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The Hannah Snell Home Page
"Why gentlemen, James Gray will cast off his skin like a snake and
become a new creature. In a word, gentlemen, I am as much a woman as my
mother ever was, and my real name is Hannah Snell." --The Female
Soldier, 1750
On 2 June 1750, in a local London pub, a young marine stunned his fellow soldiers by
announcing that "he" was really a woman in disguise. For over two
years Hannah Snell had concealed her true sex while serving in a regiment of the
Royal Marines. She had sailed to India through great storms and fought in mud-filled
trenches at the siege of Pondicherry. She claims to have been severely injured in the battle.
Having recovered from the shock of this
revelation, Hannah's mates encouraged her to make the most of her
extraordinary story and suggested that she request a pension from the head of
the English army, the Duke of Cumberland. Hannah followed this advice and
approached the Duke on 16 June 1750 while he was reviewing troops in St. James's Park.
Surprised by the curious figure standing before him, the Duke accepted a
petition from Hannah, which detailed her many adventures.
Within days, news of Hannah's exploits had
trickled into the London press and the public clamoured for more information.
Eager to profit from this notoriety, Hannah immediately sold her story to the
London publisher, Robert Walker. Her appearances on stage
in uniform caused a sensation, and the news of her adventures quickly spread
across Britain.
In November 1750, the Royal Chelsea Hospital officially recognised Snell's military service and
granted her a lifetime pension. She lived for another forty years, marrying
twice and raising two sons. In 1791, Snell was admitted to the lunatic
asylum, Bedlam, where she died six months later.
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