As one of the uks leading commentators, david wilson shows how some serial killers stay in the headlines whilst others rapidly become invisible or unseen. The boys doctor discovered that medical samples taken from the victim contained. This new book from simon webb and miranda brown retells her story, reexamines the evidence and includes a startling new theory about the socalled west auckland poisoner. Two mary ann cotton shes dead and shes rotten lying in bed with her eyes wide open. Return to article details david wilson, mary ann cotton. Mary ann cotton has the dubious distinction of being britain s worst female serial killer and her probable tally of killings would remain unequalled by either sex until the 1980s. In later chapters which cover the trial of mary ann, this level of detail does work better giving an insight into how a criminal trial proceeded in 1873 and the full proceedings against the accused. Mary ann s trial began two months later, and the defense claimed that the deceased had inhaled arsenic dust from wallpaper dye, a conceivable explanation given that arsenic was then common in many household items. Join facebook to connect with mary ann cotton and others you may know. Mary ann cotton was hanged at durham county gaol on 24 march 1873 by william calcraft. The dead milkmen mary ann cotton the poisoners song. Yet mary ann cotton is not just the first but perhaps the uks most prolific female serial killer, with more victims than myra hindley, rosemary west, beverly allit or.
Mary ann cotton was born in a small village in north england on 31st october 1832, to a miner father who died while mary was just 8. Linda stratmann, author of the book the secret poisoner. Weve been obsessed with the mary ann cotton story ever since the book came out and so as this documentary on her caught our eye we. Early life mary ann robson was born in what is now the city of sunderland. It is claimed she murdered over twenty people and was the first female serial killer in england. Although her father fell down a mining shaft when she was.
Who was mary ann cotton, and what crimes did she commit. On this date in 1873, prolific poisoner mary ann cotton whom some have tabbed britains first serial killer for an arsenic murder spree claiming 21 or so souls hanged at durham county gaol. A byproduct of the mining industry, it settled into the fabric of everyday victorian life. A more dreadful object than mary ann cotton has seldom been seen as she made her way to the place of her execution. Behavior mary ann cotton when mary was arrested in 1872 she tried to convince police that all her family dying was a misunderstanding. Mary anns trial began two months later, and the defense claimed that the deceased had inhaled arsenic dust from wallpaper dye, a conceivable. See mary ann cottons letters she wrote from her durham. An astounding story of a murderess who in turn became a powerless victim facing death. Quiet, ordinary, yet lethal the perfect, innocuous murder weapon for a woman like mary ann cotton. Dark angel is quite heavy reading with a great deal of information to digest. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. Marys mother remarried a few years later, but mary hated her stepfather. Mary ann robson cotton, now 18, was mentioned again. The book also covers the lives of those left behind, including the daughter born to mary ann cotton in durham gaol.
See the county durham house where she murdered her last victim cottons letters, previously owned by descendants of her lodger, sold at auction in 20 for. Mary ann cotton, dead and forgotten she lies in her bed, with her eyes wide open sing, sing, oh, what can i sing, mary ann cotton is tied up with string where, where. Nov 07, 2016 mary ann cotton, photographed in custody, when she was finally caught for murdering 21 people credit. Oct 31, 2016 britains first serial killer ended her 20year poisoning spree in 1873, thrashing around at the end of a hangmans rope in durham jail. She may have murdered as many as 21 people, including 11 of her children. Hardback illustrated with four pages of black and white. Yet mary ann cotton is not just the first but perhaps the uks most prolific female serial killer, with more victims than myra hindley, rosemary west, beverly allit or male predators such as jack the ripper and dennis nilsen. A native of county durham, mary ann cotton is regarded as the most prolific female serial killer in british history. She is strongly suspected of 14 or 15 murders, either for gain or to enable her to marry or both, and 21 people who were close to her died over a 20 year period. Biography of mary ann cotton excerpt mary ann cotton born mary ann robson on october 31, 1832 in low moorsley, county durham died 24 march 1873 was an english serial killer believed to have murdered up to 21 people, mainly by arsenic poisoning. Mary ann cotton was charged with the murder of charles cotton, joseph nattrass, frederick cotton and robert ronson cotton although she was eventually tried only for the murder of her stepson, charles.
