With this baby still in nappies, Joseph disappeared. The Raveness, an English performance poet from Warwickshire, composed a spoken word piece entitled "Of Rope and Arsenic" about Cotton and featured the nursery rhyme on her album. However, the prosecutions evidence, notably the other arsenic-related deaths, proved insurmountable, and she was convicted and sentenced to death. In 1867, Mary Ann's stepfather George Stott married his widowed neighbour, Hannah Paley. 5 May 1802- Rotherhithe, Southwark, London, England, United Kingdom. Belle Gunness was a hard-working Norwegian immigrant to America who took in three foster children (Greig). She and her only surviving child, Isabella, had moved back to County Durham. Perhaps this is what caused the young family, in May 1893, to sail from Liverpool on RMS Umbria to New York for a new life. Cotton's trial began on 5 March 1873. There, she discovered that no money would be paid out until a death certificate was issued. Mary Ann Robson Cotton, was a serial killer convicted of murdering her mother, 11 of her 13 children, her stepson and 3 of her 4 husbands by arsenic poisoning. Her death was registered by her son ROBINSON the day after she died. She complained that the last surviving Cotton boy, Charles Edward, was in the way and asked Riley if he could be committed to the workhouse. Nattrass soon followed, though not before he put Mary Ann down as a beneficiary in his will. She told Riley that the boy was sickly and added: "I wont be troubled long. Mary Ann Cotton's now-inevitable trial was delayed, as it soon became clear to officials that she was pregnant. Riley, who also served as West Auckland's assistant coroner, said she would have to accompany him. Her stepson, Frederick Jr., and Robert, her infant son with Frederick, died early 1872. After it became clear that young Charles Cotton had died of arsenic poisoning, authorities gave permission for the exhumation of three more of Mary Ann Cotton's alleged victims, the RadioTimes reports. Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. Riley went to the village police and convinced the doctor to delay writing a death certificate until the circumstances could be investigated. When Cotton gave birth to her and Robinson's child, her infant daughter quickly died of "convulsions." With thanks to Vivienne Smith, Durham; Joyce Malcolm, Newton Aycliffe; Alistair Fraser, the Western Front Association; John Dinning and Geoff Wall, the Ferryhill Heritage Centre; Tom Hutchinson, Bishop Auckland; Vi Steventon of Newton Aycliffe; Ian Smyth Herdman of Hartlepool and everybody else who has been in touch. Serial killer Mary Ann Cotton murdered 3 of her 4 husbands, 11 of her 13 children, and may have murdered as many as 21 people before she was caught and hanged . Although her mother began to recover, she also began to complain of stomach pains. Shortly after her demise, according to The Invention of Murder, Cotton's exploits were used by the Victorians in all manner or moralistic and lurid attractions. One could simply walk down to the corner shop and buy enough arsenic to kill a man a few times over. The attending doctor later gave evidence that Ward had been very ill, yet he had been surprised that his death was so sudden. Cotton had rather more luck at work, where she came across a patient named George Ward. As she was sentenced to hang, the second hearing fizzled out. ", "ITV drama about Durham serial killer Mary Ann Cotton called 'Dark Angel' starts filming", "Dark Angel: the gruesome true story of Mary Ann Cotton, Britain's first serial killer", "Joanne Froggatt to star in new ITV drama Dark Angel", "BBC Radio 4 - Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley", "All Mine Enemys Whispers The Story of Mary Ann Cotton", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mary_Ann_Cotton&oldid=1141733042, Around 21, including 3 of her husbands and 12 children. February 19, 2023. Selling black pudding a penny a pair. As per Female Serial Killers, the two were married in 1865, shortly after he was discharged from the hospital. Mary Ann Robson was born on 31 October 1832 at Low Moorsley, [1] County Durham to Margaret, ne Londsdale and Michael Robson, a colliery sinker; and baptised at St Mary's, West Rainton on 11 November. The so-called fever mimicked the symptoms of arsenic poisoning, a fact which would later prove interesting to investigators. Soon after, Mary Ann learnt that her former lover, Joseph Nattrass, was living 48 kilometres (30mi) away in the County Durham village of West Auckland, and was no longer married. Cotton and Mary Ann were bigamously married on 17 September 1870 at St Andrew's, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne and their son Robert was born early in 1871. When Mary Ann Cotton was christened on 5 May 1802, in Rotherhithe, Southwark, London, England, United Kingdom, her father, Samuel Cotton, was 48 and her mother, Sarah Roby, was 38. . [7] The drama was inspired by the book Mary Ann Cotton: Britain's First Female Serial