New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-11-15
"HARRY' STOKES, THE MAN-WOHAN.

Fyo~ The Stafford Eng) Weekly NeD'
The most remarkable woman OF TINS century was
Harry" Stokes the bricksetter, who committed SUI
ide in the sluce of the River Irwel at Mode Wheel
ast night week For about thirty years this extra
rdipary person had lived in Manchester and Stafford
Journey an and master orlcksetteri nad oeen
vice married 20 other women; had kept oeerhouses
and seryed customers at the tap jolly landlord
had worked at her trade brcksetter and erected
MANY important buildings in both towns and had OBJ
tanned the reputation Of being the most skilliu nre
crate setter and " chimney doctor" IN the nelghbor-
hood She always dressed man, in the clothing
nscnliar 20 her trade invariably superintendent the
men in her employment; and could lin =
weight, spread the mortar, and get brick
with the best of them. Her habits were those OF
man. She attended a daily ordinary in the town
along with other bricksetters, drank, smoked and
ioked with the hardest, aud joined IN the evening
carousals Yet, with all this constant and close IN.
tmacy with the opposite sex, this strone-mnded
woman contriyed to keep her own great secret and
there is every reason to believe that she has gone
down into the grave at the advanced age Of 80,
thereabouts having throughout the whole OF her re-
markable life maintained an unDroken cneck upon
those passions which crowd the streets OF every large
town with the unfortunate OF her sex. Her great
andeavor WAS on all occasions TO keep up the manly
character she had assumed. From child she had
been accustomed 70 the severe work OF one OF the
most laborious occupations in which man IL engaged,
and the skill che had attained IN trade reveals an
auonnt of perseyering energy which made her worthy
Of a better fate than that OF the wretcbed suicide.
ia curious 10 know what first induced her to rs
anne the garb and occupation OF man, and what
thfu 10 the line Of duty she had thus marked out for
herself. There are instances innumeribe where the
influence of love- romantic disposition has ciotned
the form of woman with male attire and sustained her
amid the perls OF the battle held IN the danger. OF me
deem or in wild adventure in foreign lands; but we
know of no other case in history or tradition where
woman has wonderfully repressed her own feelings
and natural disposition, 30 completely assumed the
prving curiosity of the world. Harry Stokes has
indeed played her part ceverly thai with inc
yreatest difficulty we have been able 10 CLEAN the foi
lowing facts, which meager they are, throw some
little light on her past history.
the neighborbood OF Doncaster. Before she could well
balance her own little body she was made useful IN
the house; and ere many years had passed over nes
head she brought into acq uantance WIN some oi
the rouobest and toughest work in those ardwrongn
davs Little Harriet Stokess lines had not been laid
in pleasant places She was so ground down by the
iron hand at home that, when she was ABOUT eignt
wears old she put on a tattered SUIT =, ooy sSvs
and walked forth into the wide, wide world Ar
rived al the village of Whtby, she looked about Tor
,rork She had not run away from her fathers house
because she did not ike work and preferred 10 eat the
bread of idleness. The hard treatment OF parents
orn, of their responsibility had driven her from the
,ec,ion of home and from all the associations which
sshould enchain the young mind to home. That she
was not afraid Of hard work was apparent when she
offered her services TO bricksetter IN Whnoy.
Tbou0h somewhat understood, she appeared broad
set active useful lad, and was speedily set 70
work Her first efforts to please were attended with
success and she was soon taken ~ an spprenuee.
From this point must drop the feminine appeiis-
tive and speak Of Harry Stokes" ne q boy who has
worked his way the dignity of journeyrnan brick
setter For something ike 20 years from this point,
we lose the connecting links which JOIN this Yorkshire
srnerence to his Manchester life. About - yeav ago
he was brought prominently under the notice OF !he
public by the consequence Of an eccentric excursion
which be had taken into the domains OF mstnmony.
Harry Stokes, wanting companion in life, executed
MATRIMONIAL contretemps True to his role Ne nan--
Tor he had reached the age when the average OF br'ek
-etters are fathers as well journey men-he cast
about. and fixed his choice upon plump little WIDOW,
who kept beer-house in CuPds alley, on Deanrf'a'e
Msncbssfer. He had been accustomed to take his Po