Mary Cooper

Mary Cooper (played by Amy Dawson) is a harlot who worked for Lydia Quigley. She has since ended up destitute on the street after catching a venereal disease that is slowly killing her. Rumor has it that Mary caught the disease while she was in Lydia's home, and that she was thrown out to die when her illness was discovered. Nancy Birch intends to use her to help Margaret Wells get back at Lydia, and sends two of her girls, Violet Cross and Betsey Fletcher, to find Mary. Violet and Betsey eventually succeed and find the poor girl lying half-dead in an alley – neither girls want to touch her to see if she's even still alive, but they manage (with help) to carry Mary back to Margaret’s house. Mary recovers well enough to torment the house, and all those in it, making a ruckus while demanding money, alcohol, drugs and even a roast chicken. She overhears Margaret's plans and scolds her for trying to use her illness against Lydia; she insists that she got the disease after leaving Lydia’s house, and will tell everyone that will listen what Margaret is up too if her demands aren't met. Mary is momentarily calmed by Charlotte Wells, who was friends with her in her prime. She dies in the presence of Charlotte and Thomas Haxby, whom she believed to be the devil.

Violet lets Lydia know that her girl has died, and tells Lydia to be careful since there are many girls that want revenge. At Mary’s wake, the crowd erupts in a joyous song praising Mary's skills as whore as the attendees dance and drink the night away. Mary’s body is left in front of Lydia's door, surrounded by flowers and candles.

Trivia
Possibly based on Lucy Cooper, a real harlot who climbed her way through the beds of the British elite only to die in absolute poverty in her thirties. Like Mary, she was well-known by a song and praised for her skills.