The Case of the Jujitsuffragette
By Jimp
Victorian detective gets an introduction to female martial arts and dominance


(c)Jim P 2014

Part 1: The Female Pugilist

Dear Mister Priest,

I hope this finds you well and in good health. I was sorting through some
personal effects of my great-grandmother when I came across something that
made me think of you, so I have made you a copy for your interest. This is an
extract from the diary of Detective James Shelduck of New Scotland Yard. A
gentleman who became a long-term companion of my great-grandmother although
she was many decades his senior.

The events recounted took place in 1897, when my mother was only 10 years of
age, my grandmother 45 and my great grandmother, who I've been told I take
after, would have been 75. I fear that the title must have been added at a
later date since this would have been 16 years before the Government passed
the so-called "Cat and Mouse" act whereby Suffragette leaders on hunger
strikes could legally be released from jail and then re-arrested. In response
the Women's Social and Political Union of which my predecessors were an active
part established a thirty-member, all-woman protection unit known as "The
Bodyguard". Trained by Edith Margaret Garrud in Ju-jitsu and the use of Indian
clubs as defensive weapons, they fought a number of well-publicised
hand-to-hand combat battles with Police Officers attempting to arrest their
leaders. This earned them the names "Amazons" and the "Jujitsuffragettes".
Maybe the Detective found my great-grandmother worthy of this accolade being
ahead of her time in this regard and added the title accordingly, although she
was more highly skilled in Aikido as am I. She was truly a Granny Strongarm
although of course she was not an Armstrong - my little joke.

Feel free to visit me on your next visit to London. I would like to entertain
you by showing you the techniques mentioned in the extract so that you may
experience them first-hand. I am sure that you would enjoy it as much as
Detective Shelduck did. I maybe 92 but I still maintain stiff discipline of
staff and pupils alike at St. Agatha's and more than capable of showing you a
thing or two.

Yours Sincerely

Mrs. Georgina Armstrong

26th April 1897

As the youngest detective at the Yard, I often receive the investigations that
none of the seniors want. So I thought as I was called into the chief's
office. After pleasantries, he explained that because of my youth I was not
set in my ways and so he was entrusting to me a case most baffling and
perplexing. This was, it was stressed, to be a low-key investigation conducted
by myself and myself alone, reporting only to him. It was a matter most
sensitive that it must not become public knowledge for surely the fate of the
whole Empire was hanging by a thread. He instilled in me that it was my solemn
duty to Queen and country to resolve this case with the utmost speed and
stealth. When I enquired upon the matter at hand, he was hesitant as if
greatly ashamed. He lowered his voice yet could not look in the eye as he
briefed me on the facts.

"The other day a group of suffragettes dared to gather outside Parliament The
bare-faced cheek of it. Our officers were called to clear them in no uncertain
manner. When they refused to move, they tried to arrest them". His voice
trailed off and went quiet for a moment before resuming so subdued that I had
to lean forward to hear him. "This lady....a single well-to-do lady of some
considerable age and distinction...". His voice became choked with emotion and
he had to pause to clear his throat. "She ... overcame ten of our best.
Literally throwing them around as if they were nothing more than rag dolls
while her compatriots made good their escape". I looked at him in disbelief.
Were it April the first I may have thought he was fooling me, but his distress
was plain to see.

"Are they sure it really was a lady and not, well a female impersonator or
working-class woman?" I asked gently. He shook his head "No doubt it. All of
the officers swore that it was a middle or upper class woman wearing a corset,
white blouse, long black skirt with big hair and an even bigger hat felling
ten of our best as if they weighed nothing" his voice cracked with emotion.
Such a preposterous suggestion cut an incongruous image that I could not
comprehend. Rough tough lower-class working women with strong study bodies
from hard manual work and a propensity for drink and violence I could
understand but not a decent gentle noble classed woman. That seemed something
too abnormal and terrifying to contemplate. I told him so. He looked up and
stared at me in earnest at me. "Now you understand why this must go no
further. This is not an isolated incident. A lady meeting the same description
has overwhelmed other officers at other suffragette outrages but previously
only engaging with one or two officers never defeating such numbers before".

He paused, cleared his throat once more then told me quietly "I had a discrete
conversation with Colonel Smythe-Westington at the reform club not mentioning
that our perpetrator was female. He informed me in confidence that the Army
had similar problems out in the Indies and the Orient where the locals fought
using some ungodly hand-to-hand fighting art of the military. There were
several styles apparently but to him this sounded like something called, oh
what was it called, Jujutsu or something". He paused again to regain
composure. "Find this Amazon, James. Find her and stop her before she can pass
on this sinful unchristian knowledge to others of her fair sex. For once it is
known that the Police cannot control mere womenfolk, it will be war. Mark my
words it will be wife against husband, sister against brother, mother against
son. How can a righteous noble upstanding gentleman bring himself to fight a
woman? Even one with such dangerous tricks that should remain the providence
of the military that could hurl him bodily around".

27th April 1897

So sensitive were the reports that they were locked away in the Chief's safe
and he only permitted me to review them in his office. The reports were
consistent yet bordered on fantasy. An elegantly dressed grey-haired lady of
some elderly age stepped in to prevent the arrest of the suffragette leaders.
In the first account I read, this lady placed her old wrinkled hand around the
officer's wrist in a shocking vice-like grip. Instantly he found himself
writhing in agony with his knees bending as he was forced to march stooped
facing the ground wherever she wanted him to be. He was in great fear that his
arm was about to break in several places, while he watched helplessly as her
companions escaped. Then with a flick of the wrist he found himself thrown by
the arm with great speed through the air to land heavily upon his back rending
the breath from his body. The other accounts were no less fantastical. An
officer going to the aide of another who was restrained by the arm found
himself similarly incapacitated as the old lady held both officers in grips of
steel. Totally humiliated by an stern-looking elderly lady who forced them to
their knees as the younger women made good their escape whereupon they were
both hurled away as if disposing of rubbish upon the wind. No man it would
seem could restrain this Amazonian old woman as she humiliated their pride
tossing them this way and that, and contorting their arms and wrists to
snapping point, no matter how many tried to subdue her.

I noted that a couple of the account described a different combative woman. In
these instances the officers reported the presence of a younger middle-aged
lady who bore some familial resemblance to the elder. Confronting the
officers, this lady who was also well-dressed fought them like a prize
fighter. Punching with startling strength unseemly for a gentle woman, the
officers fell to the ground, rendered unconscious by the lady's fists. One of
the other officers being incapacitated by the elder woman wrote that he
thought that she called out to the younger, who appeared to be her daughter,
referring to her as Victoria.

27th April 1897

I never realised that there were so many boxing clubs in and around central
London. However only a few had female members. Unsurprisingly none were from
the middle or upper classes for such athletic activities were unfeminine and
demeaning. At one establishment, Gordon, the elderly owner took me to task
upon this matter. He informed me that in the last century and earlier in this
it had been more acceptable for women to partake in physical sports. Boxing in
particular had been popular among the top class ladies for fitness and
defence. To my sceptical expression, Gordon, who was very knowledgeable in the
history of the sport, took me into his office.

He pointed out a framed coloured engraving upon the wall. It showed a plumpish
woman of middle age fashionably dressed in a long yellow dress with a big red
bonnet featuring three large plumes. Her fists were bare and raised in a
pugilistic stance. It was so strange to see an image of a woman in such an
unnatural position yet at the same time I felt a strange attraction. "1819
that was published. The Boxing Baroness she was known as. Lady Barrymore wife
of the 7th Earl Barrymore, a fast-living gambling hell-raiser he was. He
enjoyed boxing for exercise and used to spar with his mistress, Charlotte, for
fitness and amusement. In truth she were no titled lady being the daughter of
a sedan chairman". Gordon was well away into his discourse stopping briefly to
pour us both a drink. "The Lady Barrymore, as she became, enjoyed sparring
with her husband. Bare-fisted it were, as was the practice in those days. "The
Marques of Queensberry only introduced his new rules 30 years ago which makes
boxing the regulated sport you see today. In the days of the Baroness there
were no rules and she was reported to be greatly accomplished in the sport.
The Duke passed away in a shooting accident at 24 but the duchess continued to
fight on alone becoming renowned for her riotous lifestyle, great strength and
fearsome pugilistic skill taking on and laying out men and women alike".

