Another in my series of clippings about people who trans, either by preference or in order, as here, to earn a crust. This story puts me in mind of the recently reported phenomenon of mothers in Afghanistan dressing – and treating –daughters as sons, for protection and to increase their life choices.
A FEMALE MINER. – Towards the close of last week a sheriff’s officer knocked at the door of Hamilton gaol, with a good-looking lad in his charge as a prisoner. Mr. Cuthbertson, the governor of the prisoner, being at hand, the apparent youth went up to him, stating, “I presume you are the keeper of the prison?” “I am,” replied Mr. Cuthbertson. ” Then,” said the other, “as it is likely that I may be under your charge for some time, I may just as well inform you that I am not a man, but a young woman.” The governor was at some loss to believe the statement, but, as the best means of testing it, he turned over the prisoner to the charge of the matron, who very soon produced her as a bone fide buxom lass, of apparently 20 years of age. Not the least curious part of the story is, that the girl was charged with stealing at Wishaw a pair of trousers which she then wore, and upon which accusation she was tried, convicted, and sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment. The girl’s own statement is the following:— Her name is Ann Lloyd, and she is a native of the county of Fermanagh in Ireland, which place she left about six years since in company with two brothers, and arrived in Glasgow. The one brother soon after enlisted, and accompanied his regiment to India, and the other went to sea. The girl, however, supported herself by working in a cotton-mill until it was unfortunately burned down, when she was thrown out of employment. She failed to procure work in any other mill, and was beginning to feel the pinching of want, when the thought struck her that by changing her attire and calling herself a labourer, she might obtain the means of subsistence by working at the Glasgow and Greenock Railway, which was then in the course of formation. She accordingly assumed the male attire, applied for work, and obtained it, and continued to earn 15s. a week till the line was completed, when she was, of course, discharged. She then moved into the Airdrie district, and procured work as an iron miner, at which employment she became pretty expert, and continued to earn a good wage until the disturbances which took place last autumn, when like many others, she came out on strike. Since then she has had little employment, and her savings were gradually eaten away. She was, however, to have obtained employment on Monday last at a railway in the course of construction at Wishaw, but unfortunately stole the inexpressibles which led to her appearance in Hamilton prison and the avowal of her sex. Notwithstanding the great length of time during which the girl wore a male garb, she always carried with her a bundle containing a set of curls, and a suit of female attire, ready to be resumed, on any occasion. Glasgow Chronicle.
London Standard, 6 July 1843
Inexpressibles are trousers or breeches
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