Phoebe Hessel, An Old Brighton Celebrity

Picture postcard commemorating the life of Phoebe Hessel. The postcard includes a black and white image of Phoebe's headstone in Brighton together with a portrait representation of this 'Brighton Celebrity'. Born Phoebe Smith in Stepney in 1713 Phoebe is best known for disguising herself as a man to join the British army probably to serve alongside her lover, Samuel Golding. Having been wounded at the Battle of Fontenoy, Phoebe revealed her true identity and was discharged along with her lover. On marrying they settled in Plymouth and had 9 children, eight of which died in infancy. On the death of Samuel, Phoebe married the fisherman Thomas Hessel and moved to Brighton. On his death, Phoebe fell on hard times and resorted to selling oranges and gingerbread on the streets of Brighton before being forced to enter the workhouse. A popular celebrity around the Brighton area she was subsequently granted a pension by the Prince Regent and died in 1820 at the age of 108.
Sometimes referred to as Stepney Amazon Phoebe, she is commemorated today in her native Stepney through the street names Hessel Street and Amazon Street.