Project 3 – task 1 – research

Harlots Characters:

Margaret Wells:

Margaret Wells is a female character played by Samantha Morton. She has three children: Charlotte Wells (Daughter), Lucy Wells ( Daughter), Jacob Wells North (Son). Margaret is a Brothel Madame who worked her way from the streets. She is a “tough and loving” character who is wanting success and is always thrilled when achieving it. She runs a middle-class brothel in Covent Garden, always trying to find new clients. She will take a large amount of earing that her workers earn but always treats them fair. She tries to encourage them not to drink and to save any earnings they make. She is the daughter of an unknown man and a prostitute who used all earnings on alcohol and sold Margaret at age ten to Lydia Quigley for some shoes. Here Margaret was abused in the house and manipulated by clients she served. Soon Margaret escaped with her friend Nancy Birch. In Season 1, Margaret hears that one of Lydia Quigley’s old workers, Mary cooper is on the street dying of French pox (an STI) and takes her in. When Mary passes, Margaret hosts a wake to honor all working women. When the funeral ends, Mary is laid outside Lydia’s brothel surrounded by candles and flowers, showing how she is still trying to destroy Lydia’s brothel.

Charlotte Wells:

Charlotte Wells is a female character played by Jessica Brown-Findlay. She is the eldest daughter of her mother is Margaret Wells and her adoptive father is William North. She has a half-sister who is Lucy wells and a half-brother who is Jacob Wells-North. Charlotte is born in 1743 and passes in season 3, episode 3 aged 20 from head trauma and blood loss. She is known for her beauty, quick wit, her skills in conversation and her charms. She was sent out in prostitutions at age 12.

Lucy Wells

Lucy Wells is a female character played by Eloise Smyth. She is the youngest daughter Margaret Wells and her adoptive father, William North. She has 2 siblings, her older half-sister Charlotte Wells and her younger half-brother Jacob Wells-North. She was born in 1748. She was not sent out into prostitution at 12 like her older sister charlotte. Her mother tried to educate her to be a lady. Lucy is talented with the piano and is able to read but not as well as higher classed individuals. She can be arrogant and can insult and offend people. In season 1, she is “shy and timid”, dressed in childish colours so she is shown not to be a prostitute unlike the other females in the brothel. In season 2, she becomes more confident in how she acts.

Lord Fallon

Lord Fallon is a male character played by Ben Lambert. Fallon is an aristocrat and soon takes a liking to Lucy Wells as well as takes her “purity”.

Hannah Dalton

Hannah Dalton is a female character played by Nicola Coughlan and appears in season 2.

Lydia Quigley

Lydia Quigley is a main female character played by Lesley Manville. She didn’t have a good childhood because of her father. Her mother passed during childbirth. As an adult, she became the madam of her own brothel.

Nancy Birch

Nancy Birch is a female character played by Kate Fleetwood. In her youth she met her friend Margaret. Nancy is a “loyal, dark, funny and moral” character. She dislikes the bullying in many brothels. She hires out rooms of her house to woman who need the shelter.

Kitty Carter

Kitty Carter is a female character played Lottie Tolhurst. She is seen as sweet and intelligent as it compliments her beauty. Kitty is the daughter of a bookseller and she has been working in Margaret’s brothel for years. She became pregnant as a teenager after her father’s friend saw she was alone and took his way with her.

Sophia Fitzwilliam

Sophia Fitzwilliam is a female character played by Hannah Dodd. Sophia’s parents are both siblings. Her mother, Isabella was impregnated by her brother against her will without him knowing he got her pregnant. Sophia went to boarding school. Her mother cut all contact from Sophia after sending a letter explaining that it would be dangerous to meet ever.

Charles Quigley

Charles Quigley is a male character played by Douggie McMeekin. He is the only child of Lydia and is seen as a man child. He does whatever he likes weather that being spending money, sleeping with whoever or providing substances and girl to those who want it.

William North

William North is a male character played by Danny Sapani. He is the partner of Margret Wells and the house doorman, he is also there for the rare female clients. He is a strong and loyal character which is a reason Margaret fell for him. Both are not married but share a son, Jacob. William was left at a hospital with a necklace by his mother who was a slave. She never returned to find him like she intended to.

Josiah Hunt

Josiah Hunt, also known as Justice Hunt, is a male character played by Sebastian Armesto. In Season 2, he asks Amelia Scanwell to be his wife but is declined. In Season 2, he is also shown how the law fails women and the poor. This is shown when Nancy Birch is publicly flogged for protesting the refusal of any punishment for the man who murdered Kitty.

