"Rabbit Rabbit" (Mary Toft, The Woman Who Gave Birth To Rabbits)

In the summer of 1726, In the little Village of Godalming, a 25 year old servant woman claimed to give birth to rabbits. Surgeons, nobles, and even the King believed her at first, but the truth, or a version of it that the public can embrace, always has a way of coming out.

For years, history thought they had solved the mystery of "The Rabbit Breeder", but beneath the hoax lies a darker tale of pain, power, and control.This is the true story of monstrous birth — and the woman behind it. This is the story of Mary Toft.

 

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Mary Toft, Monster and Mason By Karen Harvey

University of Glasgow Library — The Curious Case of Mary Toft A digital exhibition exploring the archival material and cultural impact of the Toft hoax.

The Public Domain Review — Mary Toft and Her Extraordinary Delivery of Rabbits

History Extra — Who Was Mary Toft & How Did Her Rabbit Hoax Capture Georgian Society?

Nathaniel St. André — A Short Narrative of an Extraordinary Delivery of Rabbets (1726) The original pamphlet published by one of the royal physicians who believed Mary Toft. 📖 Available via digitized archives or referenced through secondary sources like PDR and Harvey’s article.

 

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