Origins of the term "Peeping Tom"
By
Nicky Smith
I was asked about this at work recently and have realised that some PnPers
may not know the origins of the term 'Peeping Tom'. So here goes -
Nicky
Lady Godiva was a noblewoman who lived in Coventry, England in the
eleventh century. Together with her husband, Leofric III, Earl of Mercia,
Lady Godiva founded the monastery at Coventry in 1043.
Leofric quickly became active in public affairs, handling financial
matters that arose as the town of Coventry grew around the monastery. The
tax burden on the peasant populace also grew, as mandated by Leofric, and
soon, Lady Godiva began her campaigning for a tax reduction.
As the story goes, Leofric agreed to the reduction on one condition. He
would reduce the local taxes when his wife would ride naked through the
market square of Coventry. Once Lady Godiva ensured that she truly had his
permission to ride naked through the town, she announced she would do it.
Legend has it that Godiva sent advance word to the townspeople of
Coventry, asking them to avert their eyes as she rode naked through the
market. Out of respect for Godiva, all complied with her wishes. All except
one tailor named Tom, who could not help but sneak a peek as she rode by.
Immediately after viewing her, Tom was struck blind. From this story comes
the phrase "Peeping Tom". Historians generally agree that this portion of
the story was added on as an embellishment much later in the history than
the actual event. There is historical evidence for details of the Lady
Godiva story, including land and tax records of the time. Women have used
the symbol of Lady Godiva to inspire their own demonstrations in modern
times.
