Deborah Churchill

Deborah Churchill was born in Norfolk to a respectable family in about 1677.^[1] Her first marriage was with John Churchill, an Army Ensign who died of alcoholism. She had two children by him.

Churchill later cohabited with a Richard Hunt in London, became a prostitute and picked the pockets of her clients.^[2] Hunt extracted money from wealthy clients by blackmailing them and whenever Churchill was arrested, he ensured her release by bribing officials.^[3] One account stated that she had been to the Clerkenwell Bridewell 28 times and was once sentenced to New Prison for the theft of 104 guineas.^[1] On another occasion, she was liable for a large debt and to escape it duped a soldier into marrying her and on their wedding night escaped; her husband thus became responsible for her debt and she could not be prosecuted.^[4]

In 1708, she was moving through Drury Lane closely followed by Hunt and his two friends, William Lewis and John Boy.^[3] She tried to pick the pocket of a merchant, Martin Were, but he pushed her to the ground instead.^[2][3] Immediately the three men reached the spot and on Churchill's insistence stabbed Were.^[3] The three men fled to Holland and only Churchill was apprehended.^[1]