Broadside report regarding a woman who masqueraded as a man, c. 1820

Commentary

This report begins: 'A particular account of John Thomson, a journeyman plasterer, who has been working in one of the New Buildings in Lord Moray's Park . . . and who was discovered by a strange accident, to be Female, on Tuesday last'. There are no publication details on the sheet.

John Thomson's birth name was Helen Oliver, and he had reportedly made his decision to live as a man whilst serving as a maid in East Kilbride. According to his family, a 'particular intimacy took place between [him] and a person in a neighbouring house, who officiated as a ploughman'. In their account, they claim that this ploughman was also assigned female at birth and introduced John to the idea of living as a gender other than his birth one.

The report goes on to explain that John Thomson had been known by other names, and had been 'discovered' in Glasgow a few months previous. His birth gender was revealed to his workmates when he fell from a ladder and a workmate was brushing lime from his chest. The broadside ends by telling the reader that John is expected to move on to Haddington to continue living as a man under another name.

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