Tuesday 17 April 1849
Mr. Broughton (to the prisoner) – What are you?
Prisoner – I am a ballet dancer, and am known at several theatres. I am now engaged at the St. James's.
Mr. Brouighton – And does the manager know that you are going about in the disguise of a woman?
Prisoner – It was only done for a lark, sir, and I have my own clothes underneath.
Sergeant Walker, 5 D, deposed that on the previous morning between 1 and 2 o'clock he was spoken to by Mr. Peach, who, pointing to the prisoner, said, "That girl has stolen my handkerchief from my great coat pocket." Witness went up to the prisoner and told her what she was charged with, when she said, "don't take me to the station-house, I want to speak to you, and will give you something to drink. I am no girl but am a young man living in Pickering-place." The young man who had lost the handkerchief also told him that he had been in the company of the prisoner for nearly an hour, and that he (prisoner) had put his arms round him many times; his belief was that the prisoner was a girl.
Mr. Broughton inquired whether the owner of the handkerchief was in attendance, and he was answered in the negative.
The prisoner, in answer to the charge, said "I was not aware of the risk I was running, and if I had intended anything wrong by putting on female apparel I should not have had my own things on underneath. The person who said he had lost his handkerchief was rather the worse for drink; when he met me he said 'Are you going home alone, miss,' and I said 'Yes.' He would not let me go, or I should have been glad to have got rid of him. I never put women's clothes on before, and am sorry that I should have acted so foolishly now, but I didn't dream of any harm coming out of it."
Mr. Broughton looked upon the offence in a serious light. The assumption of women's attire by a man was at all events an offence contra bonos mores; and from such practices great abominations might probably arise.
The prisoner was bailed, himself in 40l. and two sureties in 30l. each, for his being again forthcoming at the court; and it was directed that a summons should be issued against Mr. Peach, whose evidence is material in the case. (London Daily News)
Wednesday 18 April 1849
Mr. Peach was now present, and he alleged that while in conversation with the prisoner, he (the latter) committed an act of the grossest indecency upon him. His firm impression was that he had been talking to a young woman, and was not undeceived until after the prisoner had been searched at the station-house.
A solicitor, who appeared for the prisoner, said that the act of putting on female apparel was a frolic of a very foolish nature. The prisoner had certainly been guilty of great indiscretion, and which he would regret to his latest hour; he was a young man respectably connected, and good bail could be put in for his better behaviour in future: he (the solicitor) did not think that the prosecutor stood in a very favourable light in the transaction, according to his own version of the matter.
Mr. Broughton considered that the solicitor had, in his zeal for his client, thrown out an allusion against the prosecutor which was not called for. How the handkerchief had been abstracted and by whom was a mystery. But a graver charge had been preferred, viz., that of an indecent assault upon the prosecutor. He (the magistrate) should take time to consider the case fully, and give his decision on Tuesday next. Bail was tendered and accepted. (London Daily News)
Wednesday 18 April 1849
MARYLEBONE. – Yesterday Edward Woodall, a ballet-dancer at the St. James's Theatre was again placed at the bar before Mr. BROUGHTON, charged with having stolen a handkerchief from the person of Mr. George Peach, a clerk in the employ of the Great Western Railway Company, and who resides at No. 28, Westbourne-grove, Bayswater.
The particulars of what transpired on Monday appear in another part of this evening's paper. The case was remanded in consequence of the prosecutor not being in attendance.
Mr. Peach was now present, a summons having been served upon him by order of Mr. Brouighton, who was resolved upon sifting the matter to the bottom, as he considered that it was an affair of too serious a nature to be lightly passed over.
A solicitor attended for the prisoner.
Some new facts were elicited, and the prosecutor alleged, that while in conversation with the prisoner the latter committed an act of the grossest indecency upon him. The prosecutor entered into many other particulars as to the various places along which he and the prisoner had walked and the nature of the discourse which took place; he unhesitatingly asserted that his firm impression was that he had been talking to a young woman, and was not undeceived until after the prisoner had been searched at the station-house.
The solicitor, who had cross-examined the witnesses with much tact on behalf of his client, said that the act of putting on female apparel was a frolic of a very foolish nature. The prisoner had certainly been guilty of great indiscretion, and which he would regret to his latest hour; he was a young man respectably connected, and good bail could be put in for his better behaviour in future. He (the solicitor) did not think that the prosecutor stood in a very favourable light in the transaction according to his own version of the matter.
Mr. BROUGHTON considered that the solicitor had, in his zeal for his client, thrown out an allusion against the prosecutor which was not called for. How the handkerchief had been abstracted and by whom was a mystery; but he had no hesitation at all in condemning the conduct of a young man dressing himself up in woman's clothes; that of itself was an offence contra bonos mores; but a more grave offence had been preferred, viz., that of an indecent assault upon the prosecutor. Mr. Broughton added, that he should take time to consider the case fully, and give his decision on Tuesday next.
Good bail was tendered and accepted for the future appearance of the accused.
The case excited an unusual degree of interest. (Evening Mail)
Tuesday 1 May 1849
THE CHARGE OF FELONY AGAINST A YOUNG MAN DISGUISED AS A WOMAN. – E. Woodhall, the young man who has undergone several examinations at this court charged with having, while in the attire of a female, stolen a handkerchief, the property of Mr George Peach, and also with having indecently assaulted him, was again placed at the bar. The facts of the case must be fresh in the recollection of the public.
Mr. Broughton now said he should not send the prisoner for trial for the felony, as he thought it was doubtful if a jury could convict; and after animadverting upon the indecent conduct of which he (the prisoner) had been guilty, he held him to bail for his good behaviour for the next six months. (London Daily News)
Tuesday 1 May 1849
On Tuesday last, the magistrate expressed his intention to commit the prisoner for trial for the felony, and it was understood that a remand took place merely for the purpose of giving time for the clerk to get up the evidence in due form, which, owing to the pressure of business on the day above-named, could not then be done.
The facts of the case must be fresh in the recollection of the public, as they have upon several occasions within the last fortnight, been inserted in our paper.
Mr. Broughton now altered his previous intention of sending the prisoner for trial for the felony, inasmuch as he thought it was doubtful if a jury could convict, and after animadverting upon the indecent conduct of which he (prisoner) had been guilty, held him to bail for his good behaviour for the next six months. He (the magistrate) trusted that what he (prisoner) had already suffered from the public exposure and otherwise, would be a lesson to him for the remainder of his life. (Morning Advertiser)
SOURCE: Various newspapers, dates as given. (Many reports were repeated verbatim across several newspapers, but I have not included them all.)
CITATION: If you cite this Web page, please use the following citation:
Rictor Norton (Ed.), "Ballet-Dancer Disguised as a Woman, 1849",
Homosexuality in Nineteenth-Century England: A Sourcebook, 27 November 2016
<http://rictornorton.co.uk/eighteen/1849tran.htm>.