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Rachel Hamilton

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19th century woman special constable Not to be confused with Rachael Hamilton.

Big Rachel
BornRachel Molly Johnston
1829
Ireland
Died1899
Other namesRachel Molly Hamilton
Occupation(s)labourer and navvy
Known forspecial constable during the Partick Riots

Rachel Molly Hamilton, also known as Big Rachel, (1829–1899) was an Irish-born woman who was a special constable during the Partick Riots in Glasgow in 1875.

Early life

Hamilton was born in Ireland, later living in Partick, Glasgow in Scotland with her husband. She was 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) tall and weighed around 17 st (240 lb; 110 kg), and became known as 'Big Rachel'. She held a variety of jobs considered unusual for women at the time, including working as a labourer in Tod and Macgregor's shipyard, as a forewoman navvy in the brickworks at Jordanhill, and as a farm labourer.

The Partick riots

The Partick riots started on 6 August 1875, the centenary of Daniel O'Connell's birth, and lasted for three days. The Irish immigrants decided to celebrate O'Connell's birth with a march and other Glaswegians rose up in protest. Partick's population expanded by over 50% during the 1870s, from 17,700 to 27,400. The centre of what was said to be a major civil disturbance was at Partick Cross. Partick was responsible for its own policing as a police burgh. Hamilton was one of around 30 locals sworn in as special constables, who were responsible for driving the rioters back.

Her story is now included as part of a walking tour run by Glasgow Women's Library that highlights notable local women.

References

  1. "Rachel Hamilton (1829–1899)". Illuminated Letters. 29 April 2013. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  2. ABACUS, Scott Graham. "TheGlasgowStory: Big Rachel". www.theglasgowstory.com. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  3. Greenhorne, William (1928) History of Partick 550–1912 p. 154
  4. Inga Brandes (2006). Being poor in modern Europe: historical perspectives 1800–1940. Peter Lang. p. 127. ISBN 978-3-03910-256-3.
  5. "Big Rachel and the battle of Partick Cross". www.scotsman.com. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  6. "At Large: From Big Rachel to the bombing of the Botanic Gardens". HeraldScotland. 16 June 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
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