Speaker review: The Colonels' Lady and Judy O'Grady.

A packed room greeted Dan Allen on 19th October for his talk entitled “The Colonels' Lady and Judy O'Grady.” The talk looked at Women in the Victorian Army around the dates of 1850 to 1915. Dan described this as 35 years of research and a lifetime obsession.

Dan started his talk by noting that soldiers in the army were not allowed to marry unless they had permission to do so from their superior officer. Even if permission was given, marriage was discouraged. However the higher classes in the army, officers could marry depending on their rank. Captains could marry, majors should marry and colonels must marry.

During this period the soldiers barrack rooms, their quarters, would typically hold 120 single men. However, the four corners of the room were curtained off for married couples to occupy. This would be used by the husband and wife and also any children.

This situation led Captain Scott to write a pamphlet about the army’s need to provide decent quarters for married soldiers. For this he was reprimanded. It did lead to changes though with some officers setting up quarters for their married soldiers. For example in 1860 at Fort Widley quarters were set-up for married soldiers. Although an improvement, soldiers and their families still shared their quarters. There would be 3 families sharing a single kitchen and dining area with each family only getting one bed each. Things would improve though and between 1880 and 1960, Borden in Hampshire started to build housing for their soldiers.

Life for the wives and children did improve as well, especially as Queen Victoria was a child of the army. Dan also noted that Queen Victoria, being the daughter of a soldier, mother of a soldier, Queen of an empire, she deserved a military funeral. Indeed she was the first monarch to have a military funeral.

The Royal Military Asylum was set-up in 1809 by the “Grand Old Duke of York” to take in orphaned children of soldiers. Initially taking both boys and girls, although later only taking in boys who could be led back into military service. It was not until the 1970’s that girls were taken back in.

Dan mentioned that women in the Victorian army were expected to go overseas on missions and to help out with nursing, washing, etc. There were expected to be 6 women for every 100 soldiers when abroad at a time of war. Warrant officers were even allowed to take their wives for which quarters were provided for. It was when the army was abroad that women made a name for themselves. Florence Nightingale is the most obvious although there are others including Mary Seacole, a Jamaican lady set-up various enterprises including a hotel in Kingston and Panama, which made her extremely wealthy.

Although women were not allowed in the army, this did not stop them from getting in. One, Ms Davies who joined disguised as a man under the name Christian Davies, joined in order to find her husband. Another, Dr James Barry suddenly died in 1865 an autopsy finds that he is actually a she and has had children at some stage in her life.

A vote of thanks was given by Sue Broughton (chair) and refreshments followed.