Sarah Pridden ( 1692 – 1724), commonly known as Sally Salisbury, was a celebrated

prostitute Prostitution is a type of sex work that involves engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, non-pe ...

in early 18th-century London. She was the lover of many notable members of society, and socialised with many others. In 1722 she stabbed and wounded a client, the politician John Finch, who was a son of

Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham, 7th Earl of Winchilsea PC (2 July 16471 January 1730) was an English Tory politician and peer who supported the Hanoverian Succession in 1714. Known as Lord Nottingham until 1729, then as Lord Winchilsea. ...

and

Anne Finch, Countess of Nottingham Anne Finch, Countess of Winchilsea and Nottingham (October 1668 – 26 September 1743), formerly Anne Hatton, was daughter of Christopher Hatton, 1st Viscount Hatton and the second wife of Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham, and the mother ...

. She was found guilty of

assault In the terminology of law, an assault is the act of causing physical harm or consent, unwanted physical contact to another person, or, in some legal definitions, the threat or attempt to do so. It is both a crime and a tort and, therefore, may ...

, but not guilty of

attempted murder Attempted murder is a crime of attempt in various jurisdictions. Canada Section 239 of the ''Criminal Code'' makes attempted murder punishable by a maximum of life imprisonment. If a gun is used, the minimum sentence is four, five or seve ...

. Salisbury was sentenced to one year's imprisonment. She was sent to

Newgate Prison Newgate Prison was a prison at the corner of Newgate Street and Old Bailey, just inside the City of London, England, originally at the site of Newgate, a gate in the Roman London Wall. Built in the 12th century and demolished in 1904, the pr ...

to serve her sentence but died in prison after only nine months.

Biography

She was born around 1690–1692 and given the name Sarah Pridden. Her father was a bricklayer. At the age of nine, Salisbury was

apprenticed Apprenticeship is a system for training a potential new practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study. Apprenticeships may also enable practitioners to gain a license to practice in a regulate ...

to a

seamstress A dressmaker, also known as a seamstress, is a person who makes clothing for women, such as dresses, blouses, and evening gowns. Dressmakers were historically known as mantua-makers, and are also known as a modiste or fabrician. Notable d ...

Aldgate Aldgate () was a gate in the former defensive wall around the City of London. The gate gave its name to ''Aldgate High Street'', the first stretch of the A11 road, that takes that name as it passes through the ancient, extramural Portsoken ...

. After losing a valuable piece of

lace Lace is a delicate fabric made of yarn or thread in an open weblike pattern, made by machine or by hand. Generally, lace is split into two main categories, needlelace and bobbin lace, although there are other types of lace, such as knitted o ...

, Salisbury ran away and took to life on the streets of the slum district of

St Giles Saint Giles (, , , , ; 650 - 710), also known as Giles the Hermit, was a hermit or monk active in the lower Rhône most likely in the 7th century. Revered as a saint, his cult became widely diffused but his hagiography is mostly legendary. A ...

. Here she turned to various forms of street trading. She became well known in London as "the beautiful little wench who sells

pamphlet A pamphlet is an unbound book (that is, without a Hardcover, hard cover or Bookbinding, binding). Pamphlets may consist of a single sheet of paper that is printed on both sides and folded in half, in thirds, or in fourths, called a ''leaflet'' ...

s to the schoolboys and apprentices...in Pope's Head Alley in the

City of London The City of London, also known as ''the City'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and Districts of England, local government district with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in England. It is the Old town, his ...

". Her pamphlet sales were merely a sideline to her more lucrative trade, charging the boys half a

crown A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, parti ...

for an hour of her time. The notorious

rake Rake may refer to: Common meanings * Rake (tool), a horticultural implement, a long-handled tool with tines * Rake (stock character), a man habituated to immoral conduct * Rake (poker), the commission taken by the house when hosting a poker game ...

Colonel Francis Charteris made her his

mistress Mistress is the feminine form of the English word "master" (''master'' + ''-ess'') and may refer to: Romance and relationships * Mistress (lover), a female lover of a married man ** Royal mistress * Maîtresse-en-titre, official mistress of a ...

, but abandoned her c. 1704, when she was 14 years old. Following her abandonment, Salisbury was taken in by the bawd, Mother Wisebourne, whose house in

Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist sit ...

was among the most exclusive and expensive brothels of the time. She adopted the

surname In many societies, a surname, family name, or last name is the mostly hereditary portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family. It is typically combined with a given name to form the full name of a person, although several give ...

