The Life and Adventures of Mrs. Christian Davies
Overview
"The Life and Adventures of Mrs. Christian Davies" is a biography that recounts the life of Christian Davies, also known as Mother Ross. Christian Davies (1667 – 7 July 1739), born Christian Cavanagh, also known as Kit Cavanagh or Mother Ross, was an Irishwoman who joined the British Army in 1693 disguised as a man. While in the British Army, Davies searched for her missing husband and fought in several military battles. She fought in Flanders during the Nine Years War, the 2nd Royal North British Dragoons, and finally with the Scots Greys in the War of the Spanish Succession from 1701 to 1706. Later in her life, she met Daniel Defoe, the author of the book. At the time she was a Chelsea Pensioner, which was a nursing home for older soldiers. He enjoyed her story and wrote the book entitled The Life and Adventures of Mrs. Christian Davies.
Background and Early Life
Christian Davies was born in Dublin in 1667. Shortly after marrying her husband, Richard Welsh, he joined the army. After some time Davies did not hear from her husband and was determined to find him and hoped to bring him back. Davies disguised herself as a man and used the alias of Christopher Welch, enlisting in the British army. Over her years in the British Army, Davies rose through the ranks as a soldier all while maintaining her disguise. Her impressive feat of keeping her true identity hidden is the main narrative of her story.
Content Summary
The book tells the story of Davies’s enlistment in the military as well as her role in a handful of famous battles. It also told the story of her life on military bases. The biography shows how she was able to hide her gender for many years along with her interactions involving other soldiers. Additionally there were many challenges she faced because she was living a dual life. The book covers her getting wounded in battle as well as when her true identity was originally revealed. Many years later, her story came about and she received a pension grant from Queen Anne for her bravery and service.
Significance
This biography is significant because it provides an intriguing account of a woman's experience in the military during the early 18th century. Women at the time had no role in a standing military and it was unheard of for a woman to serve in any capacity. Davies’s resilience and determination show how committed she was to go on her own and follow what she wanted to.
Reception
When this biography was first published in 1741, the book was highlighted for its detailed description of military life and the unique circumstances that Christian Davies faced. It must have been very intriguing to read at the time as it was unheard of for a woman to serve in the military as well as her uncanny ability to stay hidden for so long.
Substrates and Formats
This book was viewed in Kislack and was in fair condition. As you can tell from the attached photos, the binding is in poor shape. It has been rebound before. The book was also owned by a previous collection in Philadelphia as it has leftover ownership marks. It was printed in London using a printing press.
Circulation and Readership
This book was to be read by middle-class or upper-class people as they could afford to own books and the poorer people could not. This was a story that many women enjoyed. Besides for marks from a previous collector in Philadelphia, there are no marginalia or other forms of readership.