He noticed my expression. "Afraid of losing to a woman in a fight, lad?" he
chuckled warmly. "There's no shame in getting put down by a skilled female
boxer. This is the 19th century not the dark ages. How old are you, 24, 25?".
I nodded my head. "There are women who are professional boxers of your age
nowadays. Real athletes as competent and professional and in many ways, the
equal of the men". Could the daughter of the elderly Amazon be a professional
boxer? "Do you have any such women here?" I enquired, sensing a lead. "Aye, a
couple of lasses. Very promising, could go far" he replied. "Middle or upper
class?" I enquired. "Why should that matter?" Gordon asked in suspicion. I had
not revealed the reason behind my visit to his boxing club and never would
with such a shameful matter. I indicated the etching. "It's just that you were
telling me about the Baroness" "Of course, of course. Parlour maids I believe.
The Master of the house will get a nasty surprise if he tries to have some
hanky-panky with them" he chuckled.

Gordon reached across his desk to pick up a small figurine then showed it to
me. "So famous was she that Staffordshire made this". That it depicted the
same lady there was no doubt. She was even in the same pose as if ready to
fight. That is except for the dress being green over which was a white floral
smock. "Notice what she is holding" he said. I looked and saw she had a gold
coin clenched in each fist. I told him this and he nodded."Half-a-crowns. That
was how the women often fought in those days. One would challenge the other to
meet on the stage to settle their differences by boxing for three guineas.
Each would hold half-a-crown in each fist. The first woman to drop her money
lost the fight". This was all very fascinating but didn't help me progress the
case.

"Are there any such classed lady boxers nowadays? You have made me very
curious to see such a spectacle with such an otherwise respectable woman" I
asked. "As a personal interest of course, not in my professional line of duty"
I added. "I will ask around. There are usually some matches at the weekends
arranged between clubs, there might be some women participating but I can't
guarantee any posh ladies. It has sadly fallen out of favour with their types"
he chuckled. "Come back Friday at 6 and we'll make a night of it".

30th April 1897

I spent the evening in the company of Gordon and some of his friends who took
me to a boxing establishment in Camden. Having sat through several matches
between men, I had began to consider that this had been a wasted night when
suddenly two young women got into the ring. In their mid-twenties these were
big tough rough working class girls with unfeminine faces like fishwives,
dressed only in their petticoats and gloves. Had I been expecting a back-alley
cat-fight, I would have been wrong. These young woman maintained a
professional disposition and demonstrated surprising skill for the weaker sex.
Nevertheless they went at it hammer and tongs throwing sharp mean punches like
no gentlewoman would. "Wouldn't like to get in the ring with those two eh?"
Gordon said in my ear. "No, indeed" I replied for these most indelicate of
creatures fought harder than a man thoroughly blooding and repeatedly knocking
each other to mat until finally the referee had to step in and declare one the
winner. "Does that float your boat?" Gordon jested. I had to tell him that
truly it did not for they were so unladylike they may well have been men. He
and his friends found this very funny.

Next up was a challenge match. A huge muscular beast of a man got into the
ring. With his snarling brutish face he scanned the audience bellowing out for
someone to dare to get into the ring to face him and rudely insulting our
manhoods and mothers when none did. "Don't even think of it" Gordon advised,
not that such a thought had crossed my mind. "Jack is the local area champ and
a vicious bully. Even the ref's too frightened of him to interfere when he's
beating some poor guy's face to pulp until he is within an inch of his life.
Which he will, mark my words. Some idiot full of bravado and alcohol will step
up for a beating".

To my great amazement, a cultured woman's voice took up the challenge
promising to give this "ragamuffin thug the clip around the ear-hole that he
deserves". I sat up straight in my chair as a smartly dressed woman walked
towards the ring. Jack's mouth stretched into a nasty wide grin while he
punched his gloves together in anticipation. "Makes no odds to me. I'll only
be too happy to take down a rich bitch a peg or two" he bellowed most
unpleasantly. As she climbed into the ring with the assistance of a couple of
female companions I noticed that she was quite tall. Perhaps 6 foot or maybe
an inch less with a strikingly stern-looking waspish face which would have
been quite handsome if she smiled and didn't look so strict like a
school-mistress. Her face was small, long and thin with small piercing grey
eyes that sat beneath a pair of fine arched eyebrows. Half-framed spectacles
sat upon the tip of a fine sleek elegant nose over which she studied the
belligerent ruffian as one would examine a piece of dog excrement upon the
pavement. "You will apologise for your foul words or feel my wrath" her voice
was strong, confident and highly refined indicating a good education. These
words came from a small thin-lipped mouth red with lipstick and down-turned
with her cheeks pinched in a sour expression of displeasure. Dark brown hair
was pulled back severely into a tight bun behind her head. By the tone and
condition of her skin I reckoned that she was in her forties yet her severe
countenance gave her the authority of someone much older. Such an image of
strict commanding stern discipline did she present that I found myself
strangely attracted.

The woman was well-dressed in a white blouse with wide frills all the way down
either side of the buttons. This was corseted tightly at the waist and clearly
contained a very well-endowed large chest restrained by firm upholstery. With
her corseted pinched waist this presented a stunning hour-glass figure that
had not gone unnoticed. Below a wide black band around her narrow waist she
wore a long black billowing dress that fell to slender ankles covered in thick
dark stockings. Upon her dainty feet she wore soft flexible shoes like ballet
slippers. Jack's response was to laugh nastily.

As she removed her spectacles and handed them to her female assistants who
then helped glove her I enquired of Gordon who she was. He had to think a
while before he answered. "Victoria...Victoria something or other.
Watson-Smythe I believe. Wife of a judge and the governess at St. Agatha's,
that domestic service college". Well that explained her countenance. "Not a
regular fighter. Think she only does it now and again when she gets bored of
the rich life. Is this what you wanted to see?". I nodded my head before I'd
realised it. "Looks like you're in for a treat tonight, me-lad". Indeed I felt
a growing excitement most unusual as this stern well dressed woman came out
into the ring presenting an incongruous vision of a smartly-dressed
middle-class corseted woman with big boxing gloves.

Both Jack and the lady stepped forward to the middle of the ring when summoned
by the referee and gently touched gloves after he'd given them a talk about
wanting a good clean fight. It was such an unlikely sight, a big brutish
muscular man wearing a vest and shorts facing a stern classed woman in a long
dress in the boxing ring. They both assumed a stance with one foot forward
with gloves raised at the ready. In that pose she reminded me of that
engraving of the boxing Baroness. With no regards to the fair sex of his
opponent, Jack immediately stepped forward and threw two mighty punches one
after the other straight into her gloves to intimidate her. A loud PHISH!
PHISH! noise was heard as the sophisticated lady blocked the punches with her
guard with an air of bored disdain. Several times more did the man slam his
right then left gloves into her guard in rapid succession but she did not look
in the slight bit intimidated. Neither did she waste any energy in returning
any punches into his gloves. "So when are you going to start boxing instead of
playing pat-a-cake?" she queried in a loud mocking tone for all to hear. Her
sour down-turned mouth expressing what she thought of his boxing prowess.
"Come on man, snap to it! Show some backbone!" she commanded nonchalantly
blocking another pair of punches.

This so angered the brute that with an audible growl and no consideration of
her sex, he launched a right and left punch in fast succession towards her
head. As quick as a flash, the woman ducked, her long black dress splaying
elegantly beneath her as his big fisted gloves whistled over her head hitting
air. Immediately she sprang up, her arms pumping two very solid sounding
punches to his stomach. WAP! WAP! I'm sorry but that is the sound her gloves
made when they slammed again his strong flesh and I make no apologies for
using them to enhance my narrative. "Urrrghh! Urghhh!" he grunted loudly, his
teeth clenching in pained surprise as his body shuddered under the impact. I
knew then as did Jack that this lady threw no feeble punches. Her heavy
clothing was no impediment as she pressed the attack punching again very fast
yet very solidly. WHAP! WHAP! Her gloves were a blur as they struck his
stomach very firmly and with great confidence. "Urrrnnngh! Urnnnngh!" the
brute grunted louder than before, his face looking pained as he tried to hold
his body straight against the cramping pain in his gut. BAM! BAM! The woman's
gloved fists struck again faster than the man could protect himself. Very
solid blows struck the left side of his torso in quick succession. "Urrrnnngh!
Urnnnngh!" Jack visibly leant to his left, his gloves dropping his guard
leaving his belly wide open. The lady's gloves were a blur of action as she
took the advantage. BAM! BAM! "Nnnnyah! Nnnntah!" her punches must have hurt
indeed as he began to crease around his middle.

