Holywell Street

English

Etymology

Named after one of the local holy wells, “the sweet and sacred waters of St Clements Church that still survives on the Strand today, and gave Holywell Street its nickname of the Backside of St Clements”.

Proper noun

Holywell Street

1. (historical) A former street in central London, famed for selling pornography in Victorian times.
   • 1857, William Acton, Prostitution considered in its moral, social, and sanitary aspects‎^[2]:

     There are plenty of filthy books sold outside of Holywell-street, differing from many Holywell-street books, too, as having indecent insides as well as covers.

   • 1877, The Academy and Literature‎^[3], volume 12, page 82:

     To impute to those who do not care for the Holywell Street literature of any time "the Puritanic squeamishness of an extremely moral undetected Tartuffe, acting as Aristarchus," is to be too zealous for unrighteousness.

   • 1891 November [1867 February 20], Charles Dickens, “Letters of Charles Dickens to Wilkie Collins”, in Harper's New Monthly Magazine, volume 83, number 498, →ISSN, page 902, column 2:

     As regards a so-called critic who should decry such a book as Holywell Street literature, and the like, I should have merely to say of him that I could desire no stronger proof of his incapacity in, and his unfitness for, the post to which he has elected himself.

   • 1909, The Academy and Literature, volume 75, page 583:

     Mr. Long's solicitor was careful to explain that “The Yoke” “is not a Holywell Street book.” We can only say for it that we defy Holywell Street to produce anything so foul. Holywell Street is a much cleaner street than it would be if it sold “The Yoke” […]