Fighting woman

[Red Maria]

I was watching History International Channel last night a show titled Worst Jobs in the World Urban hosted by Tony Robinson (he'll always be Baldrick in Black Adder to me) testing out the worts jobs in Urban history. One of them was woman fighter. Apparantly these were (early)18th century women who professionaly fought fights barefisted, with swords of varoius types, battle axes, and other type of weapons. Fights were held in the outskirts of London to avoid the law. Fighters could be petite or brawny. And it was stated they fought dirty. It was very shady business

The man Robinson talk to said one Irish combatant took a sword slash to the head in round 1. She was sewn up took a swig of whiskey and resumed fighting. Second round she took another sword slash to the head. Again stitcted up swig of whiskey and back at it. Third around took a sword wound to the neck. She lived but had to concede the fight. Tough broad! She would have made one hell of a pirate! :)

Has anyone else ever heard of this? Any idea where to get more information?

[Black Hearted Pearl]

Haven't heard, but she must have been a redneck after all that.

[Red-Handed Jill]

I'd read about those fights before. They could go on for HOURS (stamina being the pervue of women) and it was pretty much no-holds-barred. Cudgels, swords, bare fists, whatever. Apparently, they were paid only by the money that was thrown into the ring, so the longer and more entertaining they made it, the better they were paid.

Made men's fisticuffs pretty damn tame by comparison!

[Capt. Sterling]

Has anyone else ever heard of this?  Any idea where to get more information?

Oh I just read something regarding this as well... need to go back and see what book it was in... give me a night or two... but I've pretty much been in Restoration London by Picard or 1700s by Maureen Waller... Waller being the better of the two.... one of them mentions women fighters....

Hector

[Red Maria]

I think I found something about this in The amusements of old London : being a survey of the sports and pastimes, tea gardens and parks, playhouses and other diversions of the people of London from the 17th to the beginning of the 19th century / by William B. Boulton, with 12 illustrations from contemporary sources, all coloured by hand 1901

pg. 29-31

“In 1722 appeared the following advertisement, which was no doubt typical of others:-

‘Challenge.- I, Elizabeth Wilkinson of Clerkenwell, having had some words with Hannah Highfield, and requiring satisfaction, do invite her to meet me on the stage and box for 3 guineas, each woman holding a half a crown in each hand, and the first woman that drops her money loes the battle.

Answer.- I Hannah Highfield, of Newgate Market, hearing of the resolutness of Elizabeth Wilkinson, will not fail, God willing, to give her more blows than words, desiring home blows, and of her on favor. She may expect a good thumping.’

(sounds like before an Ali vs Fraiser fight! )

“They maintained the battle for a long time “ says the London Journal for June 1722, describing this strange battle, “to the no small satisfaction of the spectators.”

These Amazons were much in evidence both at Figg’s and elsewhere, and their encounters, no doubt, supplied a pleasant change from the ordinary attractions of the place. These challenges were certainly arranged beforehand, like those emanating from Mr Steele’s acquaintance in the inn box, and the ‘words’ referred to by Elizabeth were in no doubt exchanged over a friendly pot of porter at some favourite house of call near the Fleet Ditch. …

The artificial character of the quarrel and of its preliminaries, however, does not appear to have diminished the realities of the encounter. The ladies dressed in “close jacket, short petticoats, and Holland drawers, and with white stockings and pumps.” There is much eloquence in that condition of holding a half crown in each fist. The lady who forgot the rule in the vehemence of the onset and resorted to her natural weapons, lost the day

The punishment of the encounter was limited to thumps referred to by Hannah, and that thoughtful condition of the half-crown excluded the scratchings and hair-pullings which might have been expected in the circumstances. There was evidently a recognized band of these hardy women for we read of “Mrs. Stokes, the city championess” desiring to meet “the Hibernian Heroine” at Figg’s for a nominal stake. (I wonder if this is the fight referred to in the show)

Nor were feminine encounters confined to the contests of fists. Strange as it may seem to modern ideas, prize-fighters with cold steel were at times assisted by spouses, and matched against other greatly daring ladies who had the help of their husbands. Thus as Malcom relates in1725, “Sutton, the champion of Kent, and a courageous female heroine of that county fought Stokes, at Figg’s, and his much admired consort of London. 40 pounds was to be given to the male and female who gave the most cuts with the sword, and 20 pounds for most blows at quarter-staff, besides the collection in the box.”

The entertainments we have described, both at Hockley and other places continued their course with little interruption until the middle of the last century.”

I still like to any other information you guys find.

[Red Maria]

Haven't heard, but she must have been a redneck after all that.

OOOOOOOOHHHHH!!!!!!! That so bad it hurts!