The crowd went crazy as the local champ and despised bully stepped back while
grimacing, his expression clearly showing disbelief at being put on the
defensive right at the start of the match by a mere woman. Victoria stepped
after him with a fierce determination. "Come on man, fight! or has a lady
taken the wind from your sails?" She taunted then without waiting for an
answer threw a couple more fast punches towards his middle. PWAP! PWAP!
Reacting almost in fear and openly panting from her attack the man managed to
block these just in time. As she stepped forward to delivery another volley,
Jack threw a wickedly strong punch right at her jaw. The glove hit thin air as
madam neatly slipped sideways then snapped out a frilly white sleeved right
arm from her eye-catching corseted top-heavy torso. BAM! BAM! Her right glove
struck a mighty blow right on the chin jerking his head back immediately
followed by her left which did the same and causing him to stumble back away
from her.

That impressive figure formed by the wonders of female corset engineering and
her ample bosom taunted him with its femininity as he tried to keep out of her
reach to recover. Yet she kept pace, pressing forward the attack constantly
peppering his guard with rapid one-two's that threatened to break through at
any moment forcing him to back up further until he was nearly on the rope.
Large elements of the crowd were voicing their derision at his retreat from a
lady. "What's wrong tough man? Am I too much of a lady for you to handle? How
humiliating that must be for you" she taunted in her prim stern governess
voice. Jack tried to stand his ground and return some blows of his own. Except
she was much faster. Each time he tried to make a punch, her frilly white
sleeve would blast straight through the centre of his arms to hammer her glove
with brutal intent upon his face. BAM! "Arghh!" his head shook again and again
under the impact. His right eye and cheek receiving most of the punishment.

He tried to turn away from her but she was faster and her arm swung around in
a roundhouse that firmly landed her glove in the middle of his face. BAM!
"Arghh!" he cried twisting away with a bloodied nose for all to see his
betterment by a woman. Showing great dignity and poise, Victoria had
challenged the local male champion and was out-boxing him with style. So far
he had not been able to land a single punch upon her although again and again
her fists found their mark. Yet he had not given up and he tried over and over
to hit her. She just weaved and ducked elegantly so that his fists missed. Her
corset and long skirts was no impediment nor restriction to her grace. Jack
would jab a punch only for Victoria to glide to one side as if at ball wearing
that long dress. Then within less than a second while his guard was still open
she returned a lightning fast punch to his head. BAM! Her glove landed hard
upon his cheek bruising it visibly as well as his right eye.

This happened several times before with controlled rage Jack swung a nasty
upwards hay-maker PHLAT! to my astonishment she stop his mighty punch between
her gloves as if catching a ball. Then while pressing upon his glove with her
left hand and with a distracting heave of her heavy bosom, her frilly right
sleeve of her white blouse whipped up in a blur as she returned an upward
punch. BERLAM! Her leather hit his jaw with a resounding solid sound. I swear
I heard his teeth click together. The force of her punch lifted his chin right
up pushing his face skyward in a rapid movement. "Aaa-Urrrgh!" he groaned as
his head snapped back over his shoulders while her fist continued to rise into
the air. The crowd watched in stunned silence as the big muscular thug wobbled
unsteadily upon his feet. Suddenly the classed lady in the frilly white
blouse, long black dress and strict expression leapt forward with an
unsettlingly large wobble of her chest as she committed her weight behind
another uppercut that cut through the air in a blur. KERBLAM! The sound of her
glove hitting his jaw was so loud it reverberated around the hall. Jack's head
whipped completely over his shoulder in a spray of spit as his feet left the
floor and his body whipped over backwards and crashed heavily to the canvas.

There were gasps of disbelief as the local champion lay on his back at the
dainty slippered feet of a well-dressed governess. Then the crowd went crazy
in a deafening noise as the referee leant over him to begin to count him out.
To his embarrassment, the front of Jack's shorts began to rise in salute of
the woman who had just put him so decisively upon the canvas. I must admit
that I too was exhibiting some of the same stiffness of excitement although I
had never had such a reaction before over such a strange scenario. As the
count continued Jack struggled to get his limbs working in a co-ordinated
manner enough to get to his feet before the count ended.

Bull-doggedly determined not to be humiliated by a mere woman and a
respectably dressed fine woman at that, Jack got to his feet again only to be
met by the 3 minute bell. "Saved by the bell" Gordon remarked "She would have
knocked his lights out for sure". He returned to his corner looking battered,
bruised and blooded with his head hung while he panted. While in the opposite
corner his opponent sat prim and proper in her fine white blouse and black
dress looking fresh-faced and confident staring down her sleek nose at him
like a strict school-mistress giving a disapproving look at a naughty pupil.
Soon the minute was over and the contestants rose for round two. Jack went
straight in to compensate for his poor performance in the first round,
blasting powerful punches that rocked the tall woman's defences. PHAP! PHAP!
PHAP! PHAP! His heavy bombardment forced her back and looked like he would
break through at any moment. BAM! suddenly a mighty punch forced its way
between her gloves and landed upon her fair cheek whipping her face to one
side.

Fixing him with such a fierce look of anger, she froze him for a moment before
he recovered but it was too late. A furious streak of white shot in a straight
line towards his face before he could react. BLAM! Her glove hammered the side
of his jaw forcibly whipping his face around to the left with his lower jaw
ahead of the rest. In a white blaze of fury, the fiercely angry woman pressed
the attack with another hard-hitting blow that got him right on the side of
his turned face. BLAM! "Argh!" he grimaced in pain, the force of her punch
sent him spinning around and stumbling away tripping over his own feet. He
would have fallen if he hadn't grabbed hold of the ropes.

"What a disappointment" Victoria sighed theatrically as Jack bounced in the
ropes trying to pull himself up. "I had so hoped that you would give me a good
exercise but you really are rather pathetic aren't you?" she taunted like a
stern disapproving teacher as Jack struggled to turn around only to further
tangle his arms in the ropes. "Oh well I'll have to go back to sparring with
my 75 year old mother. She would have destroyed you in seconds" she teased. My
ears pricked up that. "This is where it ends" She told him as she stepped
deliberately slowly towards him as he fought to extradite himself. "You really
do bore me now. You are no match at all for the modern liberated woman". With
that she turned to her side profile to let him savour her feminine figure
before turning back. Jack's face was one of stark horror as he was trapped
like a fly in a web, only able to watch as she drew back her glove with
deliberate show before sending it plunging towards his exposed unprotected
belly. BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! The frilly white sleeves of her blouse pumped
in and out as her left and right gloves punched with a fearful rapid constant
rhythm carving a deeper and deeper hollow in his firm stomach "Urrr uurn
nnnagh nnnagh" He could hard get his breath as her fists pounded continually
upon his gut. The force of the blows of this cultured lady were so strong that
his body was bouncing around helplessly in the ropes with his face creased in
pain and his mouth wide open trying to draw in the air that her fists had
stolen.

The sight of such a formidable sour-faced yet feminine lady beating upon a
helpless tough with such blatant power was exhilarating and I had to cover my
rising embarrassment with my hands. Jack was in no position to do the same and
became the butt of many rude calls from the audience. WHAP! WHAP! WHAP! The
woman now targeted his chin, left, right, left. Jack's head lolled back over
his shoulders bobbing back and forth like some kind grotesque puppet unable to
protect himself. Despite the pummelling to his head, he managed at long last
to break free of the ropes and fell forwards to embrace the lady in a clinch
preventing her from inflicting further damage. "Oh poor show" Gordon cried.
The crowd began to vocalise their disapproval because he had stopped the flow
of the action to regain his breath. He was clearly tired, hanging onto the
woman to tie her up to stop the pummelling onslaught and possibly hold out for
the bell. "Do you want to dance? Because you are not much of a fighter"
Victoria taunted. The referee stepped to break it and force both to step back.
Victoria did so with elegance and grace. Jack looked tired, battered and
bruise and sporting a pronounced tent in his boxing shorts.