Killer by David Wilson, a criminologist. He died in October 1866, baffling doctors on his way out. As one witness quoted in Mary Ann Cotton put it, Nattrass "died in a fit" and was "in great agony." In 1843, her mother married George Stott (18161895), also a miner. After the death of her first husband and the utter decimation of her young family, Mary Ann Cotton took the life insurance money and found work as a nurse. In 1869, Robinson discovered that she was stealing from him and reportedly kicked her out. Facts concerning Mary Ann are difficult to pin down, but this was definitely her eighth child she had several miscarriages and there may have been other children. It is unclear how she died. Mary's father died in a tragic accident by falling 150 feet down a mine shaft at Murton . Mary Ann received a life-insurance payment of 5 10s 6d for Isabella. Instead, Cotton dropped only two feet and proceeded to choke, still alive. Though she's been gone for nearly a century and a half, Cotton remains one of the most shocking female killers in modern history. She would live until she was nine years old - longer than any of Mary . One of the more chilling legacies of Cotton's time on Earth is a children's nursery rhyme. They made sure Robert and Mary Ann was baptized at St Mary's in West Rainton. She is believed to have murdered up to 21 people in total. One of the more chilling legacies of Cotton's time on Earth is a children's nursery rhyme. Mary Ann claimed to have used arrowroot to relieve his illness and said Riley had made accusations against her because she had rejected his advances. By the middle of the nineteenth century, there was almost an epidemic of poisoning so who knows how many murders were committed. But when their son, William, was born a few months after their arrival, his place of birth was listed as Imperial County in California a desert through which canals were being dug to create farmland. During this time, her 3-year-old daughter died, leaving her with one child out of the nine she had borne. Riley countered that the boy was a "little healthy fellow," but Charles died on July 12, 1872. As Mary Ann Cotton, Dark Angelreported, Mary Ann blamed lax pharmacists for her young stepson's death. Once again, Mary Ann collected insurance money in respect of her husband's death. She served there for three years. Then Mary Ann's mother, living in Seaham Harbour, County Durham, became ill with hepatitis, so she immediately went to her. Soon after she entered the home, Robinson's infant son died of yes, you guessed it "gastric fever.". . The inquiry into Charles Cotton's death showed that Mary Ann's weapon of choice was arsenic. Mary Ann Cotton, tied up with string. She asked him to take the young boy to a workhouse, but Riley refused unless Mary Ann agreed to enter the workhouse too. However, the BBC points out that you're not alone. It went like this: Mary Ann Cotton, she's dead and she's rotten. Then Mary Ann's mother, living in Seaham Harbour, County Durham, became ill with hepatitis, so she immediately went to her. When Mary Ann christened the baby with its distinctive surname, it identified the father. She rekindled the romance and persuaded her new family to move near him. Riley grew suspicious and alerted the police. Robinson refused to meet with his estranged wife in person, though he sent his brother-in-law. This 19th century English woman is one of the earliest confirmed female serial killers in recorded memory. Facts About The Heart Bbc Bitesize, We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. Omissions? . [2] Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) The last straw was when he found she had been forcing his children to pawn household valuables for her. There was also a stage show, The Life and Death of Mary Ann Cotton, that premiered in West Hartlepool not too soon after the real Cotton's execution. Editors' Code of Practice. According to The Northern Echo, Mary Ann soon took up with a manager of the West Auckland Brewery, a man by the name of John Quick-Manning. The word was that she had killed anything up to 21 of her husbands, lovers, children and stepchildren, and even her own mother making her Britains most prolific mass murderer until Harold Shipman. But he brought wealth to the family. Mary Ann Cotton ( ne Robson; 31 October 1832 - 24 March 1873) was an English convicted murderer who was executed for poisoning her stepson. login . As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. 25 Feb/23. Another daughter, Isabella, was born in 1858, and Margaret Jane died in 1860. Explore genealogy for Mary (Cotton) Marshall born 1553 Abbotts Ann, Andover, Hampshire, England died 1625 London, England including ancestors + descendants + 1 photos + 2 genealogist comments + more in the free family tree community. Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event. Riley countered that the boy was a "little healthy fellow," but Charles died on July 12, 1872. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to He threw her out, retaining custody of their son George. The episode was based on the novel 'Mary Ann Cotton: Britain's First Female Serial Killer' by crime novelist David Wilson. Though many of the people around her hadn't caught on to Mary Ann Cotton's murderous ways by the time her second husband had died, it's now rather obvious to people who have her whole story that she was using arsenic. Soon enough, Margaret died of a mysterious gastrointestinal ailment, allowing Mary Ann to get closer to Frederick. A nursery rhyme concerning Cotton was composed after her hanging on 24 March 1873. . In late 1890, 17-year-old Margaret married Joseph Fletcher, a south Durham miner, and in 1892, they had a daughter, Clara, who was born at Windlestone. Despite her sole conviction for murder, she is believed to have been a serial killer who killed many others including 11 of her 13 children and three of her four husbands for their insurance policies. But more than a dozen close friends and . They were married in August 1865, but the marriage didnt last long. William and John went off to fight. However, she stayed in Durham and lived in a place called Seaham Harbour. After his death, their last surviving daughter went to live with Mary Ann's parents. Lying in bed with her eyes wide open. The defense in the case was handled by Mr. Thomas Campbell . Mary Ann Cotton (ne Robson; 31 October 1832 - 24 March 1873) was an English serial killer, convicted and hanged for the murder by poisoning of her stepson Charles Edward Cotton.It is likely that she murdered three of her four husbands, apparently in order to collect on their insurance policies, and many others.She may have murdered as many as 21 people, including 11 of her 13 children. Mary Ann was destitute and barely surviving on the streets, but she was bailed out by her friend, Margaret, who introduced the black widow to her brother, Frederick Cotton. According to Mary Ann Cotton, her father was a coal miner. Mary Ann Cotton killed anywhere between 14 and 25 people with arsenic. Betty Eccles was suspected of multiple murders and was hanged in 1843. . That's likely why she killed her fourth husband. There are further versions, slightly more crude, still passed on in school playgrounds in the region, such as: She lies in her coffin with her finger up her bottom. Cotton asked the man to circulate a petition in yet another attempt to save her, which did happen, yet it had no real effect on her ultimate fate. Last week, we covered the life and crimes of Mary Ann Cotton, also known as the West Auckland Poisoner. She was employed in various jobs, including Sunday school. Sing, sing, oh what should I sing? She sent her surviving child, Isabella, to live with her mother. Robinson married Mary Ann at St Michael's, Bishopwearmouth on 11 August 1867. This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's Why arsenic, though? Perhaps that's why Ward fell sick again not too long after the wedding and before they could conceive a child together. Preeminent British Criminologist David Wilson has described Mary Ann Cotton as a Black Widow and Britain's First Female Serial Killer with 15 confirmed murder victims, and another six suspected victims in 20 years. Soon after Mowbray's death, Mary Ann moved to Seaham Harbour, County Durham, where she struck up a relationship with Joseph Nattrass. Mary Ann Cotton was an English serial killer convicted of poisoning her stepson Charles Edward Cotton in 1872. This week, I'll delve into her psychology. Our female killer of interest was born Mary Ann Her daughter, Clara, 19, was living with Sarah in St Lukes Terrace, Ferryhill. Though Britain passed the Arsenic Act of 1851 in an attempt to control the distribution of this deadly substance, it's clear that it wasn't all that difficult for Cotton to keep acquiring arsenic in her drive to kill the people around her. Her death was registered by her son ROBINSON the day after she died. Depiction of Mary Ann Cotton. As per Find A Grave, she thereafter appeared as "Margaret Edwards" on the 1881 census and later married John Joseph Fletcher in 1890. Regardless of her counterarguments, Mary Ann was still to die. He decided to throw her out of their home and retained custody of their surviving child, George. Mary Ann Robson was born on 31 October 1832 at Low Moorsley,[1] County Durham to Margaret, ne Londsdale and Michael Robson, a colliery sinker; and baptised at St Mary's, West Rainton on 11 November. advertising by a sponsored licensee in illinois must, brantley county board of education meeting, clovis community hospital medical records. Britain's first serial killer ended her 20-year poisoning spree in 1873, thrashing around at the end of a hangman's rope in Durham Jail. Perhaps Robinson didnt link Mary Ann with the numerous deaths in the family, but he certainly became suspicious when she became overly insistent that he insure his life. At some point William took out a life insurance policy that covered both him and their three surviving children; the