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another – with the same depressing result. At last their patience is rewarded. Anonyma and her ponies appear, and they are satisfied. She threads her way dexterously, with an unconscious air, through the throng, commented upon by the hundreds who admire and the hundreds who envy her. She pulls up her ponies to speak to an acquaintance, and her carriage is instantly surrounded by a multitude; she turns and drives back again towards
410:, his poem satirising mid-Victorian social mores. He described her dramatic appearance in Rotten Row, and the covert and jealous interest society ladies felt for her. He also suggested that Skittles and other celebrity prostitutes were attractive not merely because they offered sex, but because they were more natural, less repressed and less boring than the well-bred girls who came to London for the marriage 'season'.
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856: :"“The Shrew Tamed;” Sir E. Landseer. – ...The lady reclines against his glossy side, smiling in the consciousness of female supremacy, and playfully patting the jaw that could tear her into tatters, with the back of her small hand. For horses read husbands, and the picture is a provocation to rebellion addressed to the whole sex...”
439:
exhibition of 1861. It showed a beautiful girl in riding habit reclining against the neck of a horse which is on its knees among the straw. It was ostensibly not a portrait of
Walters, but the alleged model, the noted horsewoman Annie Gilbert, resembles her, and the juxtaposition of horse, beautiful
872:
Vol. 90 (550) Aug 1861 Page 211:'"The Shrew Tamed" – a high-bred horse of soft silken coat, dappled with play of light and shade as on velvet, subdued by a "pretty horsebreaker", is certainly unfortunate as a subject. This picture has been made the more notorious by "The
Belgravian Lament", which
304:
introduced by
Anonyma; but alas!, she caused no effect at all, for she is not Anonyma; she is only the Duchess of A–, the Marchioness of B–, the Countess of C–, or some other of Anonyma's many imitators. The crowd, disappointed, reseat themselves, and wait. Another pony carriage succeeds – and
560:'Who rides the best horse in the row? Who drives the most ramapagious ponies? Whom do all the best girls ape in dress and deportment, and in equipage if they can; aye, and in talk, too? Who first set the fashion of the "pork pie" hat?...Why, one of our "pretty horsebreakers".'
355:
During her life as a courtesan, Walters' discretion and loyalty made her a sought-after companion. It also gave long life to her career, and helped her to retire a wealthy woman of society around 1890. Her estate was worth a very considerable £2,764 19s. 6d at her death.
335:
She spent ten years in Europe, returning regularly to
Leicestershire for the hunting season, and establishing her reputation as a great horsewoman. In 1872, Walters returned to London, and as in Paris, established a salon. Her callers included the Prince of Wales (later
873:
took the well-known rider as a text whereon to point a moral. We hope it will now be felt by Sir Edwin
Landseer and his friends that the intrusion of "pretty horsebreakers" on the walls of the Academy is not less to be regretted than their presence in Rotten Row.'
619:. A Miss Walters, who was better known as "Skittles," happened to be staying there at the time, and Mr Beauclerk became smitten with her... Having travelled about with Miss Walters for some months the respondent, in 1863, returned to this country by himself..':
395:. The author was possibly William Stephens Hayward, or Bracebridge Hemyng. The open sale (and commercial success) of the biographies caused expressions of moral concern in contemporary newspapers and magazines.
222:, Liverpool, grew up in the Liverpool area and moved to London before her twentieth birthday. Her father was Edward Walters, a customs official, who died in 1864. Her mother was Mary Ann Fowler.
313:
That year, at the height of her infamy, she left London, selling the lease of her house and auctioning its contents; travelling to New York with a rich married man, Aubrey de Vere
Beauclerk of
296:"Expectation is raised to its highest pitch: a handsome woman drives rapidly by in a carriage drawn by thoroughbred ponies of surpassing shape and action; the driver is attired in the
813:"Go, girls! to Church! believing all you hear/Think that their lack of virtue makes them dear;/Unheeding me, who say that ban and bar/ Make you the stupid, stunted things you are;"
368:
348:
95:
577:(1861):"..to their Sisters of the Season, Skittles is as well-known, and as much an object of interest, as the last shape of Madame Elise; and the skill with which, in talk
340:). She also met the Hon. Gerald Saumerez, with whom she established a relationship which lasted until her death. In a noted case, in 1873 she was sued over a tailor's bill.
