Summaries

Reconstruction of the 19th century trial involving child prostitution. Eliza Armstrong age 13 is sold by her mother Elizabeth for £5 to a brothel.

W.T. Stead a pioneer of modern investigative journalism, with a flair for the sensational, was a supporter of the Social Purity movement. Through Rebecca Jarrett, a reformed prostitute and brothel-keeper, Stead staged the purchase of a young girl, a certified virgin, the 13-year-old Eliza Armstrong, whose alcoholic mother Elizabeth was in need of money. The mother agreed to sell her daughter for a total of £5 "to serve as a maid to an old gentleman" on June 3 1885. Both parties were fully aware of that the affair was about prostitution. On Saturday July 4, W.T. Stead's article was published in the Pall Mall Gazette.—BBC

Details

Keywords
  • character name in title
  • based on true story
  • court trial
  • reconstruction
Genres
  • Drama
Release date Oct 6, 1974
Countries of origin United Kingdom
Language English
Production companies British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Box office

Tech specs

Runtime
Color Color
Aspect ratio

Synopsis

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