Read an extract from 'Victorian Domestic Abuse'

1857 Matrimonial Causes Act

Divorce courts were established, women had limited access to divorce. A husband if he wanted a divorce had to prove his wife's adultery. A wife, had to prove her husband's adultery, plus cruelty, incest or abandonment. Meanwhile …

One Tuesday night in January 1868, the son of Catherine Reilly arrived at his Gran's house, crying. He said to her.

“Oh Gran, my dada is beating my mama, I know she is dead”

The grandmother went to her daughter's house and found her on the floor in a pool of blood. She told her son in law to take Catherine to the hospital. His response was

“Take her where you like”

The Grandmother went to cover her daughter's body with a quilt but her son in law stopped her, so she took off her cloak and used that instead. Her daughter was still alive but insensible. She put her into bed. Catherine called out 'mother' three times. The grandmother then left and went to get a police constable. On her return they found the children had been put into bed beside her. Catherine was then taken to hospital where she died.

Phillip Reilly, aged 11 was called as a witness. He stated that on the night he had been to a pantomime with his father and younger brother, Peter. After that they stopped at a pub and then returned home. Their mother had gone to hide from their father. She was under the bed. Their father pulled her out by her hair, beat her and kicked her in the ribs. She then went into a fit. Their father made the younger brother throw water over her. When out of the fit she called out for her mother. Their father then kicked her in the eye, kicked her in the back and ribs and threw her against the fire grate. Grabbing a candle he attempted to set her on fire but her clothes were too wet. He dragged her closer to the fire instead, putting her shoulders across the fender. Peter was at this point in bed, crying. Their father went to beat him. While attempting to do so, Phillip went to pull his mother out of the fire. Their father kicked her again and Phillip heard something in her crack. At that point he escaped and went to get his Gran.

At the trial, the father was emotionless. He had put the children into bed with Catherine to make out she was just sleeping. He was committed to be tried.

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Victorian Domestic Abuse, My Book's Relevance in Today's World.

I read an article this morning in the Guardian Newspaper about gender equality.  Here's it's link if you want to read it.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jun/01/sexism-racism-race-gender-equality?CMP=share_btn_fb

It basically states that gender equality is a long way off and that we only have to look at the rape convictions, Everyday Sexism Project and the fact that two women a week are murdered by their partners to see something needs to be done.

What caught my attention was the heading 'Chicken Court'

"Anyone making a prejudicial statement in public shall automatically qualify for this new reality television show where they must stand in front of a live audience dressed in a chicken suit and repeat said statement while doing the David Brent dance as information disproving their argument flashes up on a screen behind them. Their opinions are then put to a public vote."

Compare that with this, also published in a newspaper but over 160 years ago - 

In the October 9^th edition of Lloyds Weekly Newspaper in 1853, ran an article called 'Apes of Husbands'.

“We are heartily ashamed and profoundly humiliated by the details that pollute our police reports; and in our shame and abasement are prone to give ear to any remedy however strong and original that shall end the abomination. What is the man who beats his wife? What is he, it has been asked but a debased animal, a mere ape with speech? … We would have the Home Office rent 2 or 4 or 6 cages and apes costume would be a most reforming punishment .. such cages to be placed in different parts of the grounds in which should be confined and exhibited the human creatures who had degraded themselves to the condition of apes by brutally outraging the gentleness and dignity of woman.... No violence towards husband apes, a sign Visitors are requested not to pelt or poke their sticks or umbrellas at the brute of a husband”

Needless to say, it didn't happen but I think it just goes to show, things haven't changed that much.

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Victorian Domestic Abuse - paperback available now

This is a great little book if you're interested in women's history.  Yes some of the stories are harrowing but that's how it was for some women and for women across all classes.  It didn't matter whether they were rich or poor, young or old.  They were property, and that was that.  Everything they had belonged to their husbands. They couldn't even sell their own jewellery because that belonged to him too. Until the laws began to change of course.

Grab a copy now from -

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Victorian-Domestic-Abuse-Carol-Lewis/dp/1512149225/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1431706285&sr=8-1&keywords=victorian+domestic+abuse

Out Today on Kindle - Victorian Domestic Abuse

Victorian Domestic Abuse is now out on Kindle, its got some unbelievable stories of cruelty to wives included but perhaps what is equally unbelievable is the sentences that were passed on their attackers.  One husband got just four days in prison for killing his wife.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Victorian-Domestic-Abuse-Carol-Lewis-ebook/dp/B00XNJXW2I/ref=sr_1_1_twi_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1431687715&sr=8-1&keywords=victorian+domestic+abuse

New Book Coming Soon: Victorian Domestic Abuse

Continuing with my series of Victorian books, my next subject is that of Victorian domestic abuse.  It takes a look at just some of the terrible and inhumane conditions and treatments women were suffering.  A woman in Victorian Britain had no rights whatsoever, to her money, to property, to her children or her own body. Women were the property of their husbands. Wife beating was widespread and wifely chastisement acceptable in law.

Here's  just one example.  In 1848 an Inspector of the Poor entered a house.  He found a woman imprisoned in a tiny water closet.  She had been there for four months, she was covered in dirt, her hair matted, vermin all around and she had been in a crouching position for so long she couldn't straighten up.  Her husband said she was in there for being disorderly.  She later died.

This story is just the tip of the iceberg.  For every one included in the book there were many more.

Victorian Domestic Abuse will be available very soon.

New Review for Victorian Pontypool

Its always nice when someone takes the time to write a review about one of my books.  This one is great and gave me a smile

"Got for boyfriend for xmas.  He has not read any of the rugby books I have brought him but he sat over xmas and read this book from front to back"

Promotional Video for Haunting Tales

I love making these little videos, here's the one I did for Haunting Tales.  This week I also ran a free book promotion on Kindle for Haunting Tales, it's great to see how many different countries it was downloaded in - the UK, Australia, America, Canada, Germany and India. :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFK9dpDt500