Sara💙

[Lily Craven @TheAttagirls]

Woman of the Day is Mary Anne Thomson of Carlisle. I can’t tell you when she was born or indeed anything about her other than the fact that OTD in 1832, she was sold at auction by her husband for the knockdown price of 20 shillings plus a dog.

I really wish I was making this up but I’m not. Between 1760 and 1880, about three hundred wives were sold. Unbelievable, isn’t it? Yet it was only possible because in law, the common law principle of coverture held that a married woman was no more than a chattel - the property - of her husband.

In those days, it was very difficult, if not impossible, for a woman to live well without marrying unless her family was wealthy and generous. The average single woman was denied more than basic education, denied access to employment outside teaching, nursing and cleaning, and she was the property of her father.

If she married, she could look forward to ownership transferring to her husband. She had no property or inheritance rights, no right to enter into a contract or earn her own money (if she did, it was his by law), and no custody rights over her own children. They were his property and property can’t own property.

One way for a man to shed financial responsibility for his wife was by selling her at auction. Wife-sales by definition were dehumanising. The woman would be led to a public location (usually a market or pub) with a halter around her neck to remind people that she was the property of her husband, on a par with cattle, and an auction would commence.

There is evidence to suggest that some women actually welcomed being sold off, especially by drunken or violent husbands, but in several cases the woman was sold against her will. The New York Times published this on 2 July 1894:

“In April, 1817, while crossing the cattle market in Smithfield, he witnessed a violent struggle between a young and pretty woman and a brutal and half-drunken ruffian, who was endeavoring to put a halter about her neck for the purpose of selling her. The young woman did not wish to be sold, and the affair ended by both husband and wife making their appearance before the Alderman at Guildhall, who deplored that the law took no cognizance of such cases, and contented himself with binding over the husband to keep the peace.”

It was the 1857 Matrimonial Act that took the first step towards stopping this practice because it finally granted women some very limited rights. Previous WOTD Caroline Norton (1808-1877) of London was instrumental in the passing of this and two other Acts of Parliament giving married women long overdue legal rights for the first time. Her intense lobbying of Parliament and Queen Victoria spelled the beginning of the end of coverture.

But back to Mary Anne.

Her sale was recorded in the Annual Register, an annual reference work recording and analysing major and noteworthy events, first written under the editorship of Edmund Burke (he of Burkean representation fame) in 1758, thus:

"...placed his wife on a large oak chair with a rope or halter of straw round her neck. He then spoke...”I have to offer to your notice my wife, Mary Anne Thomson...she has been to me only a born serpent. It is her wish as well as mine to part forever...I took her for my comfort and the good of my home, but she has become my tormentor, a domestic curse, a night invasion and a daily devil."

"She can read novels and milk cows...she can make butter and scold the maid; she can sing Moore's melodies and plain her frills and caps. She cannot make rum, gin or whisky but she is a good judge of the quality from long experience in testing them."

His asking price was 50 shillings (about £237 in today’s money) but after an hour, it was knocked down to 20 shillings (about 95 quid) plus a Newfoundland dog. The buyer was a farmer from Carlisle and Mary Anne went off with him.

The last recorded wife-sale was in 1913 in Leeds when a woman deserted by her husband took him to court for non-payment of maintenance and gave evidence that he’d sold her to one of his workmates for £1 (about £125 in today’s money).

Coverture was finally knocked on the head of 23 October 1991 by the Law Lords in their famous 1991 ruling in R v R, although I’d like to give a special mention to the women of Dublin who interrupted a wife-sale in 1756, rescued the woman, and put the husband in the stocks overnight.

Mary Anne, I hope you had a better life with the Carlisle farmer than the bloke who drove you to drink. Pass me the gin.