More used to being on the offensive, he took a couple of lazy swings which she
easily danced away from forcing him to over-reach himself. The sophisticated
severe-looking thin faced woman stepped forwards her arm rising from her side
with great speed, shooting straight through the middle of his gloves. CRACK!
The upper-cut landed with jaw-crunching impact lifting his chin right up
towards the ceiling. His knees suddenly gave way causing his legs to go wobbly
while his head lolled with his eyes open yet unseeing as if in a drunken
state. The sight of such a tough in this battered, weak condition tottering
around almost out on his feet while the woman who had caused it looked on in
cold indifference in her white blouse, pinched corseted waist, large bosom and
long black dress looking tireless and unblemished apart from a bruise on her
cheek. Her arm flew out once more as straight as an arrow crashing her glove
hard into the right side of his jaw. TWAP! The loud sound of leather hard
against skin. His face snapped to the left, his whole torso twisted like a
corkscrew as his legs gave way beneath him and he went crashing to the canvas.
Whereupon he lay flat out upon his front unmoving.

The crowd went crazy even though the referee hadn't even begun the count.
Everyone knew that the fight was over, even if his supporters didn't want to
accept it, and he wasn't going to get up again any time soon. I had never seen
a lady render a man senseless before nor previously thought such a thing
possible without the aid of implements. The sight of the cold emotionless
strict-faced middle-class governess standing as the referee counted out the
still form of the working-class brute she had just rendered unconscious with
her own fists was such an invigorating sight that my member swelled to epic
proportions. So much so that it was some considerable time before I could
proceed without shame to the changing rooms to question this Victoria. By the
time I had navigated the departing crowds and persuaded the manager to let me
pass, I was informed that she had departed the premises.

Part 2: The bare-knuckle pugilist

3rd May 1897

I gave my verbal report to the chief then requested that he let me take some
officers to St. Agatha's college of Domestic Service to bring the Governess
and part-time pugilist Victoria Watson-Smythe to the Yard for questioning.
This being in relation to the attacks upon the officers trying to arrest
Suffragettes and the whereabouts of her mother. For I was certain that
Victoria was the younger of the two women described in the reports. Which
meant that her mother was most probably was the dangerous one who threw men
around like nine-pins. The Chief looked at me with a strange look of
resignation. "I'm afraid that will not be possible. St. Agatha's has a special
protection. Please do not ask me for I am not permitted to divulge it. Let us
just say it is a mason's charter and leave it at that". I tried to protest
that even masons were not above the law but he chided me on my naivety and
instructed me to find another way to get the information that I sought.

5th May 1897

A runner came to my office and passed me a note. I gave the lad threepence and
bade him to wait in case there was a reply. "Jack challenged V to a re-match
the old-fashioned way this Friday. V accepts. For your personal interest only.
Please acknowledge you understand. G". I did not know what 'the old-fashioned
way' was but understood that the cultured Mrs. Watson-Smythe had accepted a
re-match with the working-class bully Jack and that Gordon did not want me
attending in my official capacity which meant it was probably an illegal
fight. I was sure that Gordon would not take me to the location of the match
otherwise so I wrote a new note saying that I understood and would drop by to
see him for a drink after I'd finished work on Friday then gave the note to
the lad to return.

7th May 1897

After work, I met Gordon and a couple of his friends at his club then together
got a carriage to Whitechapel. This was one part of London where I never went.
It was old, wooden, narrow and crowded. It was nine years since Jack the
Ripper yet nothing had changed. Whitechapel was still populated with
prostitutes, violent crime and, yes, murderers. Gordon led us to what he
assured us was one of the better public houses in the area, which is not
saying much. There he introduced me to some of his peers, other club owners
and trainers, as well as some unidentified 'acquaintances' for a few beers.
Ignoring the hostile stares of some of the locals, he proceeded to enlighten
me with more history about boxing in the not too distant past. "Do you
remember me telling you about the boxing Baroness?" I told him that I did.
"And you remember she fought bare-fisted and without rules" I nodded. Such
matches were now illegal. If this was the fight we were about to view then
this explained why Gordon had been so insistent that I had come as an off-duty
civilian. "Despite her background she was upper-class. Amongst the working
class there is a much older more tradition prevalent. Brutal uncontrolled
scraps that took place in the rookeries". He was referring to the older parts
of the City that had not burnt down during the Great Fire of 1666 and had not
been rebuilt. "It differed from venue to venue but it was no holds barred and
fought to the end. Some allowed clubs, swords, and staves. It was a nasty
business and unprofessional. Injury and death was common"

"And women fought in such matches?" I asked. "Yes lad. Working class women or
prostitutes trying to make a little money or to settle a grudge. Some did it
for money, others fought for clothing, gin or men. The Irish lasses in
particular were renown for being especially tough. They often fought stripped
to the waist with their hair bound upon their heads so that they could fight
unencumbered. The sight of an aggressive woman, sweaty, bloody and bare
breasted gave the watching men a titillating display of animality and passion
rarely seen in polite society. These were no ordinary cat-fights, things got
very bloody indeed and vicious. It was also a powerful denial of the popularly
held belief about the natural passivity, gentleness and weakness of the female
sex". That had been my perception too until the professionally run boxing
matches at Gordon's club. "Would they fight men?" I asked getting interested.
"Indeed and sometimes beat them too. These were rough tough brutish women that
kept on fighting until submission or death. They would fight on through broken
jaws and noses, smashed teeth, bloodied mouths and swollen eyes". That indeed
was repellent. The thought that the otherwise respectable Mrs. Watson-Smythe
would partake in such barbarism did not sit right with the image I had of her.

One of Gordon's 'associates' announced that it was time to sup up and leave.
Gordon advised that we should visit the bathroom before we leave unless I
wished to urinate in public which I did not. We were then led through the maze
of streets and dim narrow alleys. The further we went, the more my heart sank
to see such endemic poverty. Finally we arrived at a large courtyard formed by
tall filthy terraced housing on all four sides. We made our way to the front
of a line of people lining a central area lit by the fading rays of the sun
where the fight was to be conducted and waited as the crowd built up. Soon
people were crowded from every open window and packed upon every terrace.
"Keep your wits about you and your hand upon your wallet for the pick-pockets
and cut-purses will be out in force, and don't purchase food or drink from the
sellers unless you want to spend the night throwing up your own guts" Gordon
warned.

A commotion ran through the massed throng as at long last a small group of
people moved into the middle of the square. Out came the organiser of the
event, a tall seedy looking man in a long leather coat flanked by a gang of
brutish thugs. Alongside was Jack and his seconds. He was stripped to the
waist showing off his impressive powerful physique which would intimidate most
men. His face still bore the bruises from his encounter the previous week. In
his hand was a wicked looking cudgel and I became afraid for the woman
remembering Gordon's earlier historical discourse. Victoria herself seemed
unperturbed, flanked as she was by a couple of well-dressed lady supporters.
Once again, she dressed well wearing a smart white blouse with pretty frills
and lace that seemed out of place for such a sordid location. Her waist was
pinched by a corset beneath and belted with a wide black leather strap. Her
large firm bosom and hour-glass figure drew much remark of a baldy nature. The
skirt she wore was long and black made of some lighter fabric than when I'd
last seen her box and came down to her ankles. However as she moved I saw that
the skirt was divided with overlapping panels as if meant to allow movement
for riding. Although why the lady would wear a riding dress, I could not
understand.