440:
woman and prevailing mood of languor troubled contemporary critics; some clearly assumed
Walters herself had been the subject. The picture gained the alternative title of
241:
is the game which evolved into bowling.) At other times, she was known as "Mrs
Behrens" and "Mrs Baillie", even though she is not thought to have married.
484:
1851 British Census shows her resident at 123 Queens
Buildings, Tranmere, Cheshire, with father and siblings: aged 11, she is a 'scholar'(i.e. schoolgirl)
260:
779:
1005:
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632:'...the respondent made the acquaintance of a Miss Walters, better known as "Skittles," with whom he eloped and went to America.':
581:, they manoeuvre the conversation into speculations upon her origin, abode, and doings, fully supports their reputation for tact."
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711:
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475:: Theo Aronson, 'Walters, Catherine (1839–1920)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004
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746:
Theo
Aronson, 'Walters, Catherine (1839–1920)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 200
292:
in July 1862 described in detail the fever of anticipation among the waiting admirers of a thinly disguised Walters:
328:, she took her place amongst the leaders of the deminonde, and established a salon. It was here she met the poet
252:
considered she had an "exceedingly plain face". What was undisputed was her "perfect figure" and her skill as a
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are rumoured to have included intellectuals, leaders of political parties, aristocrats and a member of the
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271:), who set her up in a Mayfair house with an annuity. In the 1860s, the sight of Walters riding on
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Catherine Walters was born on 13 June 1839, the third of five children at 1 Henderson Street,
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provided the photograph of her taken in Paris in her mid-twenties that appears in the book
383:
In 1864, a London publisher, George Vickers, brought out three fictionalised biographies:
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drew sightseers. Aristocratic ladies copied the cut of her perfectly fitting "Princess"
347:
A gravestone bearing the initials C.W.B and the date of death 4 August 1920 is at the
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615:'Mr and Mrs Beauclerk got on very well together until July 1862, when they went to
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Skittles: The Last Victorian Courtesan: The Life and Times of Catherine Walters
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Skittles: The Last Victorian Courtesan: The Life and Times of Catherine Walters
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are thought to be based on his early affair and later friendship with Walters.
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Walters died of a cerebral haemorrhage on 5 August 1920 at her home at 15
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248:, she was generally considered pretty in her youth, although journalist
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367:(now graced by a blue plaque,) and was buried in the graveyard of the
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Her nickname is thought to have originated from her working at a
309:, and then away into the unknown world, nobody knows whither".
194:", was a fashion trendsetter and one of the last of the great
332:, who remained infatuated with her for the rest of his life.
320:
Walters then went in Paris, where under the patronage of
636:, Wednesday, 19 November 1890; pg. 3; Issue 33173; col D
623:, Saturday, 1 November 1890; pg. 4; Issue 33158; col E
349:
Friary Church of St Francis and St Anthony, Crawley
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860:, Saturday, 4 May 1861; pg. 12; Issue 23924; col A
886:, 19 June 1915, p2; F. Pallisser de Costobadie,
564:(London, England), Saturday, 29 June 1861, p. 12
522:"Review: Courtesans and the Courtesan's Revenge"
471:Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, afterwards King
317:, County Down, with whom she spent some months.
882:Small Talk by Uncle Toby (George Finch Mason),
190:(13 June 1839 – 5 August 1920), also known as "
389:Skittles: the Biography of a Fascinating Woman
256:, for which she was almost equally renowned.
8:
712:"Action Against A Lady For Her Tailors Bill"
283:, and she was well known as a trendsetter.
172:Blue plaque to "Skittles" in South Street,
890:, Chapman And Hall, Leicester, 1914, p123.
31:
20:
824:Wilfred Scawen Blunt, Victorian Sonneteer
774:. Chichester: Phillimore & Co. §147.
464:
797:"Bear Alley: William Stephens Hayward"
506:Brandy And Soda by Nathaniel Gubbins,
493:Brandy And Soda by Nathaniel Gubbins,
7:
406:, referred to 'Skittles' by name in
701:, F. Muller, London 1955, pp138-139
675:, F. Muller, London 1955, pp137-138
606:, F. Muller, London 1955, pp132-133
551:, F. Muller, London 1955, pp129-130
520:Burton, Sarah (6 September 2003).
