Women and crime

Historians have long debated the meaning of the term scold and its implications. Were these women merely outspoken and independent? Did men bring these charges to keep women in "their place"? Social conformity was extremely important during these centuries and it seems that neighbours felt they had a right to keep a constant eye on the comings and goings of their fellow citizens. The following deposition from Hereford illustrates this:

"Information against Margaret Woodliffe for being idle, abusive, malicious and envious, and for cursing and abusing Richard Dobles, a neighbour, and creating discord between him and his wife by her slanders; and for being too drunk to stand and having to be put to bed by neighbours before she did herself a mischief." (Boxed Volume 1651-1847, BG 11/17/5, #41, 1661, Hereford Record Office)

Margaret sounds like a neighbour from hell, but would she today be charged with anything at all? The closest the current legal system comes to curtailing such alleged anti-social conduct is by allowing housing associations to expel families who display extremely bad behaviour. Anti-social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) allow for various measures to be taken (such as banning culprits from creating a nuisance during set hours of the day, imposing curfews, etc.) before eviction is resorted to. Local authorities as well as housing associations can take these measures (which have to be approved by the courts) against their tenants. In Tudor times, the remedy was a stint in the ducking stool.

[Original author: Toria Forsyth-Moser, 2003]