The Conwoman Who Pretended to Be a Man
By: Jacob Wilkins
Tags: Crime, New Zealand, Marriage, History, Relationships

The Conwoman Who Pretended to Be a Man

A photograph of Amy Bock by an unknown photographer, c. 1905 (Wikimedia Commons — image resized by Author)

We’re not meant to like con artists — but we do. Despite their questionable morals, there’s something irresistibly charming about someone who can master the art of trickery.

Amy Bock is one of the most unusual con artists you’ll ever read about. Using her unique talents, she schemed her way through life, and as strange as it may seem, she even managed to convince the world she was an honorable man who was worthy of marriage.

The Mistress of Mischief

Amy was born in Tasmania (Australia) on the 18th of May 1859. Even as a child, her personality was oddly inconsistent. She would switch from extroversion to introversion remarkably quickly, but this didn’t stop her from excelling whilst at school.

As well as being popular, Amy proved to be a highly talented youngster. She played the piano, taught music to other children, and had a knack for amateur dramatics. She would often play male characters during her performances, and she enjoyed the company of boys much more than girls.

A photograph of Amy Bock by an unknown photographer, 1886 (Wikimedia Commons)

Amy never grew out of her troublesome ways. Despite working as a music teacher and a governess, she couldn’t control her urge to cause mischief. So, after a series of fraudulent crimes, she moved to New Zealand in 1884.

Thanks to a combination of bravery and charisma, she soon became a natural at scams, misdirection, theft, and innovation. Between 1887 and 1904, she was charged with various offenses and spent seven years in prison for her petty crimes.

Like any addict, Amy was always looking for her next fix, and her plans became increasingly ridiculous as time went on. On one occasion, she even concocted a scheme involving a string of funeral directors, several expensive coffins, and a dead mother who didn’t exist.

But there’s one crime that truly cemented Amy as a legendary con artist.

The Tale of Percy Redwood

After moving to South Otago, Amy undertook her most ambitious project. She disguised herself as a sheep farmer called Percy Redwood, and with her new identity, she attempted to win favor with Agnes Ottaway, the daughter of a wealthy landlord.

It didn’t take long for Agnes to fall in love with Percy. But the Ottaways — though they had no idea that Percy was a woman — started to get suspicious about his financial claims.

Desperate to avoid being caught out, Amy forged a letter from Percy’s mother, reassuring the Ottaway family that her son’s financial claims were legitimate and that the Redwood family were more than capable of paying for the upcoming wedding. The Ottaways were satisfied with the letter — for the time being.

In the weeks before the wedding, debtors started to show up at Percy’s home, demanding repayment. Percy assured them his mother would be arriving soon and that she would bring the necessary funds to pay for the ceremony.

But the Ottaways’ suspicions mounted once more when Percy told them his mother was unable to attend the wedding due to other family matters. Despite this, the wedding went ahead as planned, and Percy and Agnes became husband and wife.

A photographic postcard of the wedding cake by an unknown photographer, 1909 (Wikimedia Commons)

A week after the wedding, there was still no sign of Percy’s rich mother. So, determined to find some answers, the Ottaways started to investigate his family history.

Before long, the police were involved, and it didn’t take long for them to discover the truth.

The Legacy

Amy was then arrested and taken to court. She was charged with false pretenses and for making a false statement under the Marriage Act. After a publicized trial, she spent two years in prison.

After her release, Amy continued her fraudulent schemes for many years, but she could never top Percy Redwood. This legendary scam made Amy one of New Zealand’s most well-known criminals, and over the years, she’s become the inspiration for poems, plays, novels, documentaries, and even musical compositions.

Whilst there are plenty of criminals who are more notorious, Amy Bock is definitely one of the most unusual lawbreakers who ever lived.