Once more she resembled a stern-looking school teacher. Her hair was pulled
back quite severely and pinned into a bun at the back of her head but
remarkably it was topped with a large wide-brimmed showy hat featuring lace
and plumes which seemed most out of place. Her thin pinched face was cold,
stern and unemotional as she removed her spectacles and passed them to one of
her ladies. I saw her glance at Jack and the cudgel in his hand then spoke
with her supporters who passed her a rolled long-handled umbrella. I was most
perplexed, was she expecting rain? There was no referee, no civilities. The
organizer and his heavies and both sets of supporters backed out of the
cleared arena leaving Jack grinning evilly while the tall, slim,
strict-looking middle-class governess faced him showing no emotion. Her dainty
fists were raised with the umbrella hanging from her arm. Dressed as for a
garden party, she looked completely misplaced in this hell-hole. Surrounded by
the dregs of humanity, the crowd weren't here for a display of boxing skill
and professionalism, they just wanted the entertainment of seeing two human
beings beating each other senseless and the more bloody it was the better. I
suspected that they wouldn't be on her side due to her class which she
flaunted in their faces. However in the end they would not really care who won
as long they beat their opponent to pulp.

This time Jack didn't even bother with any niceties neither did her even
bother to engage in any fisticuffs. He raised the heavy cudgel above his head
making his arms look thick, muscular and fearful. Then he ran at her screaming
loudly. The mob roared their approval sensing the start of a bloody end to the
snobby woman in their midst. My stomach clenched in knots of worry. The
rampaging man was almost upon her about to bring the cudgel crashing down to
smash her skull when showing no concern, she gracefully slipped the umbrella
from her arm and, gripping it with both hands, quickly thrust it towards his
oncoming body point first. Jack was too close and running too fast to stop.
The out-thrust point impaled itself deep between the muscled ridges on his
belly. "Arrrghhh!" he yelled as the point drove right in. Barely had he began
to crease forwards when she withdrew the umbrella and in a single fluid
movement with bent knee drove the point up into the flesh beneath the jaw.
"Arghh!" he cried as the thrust of the umbrella elevated his face upwards.
Deftly she spun the umbrella around and caught his neck in the crook of the
handle. A sudden tug brought his head down to the level of her waist. With
impressive athleticism her long black skirt divided and a panel rose as her
knee snapped up to meet his face. CRUD! The crowd roared as blood spurted in
all directions as his nose broke upon her knee. The umbrella spun once more
and the point was driven hard into the crook of his right arm. "Argh!" his
hand flew open and the cudgel fell to the ground. Once more the umbrella spun
as Victoria's skirt lifted and her booted foot came down upon his knee.
"Argh!" he screamed again, only to be silenced when the handle of the umbrella
was brought down with force upon the base of his neck. In an instant the
ruffian was down upon the ground, once again the male champion floored within
seconds by a sophisticated middle-class woman.

The crowd roared for her to smash his skull with the handle but instead the
cultured woman kicked the cudgel out of the arena then threw her surprising
deadly weapon to one of her seconds. With a look of stern reproach she
addressed the bloodied man struggling to get to his feet. "Try something like
that again and I promise I will break your arm. Now show some decorum and face
me like a man". Just then I felt a light tug upon my pocket. My hand closed
around a tiny wrist and I looked down to find a small grubby face. The lad
stuck out his tongue and his greasy wrist slipped out of my grasp and he fled
without my wallet. It was then that I realised that unlike this low-life crowd
who had probably never seen a bath let alone use on, Victoria was impeccably
clean and washed.

Jack's reply was unrepeatable and should never be heard by sensitive female
ears. With a snarl he launched himself at her with fists the size of
lump-hammers raised to give her a battering. Looking calm and collected with a
studious glare, she waited with her own fists raised. The sight of a feminine
graceful albeit stern-faced and buxom-figured woman in such a pose showing
great confidence and ready for violent action caused my member to stir in
arousal. She let him get so close that I nearly cried out aloud as he began to
launch a mighty swing at her head. With her forearms in front of her face for
protection, she surprised me by suddenly leaning her torso right back at a
sharp angle out of reach of the blow. At the same time the front of her
divided skirt snapped up high in an instant as her knee blasted into his
sternum. WHUMP! "Naarurfffff!" he yelled as his body jerked upwards and his
face became a grotesque mask of pain. I felt excitement in my loins that she
could get her knee so high. Without pause her torso snapped up straight then
her fists slammed right into his mouth. BLAM! BLAM! I was shocked, these
weren't dainty little punches from a delicate lady. BAM! BAM! Her fists struck
rapidly again, too fast for him to block. They were audibly loud punches that
rocked his head back and forth a couple of times in rapid succession. BAM!
BAM! She struck again. There was something raw and feral and highly exciting
about a well-dressed classed woman inflicting hard punches with her bare
fists.

Jack managed to return a couple of punches of his own but Victoria swiftly
leant out of their way. Suddenly her skirt flicked up as her leg rose in a
swift blur to kick him hard in the side. WHOCK! "Narghh!" it sounded like a
shockingly loud blow. I was shocked by how high she could kick. Jack recovered
quick, snarled and swung at her head but she nimbly leapt out of the way
around to his side. The hem of her skirt lifted as she raised her knee then
suddenly her foot shot around the around the back of his leg and slammed into
the back of his knee. WHAP! "Garhh!" the kick sounded loud and his body
slumped sharply to the left as his knee collapsed forwards. With incredible
speed, her skirt lifted at the knee once more and her leg kicked out again.
Like a club her shin hammered the side of his knee. "WHAP!" "Arrh!" his body
lurched unsteadily as his knee gave way. I was shocked that by how strong a
woman could kick. It was really quite exciting for I had never seen anybody
fight with their legs before. Yet it somehow seem right for a woman who lacked
upper body strength and I found my manhood stiffening further.

The self-assured stern-faced woman stepped in close and blasted her fists into
the face of the unsteady man. BLAM! BLAM! They were hard sharp punches that
jerked his head and almost made him lose balance. Instinctively he raised his
hands to stop any more punches and she slammed her bare hard knuckles into his
unprotected stomach. BAM! BAM! "Nuughh! Nughh!" he grunted as his strong gut
took the blows. Jack threw a punch at her but she deflected it with her right
arm then hammered her left fist once more into his gut. BAM! "Mmmnnnargh!" he
grunted as his muscular stomach absorbed the blow. Suddenly she stepped to his
side and the hem of her skirt rose in the blink of an eye as her knee lifted
before her higher than her waist before driving it into his stomach with
fearsome sound and force. WHUMP! "Woaarrrrragh!" he groaned as he fought his
body from creasing forwards with small success. She started to raise her
devastating knee once more. Although clearly affected by that last blow with
his face turning red and breathing heavily, the sight of that knee rising once
more spurred him into action. Throwing his head down in front of him, he
suddendly ran at close range into the lady. His thick muscled arms encircled
her waist and he began to push her backwards to trip her up. I became alarmed,
surely there was no way that she could break free of the strong man's arms.
Yet she did not look panicked. Raising her elbow level with the top of her
head, she brought it down sharply upon the man's back. WHUMP! "Nnnngh!"
although he faltered he managed to bring her down to the ground in all her
finery. Jack too nearly stumbled but recovered enough to crouch down low over
her like a predator about to kill it's prey with one strong hand pressing her
right shoulder to the ground. The bile rose in my throat as he drew back his
right fist to slam into her defenceless female face. Remaining calm while upon
her back with the brute looming over her, the classed woman raised her knees
and pressed her calves against the insides of his legs pushing them apart.
Suddenly she slid both feet up the insides of his legs into his groin and with
sheer strength of leg alone straightened her legs lifting the man's body
completely from the ground and throwing him with force over the top of her
head. My manhood lurched strongly as the big muscular man whipped head over
heels by the power of a woman's legs alone. I had never before seen a woman do
such a thing nor had previously suspected that such a thing was possible.

Whether Jack was as shocked as I was, he did not show it but by the time he
had got to his feet, Victoria was right in front of him. But before he could
throw a punch, the lady began slamming her bare fists towards his face. CRACK!
CRACK! You could tell by the sharp loud sound and the way his head jerked
under the impact that her punches were strong and that only made my member
stiffer. Jack got his guard up and began returning punches of his own which
she in turn blocked. Jack was a tough seasoned brawler used to using his fists
and was determined to pay her back for the earlier humiliation. Clearly too
impatient to batter down her guard, he took the brave maybe foolhardy decision
to stand his ground, stoically taking several sharp punches to his chest and
face looking for an opening before slamming in a punch of his own. BAM! A
mighty punch to her chin whipped Victoria's head back sharply and caused her
to stagger back in a daze. Sneering in grim satisfaction the brute swung his
mighty fist again. BAM! My heart leapt into my mouth as Victoria's dress
crumpled as she collapsed to the ground.