Salisbury from the name of one of her lovers. After Wisebourne's death, Salisbury moved on to the house of Mother Needham in Park Place.

Celebrity prostitute

Salisbury was celebrated for her beauty and wit, and consequently attracted many aristocratic customers. The

Secretary of State for the Northern Department The secretary of state for the Northern Department was a position in the Cabinet (government), Cabinet of the government of Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain up to 1782. Following this, the Northern Department became the Foreign Office, a ...

(1710–1713) and

Secretary of State for the Southern Department The secretary of state for the Southern Department was a position in the Cabinet (government), cabinet of the government of the Kingdom of Great Britain up to 1782, when the Southern Department (Great Britain), Southern Department became the H ...

(1713–1714),

Viscount Bolingbroke Viscount Bolingbroke is a current title in the Peerage of Great Britain created in 1712 for Henry St John. He was simultaneously made Baron St John, of Lydiard Tregoze in the County of Wilts. Since 1751, the titles are merged with the titles ...

was a great admirer of Salisbury, willing to pay "the highest price for the greatest pleasure". She boasted that she had "at least half a score" of lords as clients. The

Duke of Richmond Duke of Richmond is a title in the Peerage of England that has been created four times in British history. It has been held by members of the royal Tudor and Stuart families. The current dukedom of Richmond was created in 1675 for Charles ...

, the poet and diplomat

Matthew Prior Matthew Prior (21 July 1664 – 18 September 1721) was an English poet and diplomat. He is also known as a contributor to '' The Examiner''. Early life Prior was born in Wimborne Minster, Dorset, where he lived with his father George, a Non ...

, and

Nell Gwyn Eleanor Gwyn (also spelled Gwynn, Gwynne; 2 February 1650 – 14 November 1687) was an English people, English stage actress and celebrity figure of the Stuart Restoration, Restoration period. Praised by Samuel Pepys for her comic performances ...

's son, the

Duke of St Albans Duke of St Albans is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1684 for Charles Beauclerk, 1st Earl of Burford, then 14 years old. King Charles II had accepted that Burford was his illegitimate son by Nell Gwyn, an actress, and awa ...

all patronised her, and even the future George II was rumoured to have been amongst her lovers. She spent time in

Marshalsea The Marshalsea (1373–1842) was a notorious prison in Southwark, just south of the River Thames. Although it housed a variety of prisoners—including men accused of crimes at sea and political figures charged with sedition—it became known, ...

and

Bridewell Bridewell Palace in London was built as a residence of King Henry VIII and was one of his homes early in his reign for eight years. Given to the City of London Corporation by his son King Edward VI in 1553 as Bridewell Hospital for use as a ...

prisons for minor offences and debt. After a

riot A riot or mob violence is a form of civil disorder commonly characterized by a group lashing out in a violent public disturbance against authority, property, or people. Riots typically involve destruction of property, public or private. The p ...

at Wisebourne's house in 1713, Salisbury was sent to

. She was released by Judge Blagney, who had become infatuated with her.

Stabbing

The

stabbing A stabbing is penetrating trauma, penetration or rough contact with a sharp or pointed object at close range. ''Stab'' connotes purposeful action, as by an Assassination, assassin or murderer, but it is also possible to accidentally stab oneself ...

took place as the result of an argument over some opera tickets that a customer had given to Sally's sister instead of Sally. The customer was the politician John Finch, a son of

and

. Finch was also a brother to

Daniel Finch, 8th Earl of Winchilsea Daniel Finch, 8th Earl of Winchilsea and 3rd Earl of Nottingham (24 May 16892 August 1769), , of Burley House near Oakham in Rutland and of Eastwell Park near Ashford in Kent, was a British peer and politician. Origins Styled by the courtesy ...

. During the argument in the Three Tuns Tavern in Chandos Street,

, Finch and Salisbury both became angry. Salisbury snatched up the knife she had been given with her meal and stabbed Finch in the chest. She was apparently immediately remorseful, and called for a surgeon to attend Finch. Finch was gravely ill for some time, but forgave Salisbury on the spot. When he later recovered, he wished to visit her in prison to reiterate his forgiveness. The incident was the talk of the town, as Salisbury was a celebrity in London and her every move was reported.

