Dora Noyce
Encyclopedia
Dora Noyce was a Scottish brothel keeper ('madam') based in Edinburgh.
Born in Ross Street, the youngest of five, her parents were Alexander Rae, a cutler, and his wife Mary. Noyce had a daughter Violet (b. 1923), and took the surname of her child's official father to use as a pseudonym. Noyce had begun to operate as a madam from premises at 17 Danube Street, Stockbridge, Edinburgh
by the end of the war and remained there until her death. She owned other properties in the city and in Blackpool.
Overseeing 15 resident prostitutes, Noyce was able to draw on up to 25 other women in busy periods. Her employees apparently had regular health checks. Queues formed around the block when certain ships were in port. When the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy
was in dock at Leith, the women reportedly did £4,000 of business in one night and the ship's captain declared the house off-limits. Noyce was charged 47 times for living off immoral earings, generally paid the fine instantly, and served a four-month prison sentence in 1972, her last time in custody. Local councillors commented that they received more complaints when the madam was in prison because her business was less well managed in these periods.
While she claimed in an interview that demand for her services was greatest during the Edinburgh Festival
, her second busiest period was when the synod of the Church of Scotland
was in session. A Conservative
supporter who had banners for the party in her windows at election time, she embarrassed her member of parliament by turning up at garden fetes.
Dora Noyce became one of Edinburgh's characters well-known to locals, who was mourned when she died. A correspondent to The Scotsman
newspaper wrote: "I confess to having felt something of affection for Dora Noyce. At least she was prepared to accept responsibility for what occurred within and outside of her premises. ...It may well be that Mrs Noyce was right when she always claimed that she offered a necessary social service."
Born in Ross Street, the youngest of five, her parents were Alexander Rae, a cutler, and his wife Mary. Noyce had a daughter Violet (b. 1923), and took the surname of her child's official father to use as a pseudonym. Noyce had begun to operate as a madam from premises at 17 Danube Street, Stockbridge, Edinburgh
Stockbridge, Edinburgh
Stockbridge is an area of Edinburgh, located towards the north of the city, bounded by the New Town and by Comely Bank. The name is Scots stock brig from Anglic stocc brycg, meaning a timber bridge. Originally a small outlying village, it was incorporated into the City of Edinburgh in the 19th...
by the end of the war and remained there until her death. She owned other properties in the city and in Blackpool.
Overseeing 15 resident prostitutes, Noyce was able to draw on up to 25 other women in busy periods. Her employees apparently had regular health checks. Queues formed around the block when certain ships were in port. When the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy
USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67)
USS John F. Kennedy is a John F. Kennedy class aircraft carrier, the last conventionally powered carrier built for the United States Navy. The ship is named after the 35th President of the United States, John F...
was in dock at Leith, the women reportedly did £4,000 of business in one night and the ship's captain declared the house off-limits. Noyce was charged 47 times for living off immoral earings, generally paid the fine instantly, and served a four-month prison sentence in 1972, her last time in custody. Local councillors commented that they received more complaints when the madam was in prison because her business was less well managed in these periods.
While she claimed in an interview that demand for her services was greatest during the Edinburgh Festival
Edinburgh Festival
The Edinburgh Festival is a collective term for many arts and cultural festivals that take place in Edinburgh, Scotland each summer, mostly in August...
, her second busiest period was when the synod of the Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
was in session. A Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
supporter who had banners for the party in her windows at election time, she embarrassed her member of parliament by turning up at garden fetes.
Dora Noyce became one of Edinburgh's characters well-known to locals, who was mourned when she died. A correspondent to The Scotsman
The Scotsman
The Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
newspaper wrote: "I confess to having felt something of affection for Dora Noyce. At least she was prepared to accept responsibility for what occurred within and outside of her premises. ...It may well be that Mrs Noyce was right when she always claimed that she offered a necessary social service."