[Jupiter]

Not sure if this question has already came up, but I was recently going through some old newspapers that were on microfilm, and noticed there were quite a few cases of two women fighting ending up in court. Interestingly, a couple of these cases involved women in their forties and fifties fighting. The newspapers i was looking through, dated from 1925-35, in Britain. The question arises, did older women fight more often in the past?

[ukfightfan73]

I think, especially in mining or industrial towns, maybe women fought more. But being honest in social housing schemes especially, women in their 40's and 50's still get into scraps. Usually neighbour disputes, kids/grandkids causing trouble. The majority of those fights won't make the press, the courts or even involve the police.

I actually saw an Instagram story yesterday from a Morrisons supermarket with what looked like a 60+ and a 70+ year old in a proper roll around, hair pulling scrap at the self service checkouts (obviously 1 to many "item not in bagging area sent them over the edge ?) while 3 members of staff tried to separate them

[Mike_Lynn]

I think, especially in mining or industrial towns, maybe women fought more. But being honest in social housing schemes especially, women in their 40's and 50's still get into scraps. Usually neighbour disputes, kids/grandkids causing trouble. The majority of those fights won't make the press, the courts or even involve the police.

I actually saw an Instagram story yesterday from a Morrisons supermarket with what looked like a 60+ and a 70+ year old in a proper roll around, hair pulling scrap at the self service checkouts (obviously 1 to many "item not in bagging area sent them over the edge ?) while 3 members of staff tried to separate them

My wife remains fit and feisty at 67 (could pass for early 50s). Her attitude about “what others would say” is far less important now than years gone by. Maybe older gals throw down more frequently as they reach that stage of “who cares”?

[ukfightfan73]

My wife remains fit and feisty at 67 (could pass for early 50s). Her attitude about “what others would say” is far less important now than years gone by. Maybe older gals throw down more frequently as they reach that stage of “who cares”?

I think you are right about the attitude. There is nowhere near as much "what would the neighbours say!" and much more of a "keep talking and I'm going to identify as a problem" lol  I also think since lockdown men and women have much shorter fuses to getting physical in arguments and fights than previously

[presenterfan]

The original question is almost impossible to answer. The people who.might have experience in those years are not available for comment. There was an interesting TV series on bare knuckle boxing. A few women took part in this but it was regulated. The ladies, some from good background would hold coins in her fists. The first to drop them would lose.  In the slum of the city, if two women clashed they would arrange to meet and word would quickly spread.  The fights were without rules the the women would be at risk of infection from wounds in the filthy street.
Research shows these women were manly Irish immigrants and very poor.  The gentry, both men and women, who dared enter these area, centred off Tottenham Court Road, would be treated to fights to the finish and the women would often fight topless so their meagre clothing wasn’t damaged.   There was no evidence that women over 30  fought.
As Uk fight fan rightly say, the only fights we learn about are those that go to court.  Local papers can be seen on line and although you don’t get a blow by blow account you get the ages, the reason and the place.   A report of road rage in Bournemouth saw a women of 65 battling a woman in her 50s.   The good thing was there were photos of both women as they left the court.  No need for imagination.