry Lovegrove
Souvenir of the Tottenham outrage