Name/TitleChicago May: Her Story
MakerChurchill Sharp, May
Maker RoleAuthor
About this objectHardback book with orange/tan covers titled 'Chicago May: Her Story - A Human Document by the Queen of Crooks', by May Churchill Sharp (aka "Chicago May"). Foreword by Henry John Nelson. Dedicated to "August Vollmer, Chief of Police, Berkeley, Cal., who first showed me a practical way to go straight."
Medium and MaterialsOrganic, board and paper
MeasurementsH: 240 x W: 167 x D: 35 mm
Date Made1928
PeriodLate 19th - early 20th century
Place MadeEngland, London
PublisherSampson Low, Marston & Co. Ltd
Publication Date1928
Publication PlaceEngland, London
Subject and Association Descriptionhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_May:
Chicago May (1871–1929) was the nickname of Mary Anne Duignan, an Irish-born criminal who became notorious in the U.S., United Kingdom and France. Her principle crimes were prostitution and blackmail. She referred to herself as the "queen of crooks" and sometimes used the name May Churchill.
She was born in Edenmore, Ballinamuck, County Longford, Ireland. In 1890, at the age of 19, she stole her parents' savings of £60 and travelled to Britain. From there, she sailed to New York. She moved to Chicago to take advantage of the large influx of visitors at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. She teamed up with another prostitute. One robbed customers while the other was having sex with them. She returned to New York City, where she worked as a dancer, but was soon arrested for stealing a wallet, earning her first jail sentence. She briefly married friend Jim Sharpe but the couple soon separated. After this, she called herself May Churchill Sharpe. She soon established herself with the local criminal underworld, becoming involved in various crimes, mostly of a petty nature, including fraud, assault, brawling, drunk and disorderly behaviour, beggary and pickpocketing [continues].
Subject and Association Keywordswomen's history
Subject and Association Keywordscrime, criminality
Subject and Association Keywords(auto) biography
Subject and Association Keywordssex work, prostitution, courtesans
Named CollectionGlasgow Women's Library
Object TypeBook
Object numberGWL-2025-81-5
Spine LabelCHICAGO MAY, HER STORY: A HUMAN DOCUMENT BY THE QUEEN OF CROOKS ~ Sampson Low
Copyright LicenceAll rights reserved