Murphy, Cornelius

Submitted by edpope on

see Newman Street 1 to 9 in London Addresses dataset

Old Bailey 29.3.1792 a very interesting trial, read it online (London Lives or oldbaileyonline) concerns theft from lodgers at 2 Newman St, the house of Robert Christie (QV*). Elizabeth Meyles spinster had been living there on the first floor with Captain Cornelius Laen Murphy for four months, passing as his wife. William Garrow (DNB 1760-1840) counsel for the accused, a "black" from Pondicherry, tried to imply in his cross-questioning that Meyles and her fellow lodger Margaret Smith (on the second floor) were engaged in prostitution ("if one room should happen to be engaged one must use another?"). But it was also implied that because of the theft Miss Meyles' real name was revealed and she was obliged to move elsewhere, which suggests Christie was careful of his house's reputation. I've not yet managed to find any other details of these lodgers' lives