Mrs. Sarah (Wallin) Mapp by Cruickshank probably taken from Hogarth's caricature. (via BibliOdyssey) |
Sarah Mapp, born in 1706, followed in her father's footsteps and became a bonesetter in Epsom. By 1734 she was famous as one of the "three great quacks of England". Ballads were written about her and the town of Epsom paid her a 100 pounds per year retention fee. She commuted once or twice to her satellite office in London, traveling in a coach drawn by four horses.
Sarah was labelled an "ignorant, illiberal, drunken female savage", a description I find appealing. Although she died penniless she led an interesting life for a woman in those times.
Read more about her at Shrine of Dreams
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