Abstract
Abstract:In the nineteenth century, the old county of Montgomeryshire in Wales was mainly rural, with some industrialised towns. This article looks at the most prevalent crime dealt with in the county's Quarter Sessions, namely theft, and considers the gendered nature of law breaking. In particular it investigates the rural and urban landscapes and how they affected offenders’ activities and draws conclusions on the implications for policing.
Highlights
This article examines the nature of gendered crime and its relation to the rural landscape and urban topography in Montgomeryshire, Wales, during the 1870s
Garthine Walker contends that, as such, few studies have dealt with gender as an analytical category, and her study into the characteristics of female property offences in the early modern period provides valuable details about the modi
The nature of the county provides scope for comparisons between the rural and the urban, and the spatial dimension of offending is investigated here both at the time of the offence and through the getaway stage. This builds on the work of Brian Short who vividly reconstructed people’s lives in the landscape, and pointed to how motives and behaviour could be heavily conditioned by topography.[10]
Summary
This article examines the nature of gendered crime and its relation to the rural landscape and urban topography in Montgomeryshire, Wales, during the 1870s. For a paper presented to Llafur – the Welsh People’s History Society which studies history from below – Jones did use 300 cases from early 1860s Montgomeryshire for an investigation He concentrated on rural offences, mainly arson, poaching and vagrancy, with a decided leaning towards men’s experience of crime (D.J.V. Jones, ‘Crime, Protest and Community in Nineteenth-century Wales’, Llafur, 3 (1974), pp. The nature of the county provides scope for comparisons between the rural and the urban, and the spatial dimension of offending is investigated here both at the time of the offence and through the getaway stage This builds on the work of Brian Short who vividly reconstructed people’s lives in the landscape, and pointed to how motives and behaviour could be heavily conditioned by topography.[10] I wish to augment understanding of gender history which discusses the role of gendered spheres as affecting respective action, furthering the work of Gemma Goodman and Charlotte Mathieson who explored gender and space in rural settings.[11].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
