Post by dazbt on Apr 21, 2013 1:14:12 GMT -5
SAL MADGE
"Born in Penrith workhouse in 1831 Sarah Magin, to give her proper name , came to Whitehaven at the age of 8 and found employment at the local pits. She was about five feet eight inches tall, powerfully built and had strongly marked features characteristics which won her the respect of the miners among whom she worked. She had a powerful voice, chewed tobacco, played cards, supped ale, and on sports days wrestled with her male companions. She wore her hair short with a man like parting, sported a cap with a peak , a shirt, waistcoat and jacket and had she not worn a skirt could have been taken for a man, a mistake which the Earl of Lonsdale made in one brief encounter with her.
Sal worked as a horse driver at several of the local pits, became very attached to the animals over which she is said to have had splendid control and never allowed anyone to harm them however troublesome. Eventually, increasing years and infirmities brought on by the demands of her labours forced her into lighter work in the pit yard. She spent her latter years with friends in Mark Lane where she died on April 7, 1899. Buried in an unmarked, pauper's grave Sal lay unnoticed until June of 1993 when, courtesy of the Friends of the Museum her grave was marked with a fine headstone."
"Born in Penrith workhouse in 1831 Sarah Magin, to give her proper name , came to Whitehaven at the age of 8 and found employment at the local pits. She was about five feet eight inches tall, powerfully built and had strongly marked features characteristics which won her the respect of the miners among whom she worked. She had a powerful voice, chewed tobacco, played cards, supped ale, and on sports days wrestled with her male companions. She wore her hair short with a man like parting, sported a cap with a peak , a shirt, waistcoat and jacket and had she not worn a skirt could have been taken for a man, a mistake which the Earl of Lonsdale made in one brief encounter with her.
Sal worked as a horse driver at several of the local pits, became very attached to the animals over which she is said to have had splendid control and never allowed anyone to harm them however troublesome. Eventually, increasing years and infirmities brought on by the demands of her labours forced her into lighter work in the pit yard. She spent her latter years with friends in Mark Lane where she died on April 7, 1899. Buried in an unmarked, pauper's grave Sal lay unnoticed until June of 1993 when, courtesy of the Friends of the Museum her grave was marked with a fine headstone."
