Happy Ned | |
---|---|
Born | Elizabeth Harriet Davies 1831 |
Died | 1887 (aged 55–56) |
Other names | Elizabeth Boydall, Elizabeth Harriet Boydell, Eliza Davies, Harriet Davies, Ned Davies, Neddy Davies, Harriet Harmiston, Navvy Ned, Harriet Ormaston, Harriet Ormiston, Elizabeth Taylor, Harriet Taylor, Lizzie Taylor, Harriet Urmston |
Occupation(s) | Miner, sailor, dockworker, farmhand |
Years active | 1856–1886 |
Happy Ned or Ned Davies (1831–1887) was the alias of Elizabeth Taylor also known as Harriet Ormiston, a 19th-century British woman who gained notoriety for cross-dressing. She lived as Ned Davies from 1862 to 1878, primarily working as a sailor, dockworker, and farm labourer, dressing in men's clothing. In later life, she became an alcoholic and was arrested numerous times for crimes. She returned to living as a woman in 1879, after a prison sentence for arson. After being charged with arson for a second time, she reformed and lived in Warrington until her death in 1887. Two different ballads, popular in Lancashire during her lifetime, gave versions of her life-story.