Nancy Wallis (1820-1837) was a British prostitute and pickpocket who was affiliated with Bob Fagin's gang in Bermondsey, London during the 1830s. She was murdered by her former lover Bill Sikes in 1837.
Biography[]
Nancy Wallis was born in the outskirts London to a working-class family, and she was taken under the wing of the thief Bob Fagin and trained to become a thief in Bermondsey from the age of five. Over her 12-year-long career of larceny, she fell in love with Fagin's older pupil Bill Sikes, who was abusive and cold towards her. In 1837, she met the young thief Oliver Twist after he joined Fagin's gang, and she showed motherly affection and pity towards him. After Twist was taken in by Joseph Brownlow, Nancy helped kidnap Oliver and bring him back to Jacob's Island rather than run the risk of Oliver being persuaded to inform on the gang, but, after Oliver fumbled a house robbery with Bill Sikes, Nancy grew concerned that Sikes would punish Oliver. She secretly met with Brownlow and agreed to return Oliver to him, and, on thet night that she was to return Oliver, Sikes' dog alerted him to Nancy and Oliver's dpearture. Sikes followed her to the meeting, and he ambushed her before she could meet with Brownlow. Sikes bludgeoned Nancy to death with his cane before kidnapping Oliver, but the citizenry pursued him and brought the police to Oliver's rescue, resulting in Sikes' death.