Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (also bulk) a poor prostitute who is forced to sleep in the streets, esp. on the projecting ‘shelf’ beneath a shop window; thus bulk-begot(ten), being the child of a prostitute.

1598		in Florio Worlde of Wordes n.p.: balcone.
1598		Marston ‘Humours’ Satyres III H7: Did euer any man ere heare him talke / But of Pick-hatch, or some Shorditch baulke.
1654		T. Killigrew Thomaso Pt 1 II iv: Pray pack, and search the stalls when ’tis dark, or whistle the poor Bulker.
1661		in Ebsworth Merry Drollery Compleat (1875) 242: From a Bulker in the dark [...] Libera nos Domine.
[c.1673		Rochester ‘A Ramble in St. James’s Park’ Works (1721) 80: Unto this All-sin-shelt’ring Grove, / Whores of the Bulk, and the Alcove [...] do here arrive].
1681		Otway Soldier’s Fortune I i: Let’s huzza the Bulkers.
1682		J. Oldham Juvenal III 240: Some Sot, That knew no Father, was on Bulk begot.
1686		Behn Lucky Chance Epilogue: Tis Bulkers give, and Tubs must cure your pain [i.e. venereal disease].
1690		T. Shadwell Scowrers I i: Every one in a Petticoat is thy Mistriss, from humble Bulker to exalted Countess.
1691		‘Omnia sponte’ in Lord Poems on Affairs of State (1971) V 366: Norfolk and Scarsdale’s frolic in the street / With every nauseous bulker that they meet.
1693		Poor Robin n.p.: A most plentiful crop [...] of hectors, trepanners, gilts, pads, biters, prigs, divers, lifters, filers, bulkers, droppers, famblers, donnakers, cross-biters, kidnappers, vouchers, millikers, pymers, decoys, and shop-lifters, all Newgate-birds, whom the devil prepares ready fitted for Tyburn, ready to drop into the hangman’s mouth [N].
1700		T. Brown Amusements Serious and Comical in Works (1744) III 60: In comparison of whom [i.e. cheating gamesters] the common bulkers and pick-pockets are a very honest society.
1704		Swift Tale of a Tub 56: [They] lay on Bulks, and got Claps.
1719		in D’Urfey Pills to Purge Melancholy I 349: Grave Dons of Bus’ness may be Bulker’s Cullies.
1723		‘Whipping-Tom’ Democritus III 13: At the last Act the brawling Bulk-begotten Footmen are let in for nothing.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.

2. anyone who sleeps in the street (the canting dict. cits. may, however, refer to the prostitute).

1674		T. Duffet Empress of Morocco Act III: Jove in disguise has been a Sculker On Earth, to find him out a Bulker.
c.1698		B.E. Dict. Canting Crew n.p.: Bulker, one that lodges all Night on Shop-windows and Bulkheads.
1725		New Canting Dict. n.p.: bulker c. one that lodges all Night on Shop-windows and Bulkheads.
1737, 1759, 1760, 1776		Bailey Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. [as cit. 1725].
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: bulker, one who lodges all night on a bulk or projection before old fashioned shop windows.