[2] The Life and Character of Moll King states that Adkins' father was a shoemaker and that her mother sold fish, fruit and greens in the street.

[4] Adkins was married to a man named Thomas King, known around the area as Smooth'd-Fac'd-Tom, at fourteen, and was linked several years later to William Murray.

When this second relationship ended, Adkins befriended a famous courtesan Sally Salisbury and began her own work in the sex trade.

[8] King and her clientele spoke in a slang called "flash talk" to try and confuse any eavesdroppers to the conversations.

[13] King retired in about 1745, and following a long illness,[15] died on 17 September 1747, in her country house at Haverstock Hill.

[13] Adkins left her money to her son, who was described as a "very hopeful young fellow and on whom she bestowed a liberal education at Eton School".