Joan Rhodes

Joan Rhodes (13 April 1921 – 30 May 2010) was a British performer, wrestler, stuntwoman and strongwoman. Born into poverty in London, she and her siblings were deserted by their parents. Following unhappy spells in the workhouse and with an aunt, she left home at 14. After sleeping rough in Brewer Street in Soho, she joined a travelling fair, where she got the idea for her act after seeing a professional strongman at work. Her autobiography, Coming on Strong, was published in 2007. In her later years, she ran a small café in Crouch Hill just down the road from the Mountview Theatre School (now moved) and she was popular with its students.