Jack leapt upon her, but she quickly raised her left knee in way of his belly.
Undeterred he threw a punch towards her face but she threw up her forearms to
protect her face. Sensing blood he kept slamming his fists into her forearms
over and over while leaning over her raised knee and shin like punching over a
gate. With a surge of athleticism I had not expected from such a cultured
woman, the downed lady twisted upon the ground and while keeping her left knee
and shin to keep him at bay, threw her weight upon her upper back in order to
swing her right leg over the top. The top of her boot snapped across his face
like a whip. CRACK! "Nnngh!" She immediately reversed the direction of leg and
swung it back in the opposite direction in a whip-crack, the sole of her boot
blasting his face hard from one side to the other. WHAP! "Nnngh!" unsightly
spittle flew from his mouth as his face spun around. Jack tried to persevere
but couldn't even raise his fist before another lightning fast kick swept his
face from right to left. Snarling in anger and with cheeks red from her kicks,
the brute raised his arms to block the return kick. Her foot swept back in a
blur, the boot crashing into his forearms and sending them smashing into his
own face which jerked back hard. WHAP! "Nuurgh!". The severe-looking college
governess dropped her left knee and placed the foot upon his belly then reared
herself up from the ground upon her arms like a bridge then drew back her
right leg and began hammering his face with brutal stomps. BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!
His head jerked back and forth, his face bruised and bloodied. The crowd
cheered loudly at the sight of a big hulking man being pulverised at the feet
of an unquestionably feminine although stern-looking woman.

Jack couldn't take any more of this punishment and rolled quickly on his side
out of harm's way then forced himself to his feet, his face red with blood and
fury while snarling and cursing. With a great roar of fury he drove himself
towards the woman just as she had gained her feet, coming in close to launch a
barrage of furious punches. Luckily for her, the stern-looking governess had
amazingly fast reactions and managed to bring her forearms pointing vertically
in front of her face just in time. They jerked visibly as his knuckles drove
against them. Again and again Jack pressed forwards forcing the woman back as
his mighty fists crashed into her forearms with such ferocity that for several
moments she had to concentrate on protecting herself. At last she managed
returned a couple of quick jabs to his face in between his punches which were
largely ineffectual as she had to quickly return her forearms to protect her
face. Suddenly Jack made a feint for her face before slamming his fists into
her stomach. PAT! PAT! It was a loud sound of fists against padded fabric. A
couple of unladylike grunts left her lips as her corset absorbed the blow.
Before he could strike again, her long black skirt whipped up and her knee
drove into his forearm spoiling his next punch.

Instantly she stepped up close and swung her right elbow around from the
shoulder in a swift horizontal arc. It struck his chin with considerable force
whipping his face around from one side to the other in a spray of spittle.
CLUNK! In a dazed stupor, Jack lurched back swinging his fist widely towards
her head. Her skirt folded elegantly as she ducked beneath his outstretched
arm, then drilled a right then a left punch into his right side just beneath
the ribs in rapid succession. WHUMP! WHUMP! "Naargh!". Jack lashed out wildly
and managed to connect with the side of her jaw. The woman in the blouse and
long dress went down like a sack of potatoes, spilling her big hat from her
head. The big brute snatched it up then punched his fist right through it.
"That's what's going to happen to your face in a second, lady" he growled. The
concern rose inside me as Victoria looked stunned. The muscular bare-chested
brute leant over and grabbed the bun at the back of her hair and used it to
pull her head from the ground. "Argh!" Her cries of pain were chilling.
Smirking, Jack drew back his big hairy fist to mash her face. The woman
writhed, yelping in anguish as she twisted around to face him. Then her long
black skirt folded up like a rising mountain as she raised her right knee.
"Hai!" such an unladylike shout came from the woman's lips that even Jack
paused. Her foot shot forwards like a bullet and slammed against his right
kneecap. THUD! "Aaayahhh!" he screeched loudly but no sooner he had than
Victoria whipped out her other leg and hooked the top of her foot behind his
injured leg. Swiftly pulling her foot forward she swept his away causing him
to fall down upon his back. BAM! "Arrgggh!".

With her small sharp eyes glaring and her narrow face pinched in sour
concentration, the lady quickly moved towards him. He tried to sit up and
throw a punch at her but before he had barely raised his arm her boot slammed
a brutal side kick into his forearm stopping him with numbing force. WHUMP!
"Argh!" leaning over him, she began punching downwards into his face while
getting lower. WHAP! WHAP! Jack tried to raise his forearms to protect his
face but only one worked and she kept slamming stinging punches into it. Then
in a most scandalous fashion, she leapt upon his waist, her long skirt
splaying out around her as she straddled him. WHUMP! WHUMP! She began beating
her fists into his unprotected chest. Angry, Jack sat up and threw a punch and
hit her ample bosom WHAP! His fist plunged in until stopped by the cushion of
her breasts. "Oooooo!" she squealed then with a frightening look of
indignation swung her fist with such force that it connected solidly with his
chin and sent his head crashing back to the ground. Whereupon Victoria leapt
forward and ended up in the most un-seemingly of positions sitting upon his
chest with her skirts arranged around. I had the disquieting thought of
wondering what it would be like to be beneath a fair lady and thought that it
might be quite pleasant until she began driving punches into one cheek then
the other. WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! Jack threw up his forearms to protect
his face as she continued raining down punches. To my horror, Jack swept his
arms and managed to catch one fist then the other. I saw her struggling but
she could not free her hands for he was too strong. Sneering he began to sit
up, pressing her back with his superior upper body strength. All of a sudden
she rolled backwards onto his legs, brought her knees up between their arms
and began slamming brutal close-distance stomps into his face. WHAM! WHAM!
Jack quickly dropped her hands and bucked and rolled her off him.

Both fighters quickly got to their feet and once more faced each other with
fists raised. "You're nimble and pretty handy with your legs lady but you're
just a woman at the end of the day and I'm going to knock your block off and
feed it to the pigs" he bellowed. Actually what he said was a lot courser than
that but I cannot bring myself to soil the page with his words. "Boastfulness
is a sin of pride and pride comes before a fall" she lectured. Jack suddenly
rushed forwards with a terrible snarl upon his lips and his arm muscles
bunching in knots ready to unleash a terrible beating upon the woman who was
showing him up. Before Jack could get anywhere near to land a punch, the
lady's black skirt flicked up with a horizontal edge. In the blink of an eye
her foot punched his lower abdomen. WHUMP! "Nnuuff!" he puffed. With shocking
speed, she pulled back her foot and without lowering it to the ground, twisted
and kicked the leading edge of her shin right across the side of his waist.
WHAP! "Orraghh!" the sound of her foot connecting with his body was loud and
solid indicating that she had a strong kick. Jack's big fist flew out but she
leant right back out of reach as her leg snapped out straight for her foot to
hammer against his belly. WHACK! "Nnnngh!" he grunted, his body jerking under
the blow. Not giving him time to recover, she raised her knee swiftly. The
lower part of the leg snapped straight in an instant driving the point of her
boot right beneath his rib cage WHUMP! "Bbbbmmmmmm!" he stifled a groan. The
very next instant, without lowering her foot to the ground her skirt flicked
up again and her knee cannon-balled straight into his gut with such a dreadful
sound. WHUMP! I swear to you that the man's torso shaped itself around it as
it was carried into the air, his feet rising clear from the ground by a good
foot or more before dropping back. The knee struck his body with such fearsome
power that his voice was taken forcibly from him as his face drooped into
agony.