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (née Pierrepont; 15 May 168921 August 1762) was an English aristocrat, medical pioneer, writer, and poet. Born in 1689, Lady Mary spent her early life in England. In 1712, Lady Mary married Edward Wortley Montagu, ...

wrote to Lady Frances Pierrepont, the exiled Countess of Mar (wife of John Erskine, Earl of Mar) in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

of the gossip a few days after the event:

Trial and imprisonment

Salisbury was charged with violent

and tried at the

Old Bailey The Central Criminal Court of England and Wales, commonly referred to as the Old Bailey after the street on which it stands, is a criminal court building in central London, one of several that house the Crown Court of England and Wales. The s ...

on 24 April 1723. Her lawyer claimed that the act had not been premeditated, and that Mr. Finch's forgiveness should count in her favour. The defence also tried to argue that Sally had acted to defend her sister from Mr. Finch's dishonorable amorous intentions, rather than from jealousy.Rosenthal, Laura J. "The Whore's Estate: Sally Salisbury, Prostitution, and Property in Eighteenth-Century London". ''Women, Property and the Letters of the Law in Early Modern England''. Ed. Margaret W. Ferguson, Nancy E. Wright, A. R. Buck. University of Toronto Press, 2004. p. 100. The prosecution mocked her reputation and claimed that Finch's forgiveness showed only his amiable character and offered nothing in the way of mitigation. The jury found her guilty of assaulting and wounding Finch, but acquitted her of intent to

murder Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification (jurisprudence), justification or valid excuse (legal), excuse committed with the necessary Intention (criminal law), intention as defined by the law in a specific jurisd ...

. She was sentenced to pay a fine of 100 pounds, a year's imprisonment, and to find

sureties In finance, a surety , surety bond, or guaranty involves a promise by one party to assume responsibility for the debt obligation of a borrower if that borrower defaults. Usually, a surety bond or surety is a promise by a person or company (a ''sure ...

for her behaviour for two years. Salisbury's esteemed patrons did not abandon her: she received visitors while in prison and awaiting trial. The courtroom was packed with notables of London society during the trial. After she was taken to Newgate, she continued to receive visitors, who brought her luxury goods and made sure that she was comfortable during her imprisonment. After serving nine months of her sentence, she died of "

brain fever Brain fever (or cerebral fever) is an outdated medical term that was used as a synonym for phrensy, beginning in early 19th century medical literature. Supposedly the brain becomes inflamed and causes a variety of symptoms, most notably mental co ...

brought on by debauch", almost certainly

syphilis Syphilis () is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium ''Treponema pallidum'' subspecies ''pallidum''. The signs and symptoms depend on the stage it presents: primary, secondary, latent syphilis, latent or tertiary. The prim ...

, and was buried in the churchyard of

St Andrew Holborn __NOTOC__ St Andrew Holborn was an ancient English parish that until 1767 was partly in the City of London and mainly in the county of Middlesex. Its City, thus southern, part retained its former name or was sometimes officially referred to as ...

Legacy

She was the subject of a number of biographies, among them the anonymous ''The Genuine History of Mrs. Sarah Pridden, usually called Sally Salisbury, and Her Gallants'', and Captain Charles Walker's
Authentic Memoirs of the Life, Intrigues and Adventures of the Celebrated Sally Salisbury
', both from 1723, as well as receiving mention in César de Saussure's ''A Foreign View of England''. She is a possible inspiration for the harlot Moll Hackabout, in

William Hogarth William Hogarth (; 10 November 1697 – 26 October 1764) was an English painter, engraving, engraver, pictorial social satire, satirist, editorial cartoonist and occasional writer on art. His work ranges from Realism (visual arts), realistic p ...

's ''

A Harlot's Progress ''A Harlot's Progress'' (also known as ''The Harlot's Progress'') is a series of six paintings (1731, now destroyed) and engravings (1732) by the English artist William Hogarth. The series shows the story of a young woman, M. (Moll or Mary) Hac ...

'': her lover Charteris features in the series and, like Moll, Salisbury had spent time in Bridewell. She was thought to be the satirical subject of the song ''Sally in Our Alley'' until the author,

Henry Carey Henry Carey may refer to: *Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon (1526–1596), politician, general, and potential illegitimate son of Henry VIII *Henry Carey, 1st Earl of Dover (1580–1666), English peer *Henry Carey, 2nd Earl of Monmouth (1596–1661), ...

, claimed he had not heard of her when he wrote it.

Notes

References

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Salisbury, Sally 1690s births Year of birth uncertain 1724 deaths 18th-century English women 18th-century English people 18th-century English criminals Criminals from London Deaths from syphilis English female prostitutes English people convicted of assault English people who died in prison custody Mistresses of George II of Great Britain People from the City of London People from the London Borough of Camden People imprisoned for debt Inmates of the Marshalsea Prisoners who died in England and Wales detention Stabbing attacks in London Women in London