After a rise popularity of the 'girlsies' after Newises UK introduced Brooklyn as an all-female group of Newises, I decided to look deeper into the history of newsgirls at the time.
This is only for fun and a way for me to acknowledge the women at the time who until Newsies UK, were rarely given a spotlight in Newsies media.
In 1868, there were roughly 300 newgirls and 2000 newsboys living in New York, but exact numbers were hard to state as newsies were 'at all hours in all public places’
Prior to mid 1800s, many newsgirls had to dress as boys in order to bypass social prohibitions
There were newsgirls of different backgrounds, education, class and age, but most were age 8-20
Many newsgirls were expert sellers, making names for themselves, having their own territories and gaining devoted customers
Multiple sources state the intelligence of the newsgirls being higher than that of the newsboys, likely having to work more than the newsboys to make the same wage
The media at the time presented newsgirls as pretty, witty and resourceful, whilst the newsgirls described themselves as real people in unfortunate situations
People within society had opposing reports on newsgirls, as some stated them to be stylish, respectable and intelligent, whilst others stated their crudeness, and raggedness and coarseness
There are many more mixed accounts, as others report newsgirls as heroic, behaving far better than the newsboys, respecting the city more and going out of their way to help civilians
The newsgirls were widely disliked as the idea of girls working on the streets was seen as evil and it was believed that the girls would put the newsboys out of business
It was also believed that the girls would be corrupted and lose their innocence and therefore should leave the work to the boys
This led many newgirls to work in less seen areas of the city, as the newsboys ran the city, making their presence known
What was most loved about the newsboys, such as their camaraderie and hardwork, was hated about the newsgirls
The girls often faced injustices and dangers far greater than the boys. Newsgirls as young as eleven were often harassed, robbed by male street workers, abducted and assaulted. This was used in the defence of banning all newsgirls under sixteen
The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
In the late 1880s, the community disliked the newsgirls so deeply that they wanted to get the girls off the street for good. It was passed that girls under 16 were no longer allowed to sell papers
They disguised this cruelty as an act of kindness to protect the girls and guide them to a life of motherhood and domesticity
The girls listened before one day fighting back, all swarming to the streets
A few years later, another attack on the newsgirls occured due to complaints from newsboys, publishers and patrons
Newsgirls were given warnings, and if they were to return to selling papers, then and their parents would be arrested and punished severely
By the end of the 19th century as few as 12 newsgirls under 16 were left in New York City
This ban extended to the newsboys in 1899, but little consequence was given and enforcement was low, unlike the ban on newsgirls
Notable New York Newsgirls
Winnie and Sadie Horn (‘the soubrette newsgirls’)
In the late 1800s, they were two of the most famous newsgirls, working from 3pm to 3am everyday
Winnie was blind in one eye and dressed eccentrically, reporting to have spoken in Shakespearean English. She would scribble quotes from literature, such as the bible and Shakespeare, on her newspapers
Winnies loyal customers ranged from the New York City mayor to Theodore Roosevelt
Winnie was known as ‘winsome Winnie’ and ‘queen of the newsies’
They stated that them and their sisters were ‘born newsgirls’
Winnie was notable and had many mentions in the papers up until her death:
Marywent to school until she was 13 and wanted to continue, but she had to support her family
She sold papers at twenty-third street ferry and upwards of 10 dollars a week ($328)
She would stay focused on business when and the competing newsboys inevitably began to act up throughout the day, she would take their customers
Before Newsies UK, there were no newsgirl characters. Despite claims of characters such as Smalls being women, they were dressed as newsboys and the Smalls Broadway actress, Laurie Veldheer, stated that Smalls is a boy.
With characters as old as 17 (Jack Kelly), and newsgirls of over 16 being allowed to work at this time, along with evidence of newsgirls taking part in the strike, there is no reason for newsgirls to have been left out of the story. There are arguments that may be made about Brooklyn being all women and the inaccuracies of this, but I pose to that how accurate is it for the newsies to be singing, dancing, and flying.
A final note: This may seem redundant after titling this post ‘the history of girlsies’, but I feel the need to point it out: ‘Newsies’ isn’t a gendered term. Newsgirls throughout history have referred to themselves as ‘newsies’. There is no need to other newsgirls and separate them from the term. They are newsies and their gender doesn’t change that.
I hope this can shed some light on newsgirls and their history, and why their stories should be heard alongside the retellings of the newsboys.
Extra: The history of America’s girl newsies
Backstage at “newsies” with Ben fankhauser and Tommy bracco
“The newsgirl question”: competing frames of progressive era girl newsies
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