Emily was no more than seventeen when she was put in service in Finchley. In common with so many she drifted to London and the Kings Cross area of North London. Kings Cross and the surrounding area is a network of alleys, dark streets and forbidding premises. The gasometers are a local landmark and prostitutes have always used this area as a place to meet clients.

By 1905 at the age of 21, Emily was lodging in a house at 1 Bidborough Street (see map above), off Euston Road and close to Kings Cross, St Pancras and Euston stations. The house was owned by a John William Crabtree. He was arrested on and off during the next two years on charges of running a disorderly house.

This is a rather more polite way of saying that he allowed prostitutes to use their rooms for their trade. No one has ever suggested that he could have been Emily's pimp, but it is reasonable to suppose that not only was he aware of her occupation but actively encouraged it. He was married and in common with many in this part of North London made a living as best he could given the area in which he lived.

Whilst a tenant of Crabtree Emily appears to have made the acquaintance of at least one unsavoury character. Crabtree later testified that she had been threatened by a man he called 'Scottie'. The latter had also intimidated Crabtree with a cut throat razor and made abusive remarks to Emily about ruining his life and the effect it would have on his parents.

By 1906 Emily was living with a common law husband, a man named Bertram Shaw. Bert was himself only 19 and had proposed to Emily that they live as husband and wife on condition that she gave up her previous employment as a prostitute.

The age of majority was still 21 and for Bert to have married Emily he would have needed his parents consent. Many marriage certificates at the time state that one of the couple had attained their majority without actually disclosing their age or date of birth. This consent had just been granted by both his parents.

Shaw had been employed by the Midland Railway for four years as a chef. He usually left home at about 4.15pm and arrived back in London at about 11.30am the following day. His sister states that he was then working between London and Derby, staying at the latter overnight. On the night of 11/12 September he had a cast iron alibi and was never considered a suspect.

When Emily and Bert first lived together they rented rooms in Great (now Royal) College Street. They moved and in 1907 Bert and Emily were living as Mr and Mrs Shaw in St Pauls Road. By day Emily was a dutiful housewife; once Bert had left for work she returned to her previous calling, apparently missing the entertainment provided by the many public houses in Euston Road, particularly the Pindar of Wakefield and the Rising Sun.

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