AMAZING STORY OF WOMAN'S MASQUERADE
FINED FOR THEFT.
Married a "Wife"; Posed
As Baronet.
CHEQUERED CAREER.
United Press Association.—Copyright
(Received 1 p.m.)
LONDON, March 22.
An amazing story of a woman's masquerade since 1923 as a man, was described at Marlborough Street Court when Valerie Arkell-Smith, aged 42, was fined £1 for theft of £■5 from a woman employer while acting as a "man servant."
It was stated in evidence that the woman served as a V.A-.D. in wartime, after which she married an Australian, Lieut. Arkell-Smith, but separated after six months. She lived later with an Australian soldier, Ernest Crouch, by whom she had two children. After parting from Crouch she began 1 her masquerade. She "married" a woman in the same year, and after that posed as a baronet and obtained various responsible positions. She left her "wife" in 1926 and engaged in various male employment until her conviction at the Old Bailey in 1929 on a charge of making a false statement at a marriage registry which revealed the masquerade. Thereafter she resumed male attire and lived with several women as "man and wife." Finally, representing herself as a widower, she secured a position as man servant, which led to the present charge. Her solicitor, in defence, said she had a reason for wearing male attire which ac present she was no,t desirous of disclosing.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19370323.2.49
Bibliographic details
Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 69, 23 March 1937, Page 7
Word Count
228AMAZING STORY OF WOMAN'S MASQUERADE Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 69, 23 March 1937, Page 7
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