No sooner had his feet returned to the ground and he began to crease forwards
when the well-dressed lady with the severe countenance kicked up her long
dress once more with astonishing agility, her skirt opened up like fan as her
foot soared high like a showgirl until the top of her boot hammered cruelly
into his face. BLAM! His head whipped back in a spray of spittle and blood
while his knees gave way and he collapsed to the ground. "Oh you boastful man.
Totally out fought and humiliated by a mere woman" Victoria lectured the
fallen man who writhed on the ground, panting heavily and looking to be in a
drunken daze. The prim and proper looking woman looked at his feeble efforts
to stay conscious with amusement. "What was that rule you were so keen on
insisting upon?" she pondered in a mocking manner placing a finger upon her
small thin lips. Jack struggled to force himself over to his elbows and knees
in an attempt to get back up but he was too dazed. "Ah yes, that's right. It
is to be a fight until the finish". Looking at her standing over him with her
corseted dress emphasising her buxom hour-glass figure looking so confident
and superior as she looked down with contempt for the brute that challenged
her the front of my trousers lifted to obscene proportions that were
impossible to hide. Jack too was sporting a stiffness in his trousers although
judging by his bruised, battered and bloodied face, he was a mix of
conflicting emotions both embarrassed by the disobedient reaction of his loins
and anger at his continued humiliation by this snooty middle-class woman. Once
again, she had demonstrated her physical superiority and fighting skills over
the man who was supposed to be the local area boxing champion and he clearly
didn't like it.

Jack was not the type of man to accept defeat easily and especially not twice
to such a sophisticated lady. Cautiously watching her he got to his feet low
down in a crouching position. Suddenly he sprang up, rising fast and bringing
his sledgehammer-like fists to bear upon her face. Showing calm and grace,
Victoria raised her right forearm to take the blow and drove her left fist
against his lower abdomen. WHAP! "Nurgh!" he grunted. It was probably was no
more than an inconvenient tap for his strong belly but then in a blink, the
front of her skirt whipped up high as the front of her shin slammed like a
crowbar across his stomach. WHAP! "Nuuargh!" his grunt was louder as was the
sound of the impact. Grinning his teeth and baring it, Jack swung a punch
straight at her. She whipped quickly to avoid it but the blow caught her
heavily upon the shoulder, her torso turning in the direction of the blow.
Jack quickly stepped forward to deliver the follow-up. That close he couldn't
possibly miss.

As his big fist rocketed towards her jaw, she quickly raised her right arm
bent inward at the elbow and slammed it down upon his flying fist. His fist
was brought down barely an inch from her jaw and forced onto the top of her
shoulder. With her forearm pressing down upon the inside of his elbow to keep
his arm in place, she jabbed a left straight into the right side of his jaw.
CLOCK! as her arm extended his face was forcibly hurled towards the left. Like
quick-fire her fist shot forwards again driving into his side beneath his ribs
THWAP! "Argh!" he grimaced and tried to pull his right arm free but her arm
hooked over the top stopped it. WHACK! Her fist fired again straight into his
left eye. Seizing the hand upon her shoulder, she bent it sharply back at the
wrist and leant away stretching his arm between them. Her skirt leapt up as
she kicked him in the side of the chest BLAM! gut WHUMP! the side of his head
WHOCK! and face BLAM! in a blaze of non-stop lightning-fast kicks where her
leg never returned to the ground in between. Releasing his arm, she wrapped
her forearms around his neck and drove her formidable knee straight into his
gut. WHOMP! "Oraghhh!". A figure of non-stop rapid motion, she pulled down his
head at the time her knee rose SPLAT! blood sprayed everywhere as she re-awoke
his already busted nose. The crowd loved it, this is what they wanted to see.
There was no doubt that she was totally dominating him and I found it
incredibly exhilarating and arousing.

Without mercy she stepped close to the battered man and swung her elbow around
rapidly in a horizontal arc hammering the point against his cheek. WAP!
"Nnnargh!" his face whipped around to his right under the impact. Then her
elbow shot up vertically crashing into the underside of his jaw snapping his
face skywards BLAM! His knees wobbled and he looked like for a moment he could
barely stand. That's when the well-dressed woman grabbed his wrist and twisted
his arm over his shoulder while moving behind him then stomped upon the back
of his knee driving him to the ground. She raised her foot to stomp him into
the ground but remarkably in an act of self-preservation, Jack rolled out of
the way.

A cunning sly smile stole upon his bloodied swollen lips as he cautiously
regained his feet, spat a bloody gob then wiped his mouth with his thick bare
muscled arm. "Don't even think about. Remember my warning. I will make you
live to regret it" the stern thin faced woman warned. I did not comprehend to
what she was referring until the big hulking man reached into his back pocket
and drew out a long chunky wooden object. With a flick a wicked knife blade
emerged and without warning lunged right at her.

Strangely the woman did not show the alarm I felt of witnessing a murder and
being unable to prevent it, knowing that I would find no-body in this crowd
who would admit to being witness. She remained icy-calm, her severe features
emotionless as he rushed to within stabbing distance. I think I cried out
aloud as his arm flew out towards her, the knife aimed at her heart. With cold
chilling precision the woman deftly stepped aside seizing his wrist with her
right hand. Drawing it pass her in front of her body then turned away
elegantly as if as a dance while pressing against his elbow with her own as
she pivoted his arm against the side of her body. "Aieee!" he yelped as he was
forced to bend by her side. In a rapid motion, she raised her elbow above the
back of his stooped neck and brought it down ruthlessly. BAM! "Arghh!" he
cried as blow jerked his head downwards. With emotions as chilling as ice, the
stern no-nonsense college governess cruelly yanked his arm up high using both
hands forcing him to stand. He was writhing and yelping in pain as she kept
his arm bent. She kept him in that strange helpless position for quite time
demonstrating how totally she was in control as his trouser-bulge got bigger
and bigger as indeed did mine. She looked down her long sleek nose at him with
open disdain as if looking at something nasty she had picked up from the
pavement, which in a way she had. "If you are not sorry now, you soon will be"
she spoke in a chilling cold voice that sent shivers down my spine.

With that she turned completely away from him and pulled his arm over her
cultured shoulder. To my surprise she leant forward pulling the brute's chest
onto her back while his groin was balanced upon her rather shapely posterior
with his feet dangling in the air well above the ground. Victoria's ample
bosom hung down low inside her blouse dangling in a very disturbing manner
much to the delight of many men in the crowd. She kept him balanced in that
strange exciting position with his crotch pressed against her behind for quite
a while. "Ohhhh ohhhhh" to my surprise Jack began making strange moaning
noises but not pain but almost in erotic pleasure and closed his eyes as if
the same. "Ohhhhhh ohhhh Please please" he began begging but it didn't sound
like he was begging for mercy. Showing only cold contempt upon her face, she
kept him balanced upon her back as his moans got louder and more lustful until
the whole crowd was laughing at him and making bawdy suggestions. Suddenly he
was rolling his eyes and thrusting his hips like a dog in rut. "Ohhhhhhhh
ohhhhh Nnnnnnnargh!" his moans went insane then ended in a big sigh of
pleasure. The lady returned his feet to the ground but then immediately bent
sharply forward. To my absolute shock the big brawny man was again lifted onto
her back but this time didn't stop there and went hurtling at great speed over
her shoulder with his head plummeting towards the ground while his body
flipped right over so that his legs pointed towards the sky before whipping
right over as he described an arc and his back slammed into the ground with
great force. BERLAM! He lay there groaning and stunned. I had seen it, I had
seen it with my own eyes! A mere woman of the middle-classes, a tall and slim
one at that, had bodily thrown a man with great force to the ground with
seemingly little effort. I was certain that I was on the right track in my
investigation. As the vision replayed itself in my mind, rather than it being
a thing of fear, I found myself highly aroused. So much so that my loins
throbbed painfully tight inside my pants. That's when I saw the dark
glistening wet patch at Jack's crotch and realised that he had abased himself
in public. The sight very nearly caused me to do the same.