[Sara💙 @LesterSara3]

@schooltruth @JaneyGodley @GraceCampbell Oh no. Such heartbreaking news. I am so sorry. 😕

[Sara💙 @LesterSara3]

@JaneyGodley Stay strong Janey. I hope you will be home soon. Big hugs

[BladeoftheSun @BladeoftheS]

Two people going to the Food Bank, who are they voting for?

"Conservatives, they have helped us more than anybody."

"I'd be so gutted if Rishi Sunak lost"

It's time for them to be gutted.

[ALASTAIR CAMPBELL @campbellclaret]

A work of art

[Sara💙 @LesterSara3]

@SilvioTattiscon I would have jumped in by now to rescue🙄

[Peter Stefanovic @PeterStefanovi2]

NOW ON 2.2 MILLION VIEWS AND PUBLIC OUTRAGE IS GROWING

The NHS says it’s not trying to replace qualified doctors with physician associates. But this is the terrifying truth

If you are still not familiar with the PA scandal please watch this shocking film

@AnaesUnited

[Great Yarmouth Samaritans @GySamaritans]

Today we officially received our @KingsAwardVS - thanks to all out volunteers and supporters! 💚

[Science girl @sciencegirl]

Little Rylyn Clark singing Bob Marley's "Three Little Birds"

With an accompaniment by composer and musician French Fuse added later

[Led By Donkeys @ByDonkeys]

Israel has killed over 11,500 Palestinian children in Gaza and the West Bank since October 7th, when 36 Israeli children were killed.

It’s impossible to imagine that number. This is what it looks like. A line 5km long.

(Location: Bournemouth Beach)

[Rory Cellan-Jones @ruskin147]

Utterly shocking to read this and the idea that those insulting this brilliant young man think they represent British culture is pathetic

[MarshFamilySongs @MarshSongs]

Here's our final song of 2023, about the deserving folk receiving #NewYearHonours & the contrast with the pathetic cronyism in @trussliz & @BorisJohnson appointees. It's to the tune "There Is Nothing Like A Dame" but called "Does Liz Truss Not Feel Ashamed?" 🎶Happy New Year!🥳🍾

[Great Yarmouth Samaritans @GySamaritans]

We were at @gorlestonpav last week and again this afternoon collecting donations and a raising awareness about what we do. Huge thanks for the opportunity and for generous donations from everyone…

[Sara💙 @LesterSara3]

@TamaraBoxRS @LEGO_Group That’s a fabulous angel x

[Peter Stefanovic @PeterStefanovi2]

This is shocking. Even at Christmas with destitution & hunger now rife in the UK @RishiSunak refuses to acknowledge the Governments horrific legacy on child poverty

If you think every UK News Show should broadcast theses terrifying statistics RT this widely

@BBCNews @SkyNews

[Caroline Lucas @CarolineLucas]

Spot on, Olivia Colman. Not only are fossil fuel giants getting away with committing countless climate crimes - we're lining their pockets while they do so, through our own pension pots. Time to invest our pensions in a liveable future. #FrackingHell

[MarshFamilySongs @MarshSongs]

Here's the 4th song in our @SuellaBraverman #Wellerman 🎶 trilogy in response to demand. If it gives you a laugh, feel free to share. But 🙏 also check out the more important song we made on #RemembranceSunday about #Israel & #Gaza that we're proud of:
👉https://t.co/PoLdY5opco

[Sara💙 @LesterSara3]

First they went after homeless people's tents - now they're targeting the sick. @DWPgovuk want to force hundreds of thousands of sick people, waiting for treatment, to seek work or lose their benefits. Sign the petition against this now: https://t.co/1jUVu1DijN via @38degrees

[Great Yarmouth Samaritans @GySamaritans]

We’re honoured and delighted… https://t.co/gMMcPm5B4D

[Victoria Derbyshire @vicderbyshire]

‘My child was murdered by these monsters..I don't want vengeance in my name’

Michal Halev’s 20 y/o son La’or was at the music festival. There was evidence he was taken by Hamas to Gaza, alive

Now she has been told her only child was killed

#Newsnight