prostitutes slumped over?

[bartholomew]

I read an article about prostitues in the XIX century.

It said that"the prostitues slept in overcrowded accomodation often slumped over a rope for twopence a night."

From the context it appears that part of what they earned they paid to sleep. the bit with the rope I do not understand.

[THECORBYLOON]

See here for an explanation.

[Peter Pedant]

yup absolutely

doss house - line - a penny per night

The one in Knutsford Cheshire is just upstream from the roundabout, down a bit from Eliz gaskell's house and the Highwayman's house

[puttycake]

It also explains the phrase "He could sleep on a clothes line ...".

I would argue with the 'sleep tight' part of the explanation though - this refers to beds which had a criss-cross-rope slung across the frame, with a matress laid over it. The rope would be tightened to overcome the inevitable sagging of usage, hence the 'sleep tight' bit, which meant you had a comfotable night, without your bottom dragging on the floor.

[sddsddean]

Read 'Down and Out in Paris and London' by George Orwell. The second half, set in London, deals with all aspects of doss houses and 'spikes' between the wars. It is quite eye opening!

[WaldoMcFroog]

Or read Alan Moore's sublime graphic novel From Hell, which is very much concerned with the conditions in the East End in the 129th C.

(You could watch the film too since I think the rope-bed thing's in that too - I tend to block it out as it's so utterly dreadful)

[MavidDincher]

The phrase, I believe comes from the fact that they needed to rest, and a bed for the night was more than the "penny hang" so they paid the penny and hung on the rope rather than spending hard earned money on a bed for the night.