Jilt originally meant "harlot" or "woman who gives hope then dashes it"; to jilt meant "to deceive (especially after holding out hopes), cheat, trick."[2] In William Wycherley's Love in the Wood (1671), II.i.141, Sir Simon complains of a "Mistress of mine...whom I treated to night at the French-house; but as soon as the Jilt had eat up my meat, and drank her two bottles, she run away from me."[3]
In the 19th century, George W. Matsell defined "jilt" as "a prostitute who hugs and kisses a countryman while her accomplice robs him."[4]
History
Ann Street, Boston's red-light district in the 19th century, was lined with "jilt shops"—saloons, dance halls, gambling dens, and brothels—whose primary purpose was to lure customers for robbery.[5]
An example of a jilt shop in operation is described in an 1881 Boston Globe article. A man named Gideon Burnham entered a small saloon in the North End where, by his account, he attempted to pay for his drink with a $5 bill. The barmaid, Mary McNamara, said she could not make change but could get change across the street. After she left the saloon, Burnham was advised to follow her and retrieve his money before she spent it all on drink. As soon as he left the saloon, the door was locked behind him. Burnham found a police officer and had McNamara arrested for larceny. In court, McNamara and "the woman who keeps the jilt shop" told a different story, claiming that "instead of larceny there was only a breach of an illegal contract"; meaning, presumably, that Burnham had paid for sexual services which were not rendered. "The court intimated that there was very little difference between stealing and cheating, and preferred to believe the man's story, more particularly as it was the business of such women to cheat people and steal money in the way described." McNamara was fined $20 and costs.[6]
In another instance, two female employees of a jilt shop were arrested in 1882 for stealing $250 from the pockets of Charles Tasker, a former North End police officer who "ought to have been wise enough to keep out of the snares of strange women."[7]
A popular form of entertainment at jilt shops was rat-baiting. In the saloon above the rat-pit, drinks were served by provocatively dressed women who were paid a small fee by the owners, in addition to whatever they collected by various means from the customers.[8]
^Bergen, Philip (1990). Old Boston in Early Photographs, 1850-1918: 174 Prints from the Collection of the Bostonian Society. Courier Corporation. p. 23. ISBN9780486261843.
^"Jilt". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
^Williams, Gordon (2001). A Dictionary of Sexual Language and Imagery in Shakespearean and Stuart Literature. A&C Black. p. 739. ISBN9780485113938.
^Matsell, George W. (1859). Vocabulum: Or, The Rogue's Lexicon. Comp. from the Most Authentic Sources. University of Michigan. p. 46.
^Ferraiuolo, Augusto (2012). Religious Festive Practices in Boston's North End: Ephemeral Identities in an Italian American Community. SUNY Press. p. 43. ISBN9781438428147.
^"The Mirror of City Life". The Boston Globe. November 24, 1881.
^"The Mirror of City Life". The Boston Globe. January 25, 1882.
^Cole, William (1903). Woods, Robert (ed.). Americans in Process: A Settlement Study. Houghton, Mifflin. pp. 192–194.
Further reading
Bonnie Blackwell (2004). "How the jilt triumphed over the slut: the evolution of an epithet, 1660-1780". Women's Writing. 11.
April 07, 2023
jilt, shop, archaic, term, establishment, frequented, girls, bargirls, contents, etymology, history, also, references, further, readingetymology, editjilt, originally, meant, harlot, woman, gives, hope, then, dashes, jilt, meant, deceive, especially, after, ho. Jilt shop is an archaic term for an establishment frequented by B girls bargirls 1 Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 3 See also 4 References 5 Further readingEtymology EditJilt originally meant harlot or woman who gives hope then dashes it to jilt meant to deceive especially after holding out hopes cheat trick 2 In William Wycherley s Love in the Wood 1671 II i 141 Sir Simon complains of a Mistress of mine whom I treated to night at the French house but as soon as the Jilt had eat up my meat and drank her two bottles she run away from me 3 In the 19th century George W Matsell defined jilt as a prostitute who hugs and kisses a countryman while her accomplice robs him 4 History EditAnn Street Boston s red light district in the 19th century was lined with jilt shops saloons dance halls gambling dens and brothels whose primary purpose was to lure customers for robbery 5 An example of a jilt shop in operation is described in an 1881 Boston Globe article A man named Gideon Burnham entered a small saloon in the North End where by his account he attempted to pay for his drink with a 5 bill The barmaid Mary McNamara said she could not make change but could get change across the street After she left the saloon Burnham was advised to follow her and retrieve his money before she spent it all on drink As soon as he left the saloon the door was locked behind him Burnham found a police officer and had McNamara arrested for larceny In court McNamara and the woman who keeps the jilt shop told a different story claiming that instead of larceny there was only a breach of an illegal contract meaning presumably that Burnham had paid for sexual services which were not rendered The court intimated that there was very little difference between stealing and cheating and preferred to believe the man s story more particularly as it was the business of such women to cheat people and steal money in the way described McNamara was fined 20 and costs 6 In another instance two female employees of a jilt shop were arrested in 1882 for stealing 250 from the pockets of Charles Tasker a former North End police officer who ought to have been wise enough to keep out of the snares of strange women 7 A popular form of entertainment at jilt shops was rat baiting In the saloon above the rat pit drinks were served by provocatively dressed women who were paid a small fee by the owners in addition to whatever they collected by various means from the customers 8 See also EditClip joint The London Jilt The Fair JiltReferences Edit Bergen Philip 1990 Old Boston in Early Photographs 1850 1918 174 Prints from the Collection of the Bostonian Society Courier Corporation p 23 ISBN 9780486261843 Jilt Online Etymology Dictionary Retrieved 22 January 2015 Williams Gordon 2001 A Dictionary of Sexual Language and Imagery in Shakespearean and Stuart Literature A amp C Black p 739 ISBN 9780485113938 Matsell George W 1859 Vocabulum Or The Rogue s Lexicon Comp from the Most Authentic Sources University of Michigan p 46 Ferraiuolo Augusto 2012 Religious Festive Practices in Boston s North End Ephemeral Identities in an Italian American Community SUNY Press p 43 ISBN 9781438428147 The Mirror of City Life The Boston Globe November 24 1881 The Mirror of City Life The Boston Globe January 25 1882 Cole William 1903 Woods Robert ed Americans in Process A Settlement Study Houghton Mifflin pp 192 194 Further reading EditBonnie Blackwell 2004 How the jilt triumphed over the slut the evolution of an epithet 1660 1780 Women s Writing 11 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jilt shop amp oldid 1105770853, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
