12 Comments
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Tona Wilson's avatar

I'd never heard of her! The narrative makes me think music needs to be set to this. Makes me think of The Beggar's Opera - Three Penny Opera - Opera del Malandro (sp??) trajectory.

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Jack Kelly's avatar

You're right. Great show material -- Mother McHeath.

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Sheila Eldred's avatar

Holy crap, what an amazing lady who managed to have the American Dream for a very long time. I enjoyed this story Jack. You tell interesting history and I love it. Thanks

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phyllis palmer's avatar

I have always thought my life has included risk taking, but compared to Fredericka I am just a houseplant!

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Grace Gunning's avatar

It's amazing how long it took the law catch up.......we still seem to be in slomo mode today.

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Jack Kelly's avatar

From a pushcart peddler to a big bank job -- it's the American Dream!

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Tom Clavin's avatar

Love to learn about people I'd never encountered before.

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Michael Geiger's avatar

I agree, historians wrote our patriarchal culture.

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Michael Geiger's avatar

Enjoyed this, Jack. Love your last line, “…quite a number of pockets were picked at her funeral.” Even though the subject is the life of a criminal, how often is the person recognized if that person is a a female? Women are just as smart, just as capable of entrepreneurship men are.

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Jack Kelly's avatar

The idea of the incapable female was cemented in this Victorian period and stuck with some. Then they wrote history to make it seem true.

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Thomas Gilling's avatar

Wonderful muckraking, Jack. :)

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Rachel Simon's avatar

Another great character from the past. Thank you Jack!

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