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Croydon-born brothel madam tells of adventures Down Under

9:50am Tuesday 25th November 2008

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Croydon’s most notorious madam is releasing her memoirs of her adventures Down Under.

When Rachel Francis’s parents decided to leave Croydon for warmer climes she moved to New Zealand when she was an infant to start a new life.

Two years ago, after earning the dubious accolade of New Zealand’s most famous madam she went into retirement.

Francis said she wrote her book Laid Bare because there is a lack of literature on the subject from women who didn’t get into the industry because of drugs, addictions, bills, gangs or being forced to.

"Like most people wanted to be a nurse or own a cafe, I always wanted to be a prostitute and work in a brothel. The feather boas, the make-up, the stilettos, the hidden world - absolutely," she said.

Raised in a normal, loving, hard working family from Croydon, she always had the support of her mum, dad, sister and grandparents.

But, as she describes in Laid Bare, by the age of seven she became aware of her sexuality and the power her body held over men.

At 13 she lost her virginity to a boy who went to the same school, an experience she says was fabulous.

A few years later she started out life in the industry.

Francis spent time as a dominatrix and her clients included the strange, sometimes sadistic and sad. There was Worm Man, Dr Death, Mr Moo, Mr Cleopatra, Mr Balloon and Mr Baby.

These men include a diary farmer who owned a multi-million dollar property, a TV personality with a penchant for young girls who look like young boys.

She would dote on Mr Baby, changing his nappy and feeding him his bottle, lead Mr Moo around the house while he was on all fours, like a cow, eating alfalfa sprouts and drinking from a plastic bowl.

She would plaster her body in white paint, and lie at odd angles while Dr Death pretended to be having his way with a dead woman. But luckily for them no one in her book is named.

“I haven't written the book to destroy the sex industry," she said.

“I don't want to name and shame. But I wanted people to know it's not just working class guys that go to working ladies.

“It's business men, CEOs, celebrities and even government agencies that come to brothels.”

Francis added: “With the impending law changes in the UK what concerns me is that prostitution will be pushed underground and this is when it can become dangerous and men who have other agendas like rape and murder surface.

“Sex workers are humans too, and we choose this trade whilst others don't.

“That is okay but the media need to respect us as we cater to men that your female members of your family wouldn’t like to handle at 3am so it is best we do in our quiet and efficient manner.”

When asked whether she would consider returning to Britain she said: “My sister did the other year and felt a true kinship with Croydon and said I have to go back and see the house where I was born as its still standing.”

• What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Your Say YourYour Local Guardian

ric, kingston says...
10:59am Tue 25 Nov 08

seriously you would have to pay me.

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upper borewood, Croydon says...
12:26pm Tue 25 Nov 08

That's what she said!!!

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scoffer, Beckenham says...
2:48pm Tue 25 Nov 08

Good for her!! providing a useful service!! lol

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ric, kingston says...
3:48pm Tue 25 Nov 08

who for, wayne rooney?!


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ag, mitcham says...
8:17pm Tue 25 Nov 08

are you sure its not a man

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ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
9:54pm Tue 25 Nov 08

I can't be nice all the time, scoffer. I just don't like women who sell their bodies out of choice, nor the men who bang them.

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roglie, ashington says...
2:43am Wed 26 Nov 08

I think that it's awesome that someone has finally spoken the truth about this industry - I just had a look at her website www.rachelfrancis.co
m and I don't think she looks like a man at all! LOL ...

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Andrew Bird, Croydon says...
8:48am Wed 26 Nov 08

ANNE GILES. I do agree she does look rough. However I do agree with her that prostitutes do deserve respect.

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Bob Peel, Croydon says...
11:02am Wed 26 Nov 08

Woulodn't touch it with yours Scoffer!
(I agree with your comment too, Ag)

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scoffer, Beckenham says...
5:34pm Wed 26 Nov 08

Make you right Bob!! mind you, that photo of this Rachel should have a little caption above it with... "you gonna be long love ?"

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ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
10:06pm Wed 26 Nov 08

She does look rather bored. I suppose she just thinks: "Oh, here comes another one - let's get it over with" - "OK - you done? Right, off you go. Next, please!"

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roglie, ashington says...
1:38am Thu 27 Nov 08

This Madam has 7 qualifactions - she is a Columnist for a NZ paper she has written a book, she has worked on ambulance, trained as a pallative care giver, she owned a line haul truck, owned a pig farm and is trained in home kill..!!Why be so nasty to a gal from Croydon who rather than be a "nothing" has done very well for herself. She looks very elegant. Why is it that humans cant say well done- ANNE her body her choice as she says..are you a so trivial that you need to be horrible to another women geez.
Rachel Francis I think you are a inspiration and good on you..all her info is on this site. perhaps when we all have 7 qualifactions and live in a stunning country then we can judge but this lady has done good for herself - proably more than most croydoners who just whine nad moan are stuck in a rut.
wwww.rachelfrancis.c
om is her website no her before you judge her..