Character Breakdowns

“Ladies of the night”

In Dan Cruickshank’s “The Secret History of Georgian London”, it says that “one in five women in London earned income from the sale of sex”. Around 1751, a law was passed into the law on a ban of keeping a brothel. Prostitution did not become a crime with punishment until the 1820s. The law did not stop the trade but it did help narrow the trade off the streets. Many women would work for a year or two then would leave the trade for marriage or to start a business. Some of these women had jobs but the pay was terrible s they would turn to selling their body along side their job. These workers would be all over the city of London but soon gathered to areas with less police. From this trade came many children, many would kill the child after birth or would give the child up for baby farms or by leaving the infant on church steps, hospital steps or orphanages so the mother could go back to work.

Diseases from the era

syphilis – sti
Gout
Cholera

Syphilis

Syphilis is a STI that cause small sores around the privet areas, a rash on mainly the hands and feed, and white patches around the mouth. Syphilis can be transmitted through sexual activities. This is caused by the bacterium treponema pallidum. Treponema pallidum is also known as Spirochaeta pallida. It is a microaerophilic, gram-negative, spirochaete bacterium, containing the subspecies that caused Syphilis, Bejel and Yaws. It can only be transmitted among humans and baboons.

There was an estimate that 2807 Londoners were being treated for Syphilis. During this era, Syphilis was known as “The Pox” and when people got symptoms of Syphilis, they mostly hoped it was “The Clap” (Gonorrhea) and they would self medicate with things at home. In 1910, the first effective treatment was discovered. During the 1500’s, over a million people throughout Europe were infected. But by the 1700’s, over 1/5 of people in London had syphilis before the age of 35. By the 1800’s, 20% of 15-35 year old had syphilis. In the 1700’s, Syphilis was treated with a “pill” of the poison Mercury. But having Mercury, came side effects. Painful mouth ulcers, loss of teeth, kidney frailer and often death.

Gout

Gout is a form of arthritis caused by buildup of uric acid crystals in the joint and is common within the joint of the big toe, causing it to swell and severe pain. Urate crystals are formed when there are high levels of uric acid in the blood. Uric acid is produced when the body is breaking down purines. A Gout attack can be triggered by certain food, alcohol, certain medication, physical trauma or certain illnesses.

During the Georgian era, Gout was most common among the high class because of the rich food they would eat, which made it known as “The disease of kings” or “Rich man’s disease”.

Cholera

Cholera is a life-threatening bacterial disease that causes diarrhea and dehydration. It is spread through food and water and is mostly linked through poverty. There are toxins produced in the small intestines that cause the disease to be life-threatening.

Film and TV Industry

The film and Tv industry is an industry that specializes in film and Tv. Filmmaking is done all over the world making billions per film. The first projection with the Cinematography was in Paris on 28 December 1895, 130 years ago in December 2025. This cinematography was made in the basement of the Grande Cafe. The film, titled La Sortie des ouvriers de l’usine Lumière (Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory) is showing workers leave the factory.

What are a makeup artists role in the film and TV industry?

The job for the makeup artists is to create the hair and makeup for the character the actor is playing. The artist will research about the era or history of the film, what the characters are like and their personality. The artist will apply any prosthetics needed and will spend hours trying to create the character on the actor and will spend hours cleaning the actor up. The artist will also be ready for any touch ups and will be willing to work in any environment.

What is continuity in film and tv and why is important for Makeup artists?

Continuity is making sure that all details are the exact same for each scene. A makeup artist should take photos of each step when creating looks and note what products are being used and when just incase they have to recreate the look days later or incase the make up artist becomes ill and someone else has to recreate it. Continuity is very important in the film and tv industry as if it is not done, anyone watching could notice and it could mess the film or show up completely.

Resources:

Margaret Wells | Harlots Wiki | Fandom

Charlotte Wells | Harlots Wiki | Fandom

Lucy Wells | Harlots Wiki | Fandom

Harlots (TV series) – Wikipedia

Lydia Quigley | Harlots Wiki | Fandom

Nancy Birch | Harlots Wiki | Fandom

Kitty Carter | Harlots Wiki | Fandom

Sophia Fitzwilliam | Harlots Wiki | Fandom

Charles Quigley | Harlots Wiki | Fandom

William North | Harlots Wiki | Fandom

Harlots Season 3 – BSECS