Year: 1859

be was brought prominently under the no


tice of the public by the consequences O


an eccentric excursion which he had taker


into the domains of matrimony. Harry


Stokes, wanting companion 10 life, execu


ted matrimonial contretemps. True te


his rote as a rnan-for be had reached the


age when the average of the bricksetters


are fathers as well as journeymen-he cas-,


about and fixed his choice upon plump


little widow who kept beer-house in Gu.


pid's alley, off Deansgate, Manchester


He had been accustomed to take his pot Of


beer and smoke his short pipe under Bet
sy's roof and at last took decided fancy


to Betsy herself He was good looking


young man, was Harry Stokes, for, al


though still undersized and innocent ot


whiskers, face as smooth as woman's,


he was stoutly built, had a capcious depth


of chest, and pair of hips which gave an


unusual profit TO his tailor. Betsy then


looked with favor on Harry's suit, for be


had the reputation of being good steady


workman, and was doing pretty well as a


bricksetter. 1t was resolved that the twain


should become one flesh; and so to church


they hied. Harry discharged tie duties of


bridegroom at church to perfection; but
when the widow got him home there was


a terrible row. The night was spent in a


downright quarrel and fight; and the la


mentable result was summons taken out


by Betsy against her husband for an as


sault, for which he was condemned to the


New Bailey for one or two months.


During the hearing of the case, Betsy,


with great vchemence, declared that her


husband was not mar, and that she


therefore would not live with him. The
case created great amusement and gossip


at the time. and formed the subject Of pop


ular ballads, which were sung and hawked
about the streets of Manchester. "Harry"
Stokes, on issuing from the New Bailey,
was considerably prosecuted by those lit
tie gamins who know SO well how to tor
ment street celebrities, while he was also
the object Of much curious speculation
among his brethren Of the trowel He,
however, maintained discreet silence as
to his sex, threw out hints that the woman
he had married WAS mad, and as the most
effective proof that she was malevolent
libeler be soon after married another wild
ow, rejoicing in the name of Francis Col
Inns, who was some fifteen or tweety years
his senior, and who had grown up son
and daughter living with her. His con-
A. H.
lived until he committed suicide, in the
most mysterious history. She declares
with solemn earnestness that she did not
know until informed the other day, that
the person with whom she had been living
for the last twenty-five years, sleeping to-
gether night after night, in the same bed,
was woman, and her own children look
ed upon Stokes as their stepfather. She
asserts that she took Stokes into her house |
in the first instance, out of pity. to shield
him from the persecution TO which be was
subjected. 1t may be that, although ont
of a sense Of shame, the old woman thus |
attempts to conceal her knowledge of
Stokes sex, she did, in reality, know from
the first that the person was woman, and |
that she was, in all probability, induced by |
Stokes to consent to the union, in order |
that the appearance of married life |
might dispel the rumors ahoat, aud enable |
him to live in "peace and quietness."


Whether or not that was the intention,
The acquaintance brought about that result;
for, although there were 'surmises that
Harry" Stokes was woman, and be was
the object of curious glances, he
escaped the open molestation 10 which he
had been previously subjected. Harry and
Fanny took beer house in Corporation
street, Stafford, where they lived for two
years, when they '.fitted' to Quay street,
near Dcansgate, turning private house
into beer house, at this house they stay
ID eleven years, during part of which time
hey held second beer house in Camp
street, off Deansgate, which they called
The Pilgrims Res" and was superintend-
ID by Mrs. Stokes son. To this house
hey themselves finally removed, and kept
t on for six years, when they carried their
furniture 10 No. IL Richmond street, be-
.ween st. Stephen street and Broughton
-oad, Stafford, where they still lived to-
,ether as man and wife, though the neigh
1ors had their little whisperings together
the staple of their conversation being the
peculiar figure of Harry Stokes, and spec
llatious -thereabout.


They were living in Richmond street up
10 the time of the tragedy, which has re-
rived the whole history of this singular
person. Harry Stokes appeared latterly
10 be falling into decay circumstances, and
The fear Of poverty is believed to have in
luced him to commit suicide. On Friday
evening the deceased went to the Swan
public house, Pendleton, and after drinking
our glasses of ale, be left for the purpose
IF proceeding, as be stated, to Throstle
Nest. In tho morning o hat was found on
The top of the water in the sluice of the
river lrwell, at Mode Wheel, and on ex-
animation the body of man was stand
ing upright in the water. At the inquest
before Mr.. Coroner Nutter, on Saturday.
lhe body was identified as that of Harry"
Stokes, the well known master bricksetter
IF Stafford; and it would probably have
been buried in its clothes as it was, and
he secret of the poor courageous, hard
working Harriet Stokes would thus have
lave been buried with her, had not one of
he jury been acquainted with portion of
! L r I 4. |