Too Much Crinoline, 1863
11 July 1863
GETTING INTO TROUBLE THROUGH CRINOLINE.
At the Worship-street Police-court, on Tuesday, a young man, who gave the name of George Paddon, with regular features, fair complexion, dark auburn hair neatly arranged, and whose general exterior denoted respectability of polisiton, was charged before Mr. Cook with having been about the public streets in female attire and for a supposed unlawful purpose. – Police-constable Carney, 386 K, said: Last night, at as near twelve o'clock as possible, I was on duty in the Hackney Road, and saw this person (prisoner) walking with a gentleman. He was dressed as a lady. I followed them, and they entered a public-house. Defendant got into conversation with some loose women there, and after staying some time came out with his friend, who then left him. Defendant then spoke to and clung at several gentlemen passing along. I mentioned the circumstance to a brother constable, and then took the prisoner into custody. – Mr. Safford (clerk): What induced you to notice the defendant? Constable: Well, it was the astonishingly large crinoline that he wore. This is it, and the other things. (Witness here produced a cane crinoline of very extensive dimensions, a silk dress, over dress, and a lady's white French hat of the newest mode, trimmed with black lace.) He added: He really looked very nice indeed – quite the lady. (Considerable laughter.) – Mr. Safford: What did defendant say, for I suppose you mentioned the suspicion you entertained? – Constable: She – I beg your pardon, he – said that he had left his father's residence with them on, and wore them for a joke. I took her to the station house, and stripped her – him I mean – but there was only one halfpenny in her pocket, although I beileve that his friends are very respectable. His trousers were tucked up above his knees so as to show his white stocking, and indeed she did look "all a lady." I should never have taken her for a man but for the crinoline. (Unconstrollable laughter.) – Mr. Safford: What became of her companion? – Constable: As I was taking this one (defendant) to the station the other came up with a woman who claimed the dress and tried to take it off. Neither of those persons are present. – Farmer, 534, having corroborated the evidence, Mr. Cooke observed that, although the disguise might possibly have been assumed from motives apart from felonious purposes, yet the latter supposition by the police was thoroughly warrantable, and, indeed, it was requisite to ascertain, as far as possible, the accurate facts; for this purpose he should remand the defendant, who of course could but blame himself for the unpleasant position in which he was placed. Bail would be accepted in two sureties of £25 for his reappearance upon the charge. The sureties were not forthcoming, and consequently Mr. Paddon was removed to durance in the prison van. (Manchester Times)
9 July 1863
A SILLY FELLOW. – A young man named George Padden, whose appearance denoted respectability of position, was charged at the Worship-street Police-court, London, on Tuesday, with having been about the streets in female attire, and for a supposed unlawful purpose. Police-constable Corney, 386 K, said: On Monday night, about twelve o'clock, I was on duty in the Hacknew road and saw the prisoner walking with a gentleman. He was dressed as a lady. I followed them and they entered a public-house. Defendant got into conversation with some loose women there, and after staying some time came out with his friend, who then left him. The defendant then spoke to and clung to several gentlemen passing along. I mentioned the circumstance to a brother constable, and then took the prisoner into custody. My attention was drawn to the prisoner by the great size of the crinoline he wore. (The witness produced a cane crinoline, a silk dress, over dress, and a lady's white French hat of the newest mode, trimmed with black lace.) The prisoner said that he had left his father's residence with them on, and wore them for a joke. I took him to the station-house and stripped him. There was only one halfpenny in his pocket. Farmer, 534, having corroborated the evidence, Mr. Cooke observed that although the disguise might possibly have been assumed from motives apart from felonious purposes, yet the latter supposition by the police was thoroughly warranted. He should remand the defendant, who had only himself to blame for the unpleasant position in which he was placed. Bail would be accepted in two sureties of £25 each for his re-appearance upon the charge. The sureties were not forthcoming, and consequently the prisoner was removed in the police van. (Leeds Mercury)
SOURCE: 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.), "Too Much Crinoline, 1863",
Homosexuality in Nineteenth-Century England: A Sourcebook, 28 July 2021
<http://rictornorton.co.uk/eighteen/1863crin.htm>.
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