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Bob Peel, Croydon says...
9:27am Thu 27 Nov 08

'Roglie' wrote, 'She looks very elegant.'

From what I see she looks like a hard faced seasoned brass from a variety of venues to be found around the seedier parts of London and Croydon.

What's well done about flogging yourself to the next lecher? Others have also written books, worked on an ambulance etc etc. Nothing out of the ordinary to be honest.
















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ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
10:08am Thu 27 Nov 08

Exactly, Bob. I would have a lot more respect for someone who studied and worked hard without removing her knickers.

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Vanessa847a, Pokesdown says...
3:33pm Thu 27 Nov 08

I happen to know Rachel personally and I have read her book, which I found not only fascinating but extremely informative. I think it is a sad world when people can only make time to say dergatory things about another human being. In actual fact it say's more about the person making the comment than about the person they are commenting on. These negative comments are projected thoughts about these people.
I have an open forum on my website, take a look www.madam-vanessa.co
m but come with an open mind.

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Tallulah1, Thornton Heath says...
7:51pm Thu 27 Nov 08

At the end of the day men keep this lady's business going. I say good on her, I would read her book.

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Vanessa847a, Pokesdown says...
9:14pm Thu 27 Nov 08

On Tuesday evening I went to the House of Commons along with my barrister John Blandford (resident of Croydon) to lobby about the new proposed laws on prostitution which will not work. They should decriminalise prostitution as they have done in New Zealand. Vanessa Coleman, ex madam in the U.K.

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ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
10:04pm Thu 27 Nov 08

Not another one - how revolting!

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roglie, ashington says...
4:29am Fri 28 Nov 08

Oh Anne ... I feel so very sorry for your husband or partner, that is if one is still any one around you and your negativity! People like you must keep people like Rachel & Madam Vanessa in business because I doubt you give it out very often if at all...! Leave these people alone ...!

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scoffer, Beckenham says...
4:54pm Fri 28 Nov 08

Wow!!

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ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
9:21pm Fri 28 Nov 08

\es, scoffer - roglie as just entered the "**** of the Year" competition. Roglie, darling - get it straight - these two madams are not giving it out, they are selling it to every Tom, Dick or Harry. My husband and I have a very good relationship, I can assure you, both in bed and out. The need for sex is exactly the same for both men and women, so it's not a question of the woman "giving" to a man - it's a question of "give and take". Get me????

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Touran, London says...
9:37am Sat 29 Nov 08

Very, very, amusing, and not dull, lol

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roglie, ashington says...
12:05pm Sat 29 Nov 08

No I dont anne not at all- guess we have to agree to disagree- I side with the millions of men that make this industry a multi million dollar industry and support the sex workers and what they do..Rachel I am proud of you and to become a "FAMOUS MADAM" I say well done..and Madam Vanessa what a fab lady you are as well- xx

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Touran, London says...
10:38am Sun 30 Nov 08

Anne is just jealous of Rachel and Vanessa who have pulling power !

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ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
5:25pm Sun 30 Nov 08

What about the men's poor wives???

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ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
5:31pm Sun 30 Nov 08

No - I am not jealous. I have pulling power, but for totally different reasons. Decent men like decent women - women who care for them, who are kind, supportive, etc. - not hardened tarts with holes as big as a double garage, who charge men for "banging" them, and who don't care whether what goes inside them belongs to one of the great and smelly unwashed or not.

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Touran, London says...
8:36pm Sun 30 Nov 08

Rachel and Vanessa don't deserve your filthy descriptions

You're just jealous plain and simple lol

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ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
9:29pm Sun 30 Nov 08

How could I possibly be jealous of that?? My husband and I have a lovely lifestyle and I don't need to sell bits of myself to a bunch of uneducated smellies.

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Touran, London says...
12:16pm Mon 1 Dec 08

That's a relief


Jealousy is easily seen by your bitter words lol

Goodbye and good riddance

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croyman, croydon says...
9:35am Tue 2 Dec 08

Lack of respect is not very pretty. Instead of having a go at these women, shouldn't we have a go at the men who pay for them? They are the ones who probably have wives and kids, not the prostitutes. It amazes me how women can turn against each other so easily, not very christian.

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ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
10:19am Tue 2 Dec 08

Yes, croyman.You are right. I tend to agree - let's have a go at the men.

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scoffer, Beckenham says...
3:56pm Tue 2 Dec 08

Who's stopping any of you ? can't wait!!

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ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
5:18pm Tue 2 Dec 08

Not at you, scoffer. I mean the ones that use those women.

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Comments are closed on this article.

Rachel Francis Rachel Francis signing her new book Laid Bare

Rachel Francis

Rachel Francis signing her new book Laid Bare



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