Bad Bridget in Toronto, 1838-1918

This paper, which focuses on ‘misbehaving’ migrants in Toronto from 1838 to 1918, is based on the three-year Arts and Humanities Research Council funded research project, ‘Bad Bridget’ and complement’s Elaine Farrell’s paper on women in Boston. Using qualitative and quantitative evidence, this paper will highlight how the influx of Irish women impacted on this North American city, focusing on the ‘Bad Bridget’ who found herself being watched by the police or suspicious neighbours, under arrest, in court, or behind bars. An assessment of change over time indicates that Irish women were a consistent but steadily decreasing presence in courts and prisons. This paper will consider if this is indicative of the growing assimilation of Irish migrants into their new urban environments. Does the reduced detection and conviction rates suggest improved socio-economic circumstances of the Irish urban populations in the two cities during this period or rather the transference of the official gaze to other newly arrived ethnic groups? Given the larger Irish Protestant population in Toronto than in Boston, this paper will consider if religious difference had any bearing on the criminal convictions of Irish women. Were sectarian differences of relevance in the criminal justice system in these cities? This paper will also consider if new arrivals were more vulnerable to being suspected of criminal activity than those who knew how to manage the system. In answering these questions, this paper will thus outline how inequalities and discrimination manifested itself in prisons, courts and charitable institutions.