Punishment of women 1
'Publickly whipt' in 1725
The punishment of a public whipping was frequently administered to women who were found guilty of certain offences, as well as to men.
The order that those who are to be whipped should be "stript to the waist" before being flogged, which is often included in the records of the Quarter Sessions, would also apply to women, as in the example shown below.
The record shown on one of the transportation pages,which refers to the choice of a convicted woman to be transported for seven years rather than be whipped, gives some idea of the harshness of the punishment.
Breconshire
Quarter Sessions
Midsummer 1725
Powys
County Archives
B/QS/O/2
The above extract from the Order Book of the Breconshire
Quarter Sessions reads as follows:
"Margaret Luke being indicted at this Sessions for ye
felonious stealing of one Bodice of ye Goods of Walter Davies
and upon her Tryall Convicted of ye said offence It is by this
Court ordered that she be stript from ye waist upward and publickly
whipt tomorrow Morning between ye hours of eleven and twelve
from ye East Gate to ye West Gate in ye Town of Brecon."
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