others had died from gastric fever, a common ailment that had symptoms similar to arsenic poisoning. A short time later, she married William Mowbray in an 1852 ceremony. Mary Ann's downfall came when a parish official, Thomas Riley, asked her to help nurse a woman who was ill with smallpox. We told the story in Memories 96, with, as ever, a few inaccuracies. At least 15 of those were family members. Ward continued to suffer ill health and died on 20 October 1866 after a long illness characterised by paralysis and intestinal problems. With this baby still in nappies, Joseph disappeared. Family Time Line. YouTube. As Mary Ann Cotton, Dark Angelreported, Mary Ann blamed lax pharmacists for her young stepson's death. The first focused on Charles' death and took place in August of 1872. That description fits Mary Ann Cotton very well indeed. In March 1873 her three-day trial began. The couple was married in September 1870, but since Mary Ann had not divorced Robinson, it was a bigamous marriage. Cotton took her daughter, Isabella Jane, who had been living with Margaret, with her. IN October 1894, Margaret, by now a 21-year-old widow, sailed from Boston, Massachusetts, on RMS Cephalonia, with her two toddlers, Clara and William, back to Liverpool. The census records, birth, death and marriage records also show no trace of him. Mary Cotton was born in North England during the Victorian Period. Then he found that Mary Ann had been forcing his older children to pawn household valuables. [8], The Mary Ann Cotton case was partly dramatized on an episode of the 2022 BBC Radio podcast series Lucy Worsley's Lady Killers. On March 24, 1873, Mary Ann was hanged in a bungled execution. An examination of the body revealed arsenic in his stomach, and further exhumations on the bodies of two other Cotton children and Nattrass found traces of the poison. That is not to say she was entirely innocent, although it does seem very unlikely that she murdered her own mother, who died of hepatitis. Their second child George was born on 18 June 1869. It is said that the prisoner, who is comparatively a young woman, has had three husbands and 15 children, and that they, as well as two lodgers, died under her roof." Selling black pudding a penny a pair. Major Highways In The Southwest Region, Product Description. Soon, Mary became pregnant by him with her thirteenth child. Hell go like all the rest of the Cottons.". Yet, he preserved a section of the boy's stomach in a jar. Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. The defense in the case was handled by Mr. Thomas Campbell Foster. Russell's appointment over Aspinwall led to a question in the House of Commons. Though many of the people around her hadn't caught on to Mary Ann Cotton's murderous ways by the time her second husband had died, it's now rather obvious to people who have her whole story that she was using arsenic. Mary Ann would go on to kill many of her own children, her husbands, lovers and other family. Autosize All Columns Ag Grid, When Cotton gave birth to her and Robinson's child, her infant daughter quickly died of "convulsions." Mary Ann Cotton - Dark Angel: Britain s First Female Serial Kille, Pen & Sword Publishing, 2012. Estimated Net worth. Mary Ann's first visit after Charles' death was not to the doctor but the insurance office. She gained employment as nurse to an excise officer recovering from smallpox, John Quick-Manning. On this date in 1873, prolific poisoner Mary Ann Cotton whom some have tabbed Britain's first serial killer for an arsenic murder spree claiming 21 or so souls hanged at Durham County Gaol. She died at age 54 in the spring of 1867, nine days after Mary Ann's arrival. After George Ward's death and the subsequent insurance payment, Britannica reports, Mary Ann Cotton became a housekeeper for widower James Robinson in 1866. The doctor testified that there was no other powder on the same shelf in the chemist's shop as the arsenic, only liquid; the chemist himself claimed that there were other powders. Though many killers are male, it turns out that women have turned to serial murder as well. They had a son named Robert in early 1871, but Mary Ann discovered that her former lover, Nattrass, lived just 30 miles away in the village of West Auckland and was no longer married. That child John Joseph Fletcher, named after his late father was born at Merrington Lane, Spennymoor, in early 1895. After her sentencing, Mary Ann Cotton attempted to save herself through various means, from hoping for a pardon to appear to arguing that everyone else in her life had failed her. Mary Ann Cotton also had her own nursery rhyme of the same title, sung after her hanging on March 24, 1873. By May 1872, Mary Ann Cotton had moved to West Auckland with her last remaining child, stepson Charles Cotton. After her marriage to Robinson crumbled, Cotton was introduced to Frederick Cotton by his sister, Margaret. Mary Ann Cotton - Dark Angel: Britain s First Female Serial Kille, Pen & Sword Publishing, 2012. Then Nattrass became ill with gastric fever and died just after revising his will in Mary Ann's favour. She was, as The Northern Echo reports, remembered after her 1954 death as "intelligent, warm and kind-hearted." The executioner reportedly had to push down on her shoulders to speed up the process, which took three minutes to finally kill her. Frederick followed his predecessors to the grave in December of that year, from gastric fever." In Low Moorsley, Tyne & Wear. George Robinson was the other. