Charlotte the Harlot and Inflation Rates

cnesbit

cnesbit

Trooper
So in the maiden song Charlotte the Harlot the lyrics go:

"You charge them a "fiver", It's only for starters.
And ten for the main course."

So I am assuming she is charging 5 pounds for oral and 10 for intercourse.

This was in 1980...

So we can calculate the price taking inflation into account :

If you look up the rates*, £1.00 in 1980 is equivalent to £4.82 today due to inflation.
*source: Historical UK Inflation Rate Calculator http://inflation.iamkate.com/

£4.82 x 10 = is equal to £48.20

So her rate is equivalent to £48.20 today.

That seems like a reasonable rate and maybe even a bargain but I guess it depends on how skilled Charlotte is. I assume she is a very skilled harlot or Maiden wouldn't be writing a classic song about her. Seems like a good deal to me but I am not sure what prostitutes charge these days.

Now, let's move to 1982 which is only 2 years later...

In Acacia Avenue the lyrics state:

"So if you're looking for a good time
And you're prepared to pay the price
Fifteen quid is all she asks for
Everybody's got their vice"

So in 2 years her price has gone up to £15.

£1.00 in 1982 is equivalent to £3.65 today due to inflation rate*.
*source: Historical UK Inflation Rate Calculator http://inflation.iamkate.com/

£3.65 * 15 = is equal to £54.75 today .

So if my math is correct, in 2 years she increased her fee by 50% but is only making the equivalent of 13.6% more money.

I guess the early 80's were a tough time to be a Harlot.
 
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I'm sure there's some social research papers out there that may give credence to your theory. Does anyone here have JSTOR access?
 
LooseCannon said:
Does anyone here have JSTOR access?
Click to expand...

Yes, here. A cursory search of "prostitution britain inflation" turned up hundreds of results, but the first few pages don't seem to offer anything relevant to our problem.
 
Perun said:
Yes, here. A cursory search of "prostitution britain inflation" turned up hundreds of results, but the first few pages don't seem to offer anything relevant to our problem.
Click to expand...
What about an analysis of levels of poverty vis a vis prostitution in the United Kingdom?
 
There looks like there's a good article that goes up to 1959, but that might not be sufficient for our research needs.
 
I was certain this would be more endless lyric-writing-credits speculation when seeing Charlotte in the title, i must say this is a pleasant surprise
 
mckindog said:
Quid? What’s quid?
I always that it was 50 squid. You know those Brits and their fish and chips.
Click to expand...
I wonder if British hookers refer to the act as "bangers and mash"? Do they make lewd jokes about "custard sauce" afterward? If you raw dog it with one, can you catch "spotted dick"? :huh:
 
Perhaps the gap is more than 2 years. 22 Is a Smith song that has been worked on in '82. Charlotte is the debut album but that does not mean it is written in '80.

But what a great topic this is.
 
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