All of a sudden Jack began yelping and writhing. Then I noticed that Victoria
had retained grip of his wrist and had stretched his arm vertical pivoting the
back of his elbow over her skirted knee. Her other hand had bent his hand
right back into an abnormal position. That a well-to-do lady could cause such
distress to a big hulking brute of a man was both fascinating and exciting,
nay, arousing. "Aie! Aieee!" he cried, his eyes screwed tight in pain. Coldly,
she pressed her knee sharply into his elbow. CRACK! "Agggghhhh!" his
blood-curdling scream filled the entire courtyard and reverberated off all
four walls. "If you play with knives you will get hurt" She lectured then
cruelly bent back his broken arm forcing him crying and sobbing to his feet
without a fleck of compassion in her face. Such coldness chilled me and I
wondered whether the chief was right to fear the spread of such cold-hearted
fighting women such as this amongst the suffragettes. The man was clearly
broken yet she cruelly forced him to stand stooped weeping openly in agony as
she tortured his broken arm. Her harsh stern voice addressed him "Although you
gave me better exercise than our last encounter, I still proved your
inadequacy in physical combat. You are no match for me as I have demonstrated
my superiority and dominance over you once again. Again I find myself bored of
you and so bid you farewell and reminding you that it was you not I that
wanted a fight to the finish".

Still holding his ruined arm, she leant to one side away from him. "Hai!" an
unusual loud unladylike from her mouth made me jump, Jack too. Her long black
skirt opened up like a fan as her right right whipped up in a blur then her
lower leg snapped out straight. The sole of her boot struck his sternum like a
thunderbolt. BLAM! "Nnnnnnarghh!" his face screwed up and a loud groan escaped
his lips. Pivoting quickly on one foot and without lowering the other to the
ground, she snapped it forward in an instant hammering his upper thigh with
her shin. WHAP! it made a solid sound and he lifted his leg momentarily as if
stung. Like lightning and again not returning to the ground her leg
immediately struck again, the length of her skirt draped shin clubbing him
across his muscled belly. WHAP! "Nnnngh!". With unbelievable speed, her foot
folded back below the knee then snapped out again speeding gaining incredible
height. The toe of her boot struck hard on the side of his jaw with a solid
sound of hard leather boot connecting with flesh covered bone. WHAP! "Uggg!"

No sooner had his head flown back under the mighty impact than she released
his arm, returned her foot to the ground and drove her bare lady-like fist
into the middle of his face. BLAM! His head snapped back once more, his bloody
nose re-awoken. The cultured woman was clearly intent on demonstrating to him
once more her formidable fighting prowess. It was unnecessarily arrogant yet
highly arousing. Barely had his head stopped rocking when she stepped forwards
and hooked her hands around the back of his neck. The front of her long skirt
rose fast as her knee lifted with dreadful power against his belly and plunged
deep BERLAM! "Wooarghh!" he wailed, his whole body lifting onto the tips of
his toes before settling down and folding over her strong raised knee. All the
while she pulled upon the back of his neck as her knee continued to travel
upwards at an angle into the depths of his gut to force out his breath. His
strong stomach muscles were no match for the lady's brutally strong knee. The
skirt flicked upwards once more. "Nooo!" the man wailed pathetically as her
powerful appendage rocketed towards his bent over face kept in place by her
hands like a human sacrifice. BERLAM! Her hard unforgiving knee struck the
side of his jaw like a hammer upon an anvil while the top edge of her thigh
struck his cheekbone with terrible force. "Orargh!" his lower jaw lurched
grotesquely to the right with a horrible CLOCK! Yet her knee was unstoppable
continuing to rise driving Jack's head and torso back up straight.

This brutal display of the woman's domination of the brutish man was terrible
to watch as well as incredible stimulating. Without mercy for Jack's dazed
state, the cultured woman bent her left elbow close to his body and drove her
fist forcibly upwards into the underside of his chin. BOK! His teeth gnashed
together as his jaws banged shut. Her fist continued to rise rapidly raising
his head and knocking it back. Her fist soared triumphantly into the air as
his head whipped back over his shoulder. That this well-dressed and corseted
woman was totally and utterly destroying this man had my manhood thumping
strongly in my trousers. Jack's head flopped forwards and he slumped bending
over his knees totally beat. The long black skirt raised at the front once
more as her deadly knee came up and the lower leg snapped forward. The top of
her boot clubbed the side of his jaw with solid strength. WHOCK! CRACK! His
damaged lower jaw lurched grossly to the left as the sheer power of her foot
lifted his face, contorted in excruciating pain and sent it hurtling upwards.
Her leg continued to rise driving his head back over his shoulders. With
stunning flexibility and athleticism the lady's leg continued to soar towards
the sky until her foot was way above her head, with her panelled skirt sliding
back along her long raised thigh. Scandalously with the glimpse of thick black
stockings protecting her modesty, I noted that the outline of her calves were
thick, strong and most agreeably shapely. That furtive glimpse quickly
vanished as her leg fell returning her foot to the ground.

Jack was barely standing, his head lolling heavily upon his shoulders while
his knees sagged hardly able to keep him standing. He was quite visibly
swaying. "Please no more" he mumbled barely understandable with his broken
jaw. She faced him with her hands upon her hips emphasising her dramatic
hour-glass figure with its tightly pinched waist and buxom top-heavy chest.
She may be shrewish looking but she was all-woman and she was letting him know
it. Glaring at him with a cold emotionless smile with her thin face and harsh
cheeks firmly set in stern disapproval, the front of his trousers became stiff
and began to rise once more. The crowd fell silent as the level of expectancy
rose. Finally she spoke in words most chilling. "Beg as if to your mistress to
put you away, out of your misery". Jack's trouser stiffness began throbbing
strongly making mine do the same. He hung in shame but he struggled to voice
his response. Victoria spoke up in harsh impatient tones "Well I can't stand
around all day for you to admit defeat. I've got pupils to punish and staff to
discipline".

With that and to astonished disbelief of all, she suddenly bent her arms with
forearms vertical bringing these down as if pulling upon something while
raising her knee high then bringing it back down. She gave a mighty leap into
the air of such breathtaking height that it seemed like magic. Her feet
quickly folded beneath her during the ascent until they were level with his
face whereupon her long skirt slid back along her thigh once more revealing
thick black stockings and a strong shapely calve as her lower leg kicked out
straight in front of her. The sole of her boot hurtled straight for Jack's
dumbfounded face at shocking speed. BLAM! Blood exploded in all directions
obscuring the man's features as his body hurtled backwards towards the ground
like a fallen tree. Her amazing athleticism was too much for me and I am
ashamed to admit that I messed myself quite badly. Victoria landed lithely
upon her feet then stepped one foot upon the unmoving male and in an oddly
masculine gesture, raised both arms and bent them in victory as would have a
man flexing his biceps. I noted the sleeves of her blouse became tight and
seemed to thicken as if straining to contain something within. No, that must
have been my imagination.

The crowd erupted loudly acknowledging her decisive victory. Embarrassment or
not, I need to reach Victoria to speak with her. However the crowd surged in
all directions, many to settle or collect bets, others to depart. Once I had
pushed my way closer to the centre, I could see Victoria with her seconds
readying to depart. However my way was blocked by the organizer's thugs and I
knew that flashing my Police credentials would probably get me killed.
Admitting defeat I rejoined Gordon and his friends. "I think you rather
enjoyed that, my lad" He told me rather enthusiastically then must have noted
my embarrassed look. "A fine figure of a woman that one, although a bit too
strict faced and cold for my liking, but an excellent fighter. That was how
the women used to fight in the old days before Queensbury, feet, knees,
elbows, teeth and claws too".

We headed back through the throng, mindful of pickpockets, back to the Public
house where we were to have one last pint before seeking a carriage. As he got
the order in I went into the bathroom to use a cubicle. While I was in there I
overhead the conversation of two men at the urinal. "That's one hell of a
tough woman that, all la-di-da and cold as ice but fought like the Devil's
daughter. I wouldn't like to meet her in a dark alley, I can tell you".
Whereupon his companion replied "You think she's tough, you've not seen
nothing. Her mother, now there's a scary one. A right old mean lady with grey
hair and all. Could take on several like Jack and beat them harshly til they
were weeping like kids. Works up at the Workhouse. I was in there once, never
again I can tell you, because of her. That's one to avoid believe you me".
Their business done, I heard them leave. I tidied myself and having flushed
and washed my hands, returned to Gordon pondering upon how I could use this
new knowledge.