“Breid Jean” Connel (1786-1871) was a social carer and delivered bread to old people in the country around Cumbernauld right up until her death. Married to a soldier in the 79th regiment in 1813, she and her husband both fought at the Battle of Waterloo.
Bef. 19th C, Newhaven was a gyneocracy run by its fishwives. Men needed their wife’s permission to join a war. Women set fish prices and controlled the local economy. Nicknamed “Maggie Mucklebackit”, the typical Newhaven fishwife could carry 50-100kg of fish.
Mary Buek’s (1777-1854) husband was pressganged from a Cellardyke fishing boat. She found him, gave birth at the Battle of Copenhagen, was a nurse at Trafalgar, and helped pickle Nelson’s body in brandy. Afterwards, she ran a pub in Cellardyke with her husband.
Mary is buried in Kilrenny Kirkyard.
She is mentioned in Sara Sheridan’s book, “Where are the Women?“
In 1842, an Act of Parliament banned all women from working underground. Mary Bennet of Lochgelly (1821-1912) was one of the last surviving pit women in Scotland. Starting aged 12, she hauled iron ore hutches up and down a 30m pit all day for basically £10.
Dundee Evening Telegraph. Tuesday 10th December 1912. pg. 3
In 1914, Betty Duthie (1828-1923) had been carrying fresh fish daily between Inverallochy and New Deer (16 miles apart) for 70 years.
Showing no signs of slowing, she had already walked over 300,000 miles. She died aged 95.
Aberdeen Evening Express. Wednesday 21st January 1914. pg. 4