The One Show

[whiskeryron]

Did any of you see the fascinating story of the Victorian surgeon Dr James Barry on the one show this evening who had a very distinguished career & ended up as British surgeon general & when he died it was discovered that he was in fact a woman ?

Wonderful stuff.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Barry_(surgeon)

WR.

[emmie]

i didn't, sounds fascinating, however i can't abide the two presenters, especially that nit wit Matt Baker, his voice has me reaching for the off switch.

[gness]

Didn't see it, Ron but read your link....very interesting. I wonder if that sort of thing happened often when women weren't allowed to follow certain professions....x

[emmie]

there was another woman doctor, i will have to do a bit of thinking and come back and tell you her name, believe she disguised herself as a man so she could become a surgeon.

[murraymints]

Famous case in Edinburgh..

[pixie373]

I didn't see it either, but the link was interesting. I probably would have watched it, if I'd known. Reminds me of National Velvet. And Blackadder.

[emmie]

strange tale for sure.

[Milvus]

Worth reading the story of Mary Lacey, who joined the Royal Navy as William Chandler in 1759 and qualified as a shipwright. She continued as a shipwright as a woman, after she left the navy. Her book, the Female Shipwright, was published in 1773 and is still in print

[giveup]

Quite a common question in pub quizzes.

[Peter Pedant]

I think there was a woman who fought in Tralfalgar.

I mean you know they had to live .... and some joined up. In terms of lavatories and bathing - they did it when no one was looking and didnt wash.

The Chevalier d'Eon - who gave his name to transvestism - was a diplomat in Russia as a gurl and then immigrated to London where he ( he was a he now) taught fencing. He invited anyone who thought he was a gurl to a duel - no takers. He also rigged his house with dynamite just in case he were burgled. He would show people this.
On death - definitely a boy....