Amazing Story of Woman’s Masquerade

Northern Advocate, 23 March 1937, Page 6

Amazing Story of Woman’s Masquerade

(Received 1 p.m.) LONDON, March 22. An amazing story of a woman’s masquerade since 1923 as a man, was described at- Maryborough Street Court, when Valerie Arkel-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. Arkel 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 her masquerade. She “married” a woman in the same year, and after that posed as a baronet, and obtained various responsible positions. j She left -her “wife” in 1926, and engaged in various male employments 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 ass “man and wife.” Finally, representing herself as a widower, she secured a position as a man-servant, which led to the present charge. Her solicitor, in defence, said she had a reason for wearing male attire which at present she was not desirous of disclosing.