Rachel Hamilton
{{Short description|19th century woman special constable}}
{{Distinguish|Rachael Hamilton}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Big Rachel
| image = RachaelHamilton.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Rachel Molly Johnston
| birth_date = 1829
| birth_place = Ireland
| death_date = 1899
| death_place =
| nationality =
| other_names = Rachel Molly Hamilton
| occupation = labourer and navvy
| years_active =
| known_for = special constable during the Partick Riots
| notable_works =
}}
Rachel Molly Hamilton, also known as Big Rachel, (1829–1899) was an Irish-born woman who was a special constable during the Partick Riots in Glasgow in 1875.
Early life
Hamilton was born in Ireland, later living in Partick, Glasgow in Scotland with her husband.{{Cite news|url=https://illuminatedlettersproject.wordpress.com/archive/on-the-shelves-of-glasgow-womens-library/rachel-hamilton-1829-1899/|title=Rachel Hamilton (1829–1899)|date=2013-04-29|work=Illuminated Letters|access-date=2017-06-21|language=en-US}} She was {{cvt|6|ft|4|in}} tall and weighed around {{cvt|17|st|lb kg}}, and became known as 'Big Rachel'. She held a variety of jobs considered unusual for women at the time, including working as a labourer in Tod and Macgregor's shipyard, as a forewoman navvy in the brickworks at Jordanhill, and as a farm labourer.{{Cite web|url=http://www.theglasgowstory.com/image/?inum=TGSE00317|title=TheGlasgowStory: Big Rachel|last=ABACUS|first=Scott Graham|website=www.theglasgowstory.com|access-date=2017-06-21}}
The Partick riots
The Partick riots started on 6 August 1875, the centenary of Daniel O'Connell's birth, and lasted for three days. The Irish immigrants decided to celebrate O'Connell's birth with a march and other Glaswegians rose up in protest. Partick's population expanded by over 50% during the 1870s, from 17,700 to 27,400.Greenhorne, William (1928) History of Partick 550–1912 p. 154 The centre of what was said to be a major civil disturbance was at Partick Cross.{{cite book|author=Inga Brandes|title=Being poor in modern Europe: historical perspectives 1800–1940|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HC2Wl6Deu-YC&pg=PA127|year=2006|publisher=Peter Lang|isbn=978-3-03910-256-3|page=127}} Partick was responsible for its own policing as a police burgh. Hamilton was one of around 30 locals sworn in as special constables, who were responsible for driving the rioters back.{{Cite web|url=http://www.scotsman.com/heritage/people-places/big-rachel-and-the-battle-of-partick-cross-1-3922067|title=Big Rachel and the battle of Partick Cross|website=www.scotsman.com|language=en|access-date=2017-06-21}}
Her story is now included as part of a walking tour run by Glasgow Women's Library that highlights notable local women.{{Cite web|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/13413028.At_Large__From_Big_Rachel_to_the_bombing_of_the_Botanic_Gardens/|title=At Large: From Big Rachel to the bombing of the Botanic Gardens|website=HeraldScotland|date=16 June 2015 |language=en|access-date=2017-06-21}}
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamilton, Rachel}}
Category:19th-century Scottish people
Category:19th-century Scottish women
Category:19th-century Irish people