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA. An inquest was held and the jury returned a verdict of natural causes. Mary was born in October 1832 at Low Moorsley (now part of Houghton-le-Spring in the City of Sunderland) and baptised at St Mary's, West Rainton on 11 November. Moreover, she was also forcing her stepchildren to pawn household items. Their second child George was born on 18 June 1869. We told the story in Memories 96, with, as ever, a few inaccuracies. Perhaps, to Mary Ann Cotton's mind, if she tried to settle down without killing for insurance money, she would be putting herself in a situation where she lacked control and could easily find herself out on the street, as she likely did after James Robinson forced her out of their home. Once again, she profited from the insurance policy, but her spree was about to come to an end. WIKITREE PROTECTS MOST SENSITIVE INFORMATION BUT ONLY TO THE EXTENT STATED IN THE TERMS OF SERVICE AND PRIVACY POLICY. Then he found that Mary Ann had been forcing his older children to pawn household valuables. Mary was born October 31 1832 Mary's sister Margaret was born 1834 Margaret dies June 1834 Mary's brother Robert was born 1835 The family moves to Durham 1841 Her father falls down a mineshaft and dies February 1842 Her mother marries George Stott 1843 Mary leaves home to train as a nurse 1848 Mary comes back home to train as a dressmaker 1851 Mary Ann received a life-insurance payment of 5 10s 6d for Isabella. They married in September 1870, and Frederick died in December 1871 from the ever-present "gastric fever." Serial killer Mary Ann Cotton is a female serial killer. For women of the working class, the sudden death of a husband could easily throw them into devastating poverty with little way out. Mary Ann Cotton's net worth is estimated to be $1.5 million, according to Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider. Mary Ann Cotton was hanged at Durham County Gaol on 24 March 1873 by William Calcraft; she died, not from her neck breaking, but by strangulation caused by the rope being rigged too short, possibly deliberately.[4]. She apparently complained to a parish official named Thomas Riley that her stepson, Charles Edward Cotton, was preventing her from marrying Quick Mann. Last week, we covered the life and crimes of Mary Ann Cotton, also known as the West Auckland Poisoner. It had no taste, no odor, no color, nothing that would alert the potential poison victim to its presence in their food or drink until the substance had already begun to take effect. However, she added, I wont be troubled long. Cotton was no exception. Someone had either inadvertently or, as some suspect, intentionally miscalculated the drop needed to break her neck and bring death instantaneously. got your result, Mary Ann Cotton Family Tree Check All Members List, Merovingian Famil During her 40 year life span she was responsible for the deaths, by poisoning, of 17 people, perhaps even more. Neither came home. In Low Moorsley, Tyne & Wear. Mary Ann Cotton was charged with the murder of Charles Edward Cotton, and as she awaited trial in Durham Prison, she gave birth to her 13th and last child, Margaret Edith Quick-Manning Cotton, in January 1873. Cotton took her daughter, Isabella Jane, who had been living with Margaret, with her. Mary Ann Cotton, also known by the surnames Mowbray, Robinson and Ward, was a nurse and housekeeper suspected of poisoning as many as 21 people in 19th-century Britain. Around this time she took up with a former lover, Joseph Nattrass, but later became . A nearby exhibition purported to have a model of Cotton at a coal mine in county Durham, and it's very possible that other cheap "penny shows" would have drawn upon her tale to lure in visitors and their money. A Mr Aspinwall was first considered but the Attorney General, Sir John Duke Coleridge, whose decision it was, chose his friend and protg Charles Russell. After all of the children had been sent to boarding school in Darlington over the next three years, she returned to her stepfather's home and trained as a dressmaker. They included Joseph Nattrass, the lover who had added Mary Ann to his will, along with her son Robert and stepson Frederick Cotton, Jr. Nattrass' remains showed that he, too, had been poisoned. She named her Margaret Edith Quick-Manning Cotton, partially to target her latest lover as the father of the child. contact the editor here. Cotton was no exception. 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