Women in History: Rebels, Travellers and Rule Breakers

When we look at history, most of the stories we hear are about men. For centuries, women were excluded from many parts of society, and their experiences were often left out of historical records. Because of this, it can sometimes feel like men were the only ones shaping the past.  

But that’s far from the truth… 

Women have always been there, challenging expectations, pushing against social norms, and sometimes breaking the rules entirely. Even in the 1800s, writers like the Bronte sisters used fiction as a way to question the roles women were expected to play.  

Our ideas about what is normal behaviour, come from societal norms. These are shared expectations about how people should act, and gender has always played a part in shaping them. Influencing everything from politics to travel….and even crime.  

Women and the Crimes they Commit.  

Crimes have long been viewed through a gendered lens. Violent crimes like murder, assault or burglary were traditionally seen as ‘male’ crimes. When women committed them, it was often seen as shocking or unnatural. Because of this, the way women were judged often depended on how well they fit societies assessment of what kind of crime it was.  

Ellen Harrington was arrested after breaking into a house with two male friends to stealing clothing. When questioned, she claimed a young man had asked her to vary the items for him in exchange for a shilling, but ran away before paying her. The jury believed her story and saw her as an innocent women taken advantage of by men. In stead of a harsher sentence, she received a light charge for receiving stolen goods.  

Some women pushed the boundaries much further… 

In the early 1700s, Anne Bonny and Mary Read became two of the most famous female pirates in history. At a time when women were often forbidden from even stepping onto ships, both women disguised themselves as men and joined pirate crews. Sailing with the pirate Calico Jack, they attached merchant vessels in the Bahamas.  

When they were eventually captured and put on trial, both women used a legal defence know as ‘pleading the belly’, claiming they were pregnant. Under English law, this delayed their execution until after childbirth.  

Closer to home, Amy Bock became one of New Zeeland’s most unusual criminals. A well-known con-artists in the late 1800s and early 1900s,  she carried out a range of small frauds across Australia and New Zealand   

Her most famous scam happened in Dunedin in 1909, when she disguised herself as a man name Percy Redwood and married the daughter of a wealthy Otago family. The deception was uncovered just four days later. Bock was charged with fraud and became the first women in New Zealand to be declared a habitual criminal. Interestingly, newspapers often portrayed her as more entertaining than dangerous, partly because her crimes were non-violent,  

Women and Travel 

Travel was another area where women faced restrictions. For much of history, travelliing long distances was far easier, and more socially acceptable—for men. Many women simply didn’t have the opportunity. 

But some did, and they documented their journeys in fascinating ways. 

Evelyn Bond, from Auckland, took her first overseas trip in 1937 at the age of 48. Over six months she travelled across Europe and North America, visiting cities like London, Paris, Rome, Berlin, New York, and San Francisco. Along the way she sent more than 600 letters and postcards home and kept a detailed travel diary. 

Not all travellers were wealthy, though. 

Ruth Wix, a teacher from Nelson, set off on her own adventure in 1952 at the age of 54—travelling around Germany and the Netherlands on a motorcycle. She stayed in youth hostels to save money and wrote humorous diary entries to share with friends and family. Her journey shows how international travel was slowly becoming accessible to more ordinary people. 

Hidden Stories 

Women have always been part of history, even when their stories were pushed to the margins. Pirates, travellers, writers, and even con artists all challenged the expectations placed on them. 

Today, historians are working to uncover these stories and bring them back into view. By doing so, we gain a fuller and more interesting picture of the past—one that includes the many ways women have shaped history, whether by exploring the world, challenging social norms, or occasionally breaking the rules.