14:
956:Contemporary reference with image
164:A photograph of Catherine Walters
938:The Girl With The Swansdown Seat
699:The Girl With The Swansdown Seat
686:The Girl With The Swansdown Seat
673:The Girl With The Swansdown Seat
660:The Girl With The Swansdown Seat
647:The Girl With The Swansdown Seat
604:The Girl With The Swansdown Seat
549:The Girl With The Swansdown Seat
841:goldenagepaintings.blogspot.com
688:, F. Muller, London 1955, p138.
662:, F. Muller, London 1955, p135.
649:, F. Muller, London 1955, p133.
259:Walters became the mistress of
870:Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine
1:
907:. London: Rupert Hart-Davis.
37:Portrait of Catherine Walters
888:Annals of the Billesdon Hunt
772:Crawley: A Pictorial History
453:Annals of the Billesdon Hunt
826:VP II, (Spring 1964), 67–85
431:submitted a picture called
418:The Love Sonnets of Proteus
385:Anonyma: or, Fair but Frail
1027:
1006:Women of the Victorian era
30:
1011:Mistresses of Edward VII
795:Steve (4 January 2007).
770:Bastable, Roger (1983).
442:The Pretty Horsebreaker
801:bearalley.blogspot.com
510:, 4 February 1905, p3.
497:, 4 February 1905, p3.
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324:, Finance Minister to
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265:Marquess of Hartington
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966:Photograph collection
936:Pearl, Cyril (1955).
903:Blyth, Henry (1970).
593:, 3 July 1862, pg. 12
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951:New Scotsman article
940:, London: F. Muller.
575:The Season: a Satire
429:Edwin Henry Landseer
414:Wilfrid Scawen Blunt
408:The Season: a Satire
369:Franciscan Monastery
330:Wilfrid Scawen Blunt
286:A letter written to
208:British Royal Family
96:Franciscan Monastery
1001:People from Toxteth
996:People from Mayfair
843:. 13 February 2009.
837:"British Paintings"
420:and his later work
416:'s poetic sequence
379:Cultural references
231:Chesterfield Street
121: /
981:English courtesans
884:The Sporting Times
508:The Sporting Times
495:The Sporting Times
449:George Finch Mason
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269:Duke of Devonshire
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125:51.1133°N 0.1878°W
961:Victorian History
822:Going, William T:
781:978-0-85033-503-3
393:Skittles in Paris
261:Spencer Cavendish
250:Nathaniel Gubbins
202:London. Walters'
188:Catherine Walters
183:"The Shrew Tamed"
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86:, London, England
25:Catherine Walters
16:English courtesan
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531:. Retrieved
527:The Guardian
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361:South Street
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326:Napoléon III
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307:Apsley House
298:pork pie hat
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281:riding habit
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244:While not a
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80:South Street
74:(1920-08-05)
53:13 June 1839
18:
991:1920 deaths
986:1839 births
732:10 November
533:28 February
447:The artist
402:, a future
204:benefactors
128: /
103:West Sussex
975:Categories
757:"Skittles"
719:tassie.org
473:Edward VII
459:References
273:Rotten Row
254:horsewoman
196:courtesans
149:Occupation
113:51°06′48″N
49:1839-06-13
858:The Times
854:The Times
634:The Times
621:The Times
591:The Times
562:The Times
398:In 1861,
289:The Times
277:Hyde Park
235:Park Lane
200:Victorian
153:Courtesan
116:0°11′16″W
105:, England
63:, England
61:Liverpool
435:for the
239:Skittles
192:Skittles
144:Skittles
373:Crawley
365:Mayfair
302:paletot
220:Toxteth
174:Mayfair
99:Crawley
84:Mayfair
57:Toxteth
921:132761
919:
911:
778:
579:à deux
422:Esther
391:; and
726:(PDF)
715:(PDF)
233:near
917:OCLC
909:ISBN
776:ISBN
734:2010
535:2010
214:Life
69:Died
43:Born
929:at
923:.
617:Ems
371:in
275:in
237:. (
229:in
198:of
977::
915:.
839:.
799:.
717:.
524:.
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444:.
387:;
363:,
263:,
210:.
101:,
82:,
59:,
803:.
784:.
759:.
736:.
537:.
51:)
47:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
