Holyhead Maritime Museum

Feb 21, 2018

Cross-dressing rioters in 1839


When discontent among Carmarthenshire's rural poor boiled over in 1839, men dressed in drag and attacked the hated tollgate at Efailwen. Twice the gate was repaired ...

and twice again came the rioters, led by a fairground pugilist who may have been called "Rebecca" by fellow rioters (to avoid incriminating him by using his real name). The gate was then abandoned, and the rebels' success inspired copycat attacks on tollgates across the region over four years. The protests were known as the Rebecca Riots and the protestors as merched Beca ("Rebecca's daughters"). For more about the riots and the initial attacks, scan the QR codes at Caffi Beca in Efailwen. Or click here