Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (UK Und.) breaking into houses while the occupiers are at church.

1859		Hotten Dict. of Modern Sl. etc. 28: Dead-lurk entering a dwelling-house during divine service.
1869		J. Greenwood Seven Curses of London 88: Entering a dwelling house while the family have gone to church – a dead lurk.
1873		Sl. Dict.
1882		Sydney Sl. Dict. (2 edn) 3: Dead-lurk - Entering a dwelling-house during divine service.
1888		D.V. Lucas Aus. and Homeward 334: Some of their slang may be interesting [...] entering the house while a family is at church, dead lurk.
1925		H. Leverage ‘Dict. Und.’ in Flynn’s mag. cited in Partridge DU (1949).
1935		R.T. Hopkins Life and Death at the Old Bailey 63: The following crook’s words and phrases date from the days of the old Old Bailey: [...] entering a dwelling-house during divine service – dead lurk.

2. empty premises.

1961

Partridge DU.