Emma Sharp
Emma Sharp was a pedestrian, a term in the 19th century that referred to athletes who competed in pedestrianism, a hugely popular sport in the Western world at the time.
In these competitions, participants would walk around a track, aiming to achieve a specific distance, while others would compete to see who could cover the farthest distance within a set period. Crowds of thousands, sometimes even tens of thousands, would gather to watch.
In September 1864, Emma took on the challenge of walking 1,000 miles in 1,000 hours.
Dressed in what was described as a "red and black checked coat and trousers"—the latter causing a stir as it was considered scandalous for a woman to wear pants—she walked around a 120-yard track in Laisterdyke, England. Emma would walk for 30 minutes, followed by a 90-minute break at the nearby Quarry Gap Hotel.
While some cheered for her success, others did not. Betting on pedestrian competitions was common, and with money on the line, many people were desperate to see her fail. Some threw burning embers in her way, others tried to tamper with her food, and some even attempted to trip her. As the threats escalated, eighteen police officers, disguised as ordinary citizens, were assigned to protect her in the final days of the race. At night, a local man walked ahead of her, carrying a loaded rifle for protection. Emma herself carried a pistol during the last two days, reportedly firing warning shots 27 times to fend off disruptive spectators.
Despite these challenges, on October 29, 1864, in front of a crowd of 25,000 spectators, Emma completed the 1,000-mile walk within 1,000 hours, over the course of six weeks.
Sources:
Samantha. "The Story of Emma Sharp and the Barclay Challenge." Forgotten History, Today I Found Out.
"Long walk to put women on the map." Telegraph & Argus.
Photograph taken in 1864 - Wikimedia Foundation, Wikimedia Commons