Mary Saxby

Mary Saxby (; 1738 – 20 December 1801) was a British vagrant whose writings were published as Memoirs of a female vagrant, written by herself. With illustrations [and a preface by S. Greatheed].

Life Mary Saxy was born Mary Howell in London in 1738, to Susannah and John Howell. Her mother died in childbirth, and her father worked overseas, so Howell was raised by an uncle. She was educated at Reverend Whitefield's school. A self-described difficult child, she directed her fierce temper at her stepmother after her father remarried. Howell eventually ran away and established a rural life northeast of London. Her survival depended on begging for food and avoiding the advances of men. While itinerant in Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire, she mixed with gypsies and other itinerants. Her rescue came after an acquaintance, John Saxby, fought for her release. The memoirs had been offered to publishers by her daughter, Kezia, and one of her sons.