Mary Anne Talbot
Encyclopedia
Mary Anne Talbot was an Englishwoman
who wore male
Mary Anne Talbot was born in London
. Later she claimed that she was one of the sixteen illegitimate children of Lord William Talbot
, Baron of Hensol. Her mother died in childbirth and she spent her childhood in the care of different guardians and boarding school
s until she fell in the hands of a man she called Mr. Sucker who was also in charge of her inheritance from her sister.
In 1792 Talbot ended up as a mistress of captain Essex Bowen who enlisted her as his footboy under the name "John Taylor" for a voyage to Santo Domingo
. She served as a drummer-boy in the battle for Valenciennes
, where captain Bowen was killed. She was also wounded and treated the wound herself. From Bowen's letters Talbot found out that Sucker had squandered what was left of her inheritance. She decided to go on working as a male sailor.
She deserted and became a cabin boy
for a French
ship. When the British captured the ship she was transferred to the Brunswick where she served as a powder monkey
.
Talbot was wounded for the second time in June 1794 during a battle against the French fleet when grapeshot
almost severed her leg. She never recovered the full use of it but later rejoined the crew. Later the French captured her and she spent the following 18 months in Dunkirk dungeon. She managed to return to London in 1796.
In 1797 she was seized by a press-gang and was forced to reveal her gender.
She went to the Navy to get the money due to her because of her service and wounds and finally found a sympathetic magistrate. At the same time her leg wound got worse and she continued to wear male clothing. She also visited Mr. Sucker who told her that all her inheritance was lost. Sucker apparently died of heart attack the same day.
Talbot continued to use sailor's clothes, worked in menial jobs and even tried her luck on stage at Drury Lane but eventually was arrested and taken to debtor's prison
at Newgate
. When she was released she became a household servant for publisher Robert S. Kirby who included her tale in his book Wonderful Museum, and (following her 1808-02-04 death) in The Life and Surprising Adventures of Mary Anne Talbot (1809).
Talbot's tale aroused some sympathy and even a case of imposture when a woman in a Light Horseman's uniform tried to use a name John Taylor to solicit money in London.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
who wore male
Mary Anne Talbot was born in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Later she claimed that she was one of the sixteen illegitimate children of Lord William Talbot
William Talbot
Rt. Rev. William Talbot was Bishop of Oxford from 1699 to 1715, Bishop of Salisbury from 1715 to 1722 and Bishop of Durham from 1722 to 1730.-Family:...
, Baron of Hensol. Her mother died in childbirth and she spent her childhood in the care of different guardians and boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
s until she fell in the hands of a man she called Mr. Sucker who was also in charge of her inheritance from her sister.
In 1792 Talbot ended up as a mistress of captain Essex Bowen who enlisted her as his footboy under the name "John Taylor" for a voyage to Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
. She served as a drummer-boy in the battle for Valenciennes
Valenciennes
Valenciennes is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It lies on the Scheldt river. Although the city and region had seen a steady decline between 1975 and 1990, it has since rebounded...
, where captain Bowen was killed. She was also wounded and treated the wound herself. From Bowen's letters Talbot found out that Sucker had squandered what was left of her inheritance. She decided to go on working as a male sailor.
She deserted and became a cabin boy
Cabin boy
A Cabin boy or ship's boy is a boy who waits on the officers and passengers of a ship, especially running errands for the captain....
for a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
ship. When the British captured the ship she was transferred to the Brunswick where she served as a powder monkey
Powder monkey
Powder monkeys were a part of warships' crews during the Age of Sail that carried bags of gunpowder from the powder magazine in the ship's hold to the gun crews. Powder monkeys were usually boys or young teens selected for the job for their speed and height — they were short and would be...
.
Talbot was wounded for the second time in June 1794 during a battle against the French fleet when grapeshot
Grapeshot
In artillery, a grapeshot is a type of shot that is not a one solid element, but a mass of small metal balls or slugs packed tightly into a canvas bag. It was used both in land and naval warfare. When assembled, the balls resembled a cluster of grapes, hence the name...
almost severed her leg. She never recovered the full use of it but later rejoined the crew. Later the French captured her and she spent the following 18 months in Dunkirk dungeon. She managed to return to London in 1796.
In 1797 she was seized by a press-gang and was forced to reveal her gender.
She went to the Navy to get the money due to her because of her service and wounds and finally found a sympathetic magistrate. At the same time her leg wound got worse and she continued to wear male clothing. She also visited Mr. Sucker who told her that all her inheritance was lost. Sucker apparently died of heart attack the same day.
Talbot continued to use sailor's clothes, worked in menial jobs and even tried her luck on stage at Drury Lane but eventually was arrested and taken to debtor's prison
Debtor's prison
A debtors' prison is a prison for those who are unable to pay a debt.Prior to the mid 19th century debtors' prisons were a common way to deal with unpaid debt.-Debt bondage in ancient Greece and Rome:...
at Newgate
Newgate
Newgate at the west end of Newgate Street was one of the historic seven gates of London Wall round the City of London and one of the six which date back to Roman times. From it a Roman road led west to Silchester...
. When she was released she became a household servant for publisher Robert S. Kirby who included her tale in his book Wonderful Museum, and (following her 1808-02-04 death) in The Life and Surprising Adventures of Mary Anne Talbot (1809).
Talbot's tale aroused some sympathy and even a case of imposture when a woman in a Light Horseman's uniform tried to use a name John Taylor to solicit money in London.