The truth about women followers of the British Military in the 18th century
This post comes to us by way of the “8th the King’s Regisment of Foot-Light Company”
Widows would have been given the clothing of their husbands when they died if the clothing had been worn for a year. This woman is clearly wearing one such cast off coat.
One Subject that is much misunderstood and often times relayed to the public full of misinformation is widowhood in the army. You have probably heard, at some point, that women were required to marry within her regiment within 48 hours to a fortnight of being widowed. The time frame varies on the fancy of the teller of this tall tale. It has been repeated to me with variation such as, widows needed to paint their heels red to let everyone know she was available for marriage or she needed to marry the first person who asked her or she would be drummed out of camp if she didn't marry. One teller said a woman was ordered to marry before the sunset the day her husband was killed.
This story, though fun to tell a horrified listener, is absolute bunk. It is a glorious camp fire story that everyone enjoys telling the public or new reenactors to prove the point that 18th Century individuals were both delightfully quaint and primitive people without empathy for their fellow man.
Read the rest of the wonderful article here
Some children left orphaned would have resorted to formalized begging such as working as a crossings sweep to feed themselves once back in England. Collection of the author.