Morbid and sad nursery rhymes mary ann cotton wattpad. Mary ann cotton was in sunderland on october 31, 1832. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read mary ann cotton. Sep 28, 2016 the perpetrator, mary ann cotton, was tried and found guilty and later hanged on 24 march 1873 in durham goal. Mar 24, 2014 mary ann cotton is tied up with string where, where. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Uncovering serial killer mary ann cotton the journal. More information about this seller contact this seller 21. Mary ann was charged with the murder of charles edward cotton, and while she was in jail, a daughter was born in january 1873. Sep 03, 2015 mary ann geering was by no means the only such case of a female murderer in victorian england. Britains first female serial killer by david wilson. We were glued to our television screens for three hours, fascinated by the story of mary ann cotton, the county durham serial killer, but beamish spotting too. Mary ann cotton is not just the first but perhaps the uks most prolific female serial killer, and in david wilsons new book he explores how she. Of mary anns thirteen children, only two survived her.
Maryann costanzos phone number, email, address spokeo. Jan 01, 20 by reading about mary ann cotton, you get a history of victorian killers starting before her birth in 1833 and going up to 2008. Mar 12, 2012 outside of the north east, few have heard of mary ann cotton, and even in this region her story is not commonly known. It seems like a lot of women used this going way back before cotton did. Laura morgan as maggie cotton, mary anns best friend jonas armstrong as joe natrass, mary anns secret lover and later, fifth partner sam hoare as james robinson, mary anns third husband. Mary anns sudden change in circumstances left her living on the streets. She was still living with her mother, stepfather and brother, probably still in the durham place area.
She was born mary ann robson in october 1832 at low moorsley now part of houghtonlespring. By 1871, mrs cotton had moved to nearby west auckland where she lived until her arrest the following year and its believed that she was a regular customer at the sun inn. This book was the inspiration for the tv drama dark angel which will be shown on itv and pbs in 2016. Mary s mother remarried a few years later, but mary hated her stepfather. It also accounted for over a third of homicides involving poison.
However a point to note in mary ann cottons trial in march of 1873, was the confusion raised concerning the medications actually administered by kilburn and chalmers. Astrology and natal chart of mary ann cotton, born on 18321031. The author of this book believes she killed 17, based on the fact that their are no birth or death records for children she is supposed to have killed. The fact that they were empty and not thrown away suggests that they were administered by mary ann cotton and as directed by the physicians.
Britains first female serial killer david wilson, mary ann cotton. Britains first female serial killer wilson, david on. Buy mary ann cotton first edition by appleton, arthur isbn. It was evident for all to see that she dragged her. The first part of this book, looking at mary ann cottons life prior to her trial in 1873, is a bit confusing. Who was mary ann cotton and how many people did she kill. This was given to us with the story that it had belonged to mary ann whilst she awaited trial and eventual hanging in durham jail. The drama was inspired by the book mary ann cotton. Read mary ann cotton from the story morbid and sad nursery rhymes by ruphis99 d. Upon contract completion, a mining family was displaced unless the breadwinner renewed for the subsequent year.
Astrology and natal chart of mary ann cotton, born on 1832. Her murderous deeds were revealed after her stepson, charles cotton, died. Mary anns trial began two months later, and the defense claimed that the deceased had inhaled. In spite of her history, she managed to find a fourth husband, frederick cotton. This book was the inspiration for the tv drama dark angel which w. The author writes a lot about arsenic poisoning in the victorian age. If youre a fan of the knick and want to swim across the pond for some overcast storytelling and late victorian physik, this. Mary ann cotton, nee robson, was born in 1832 to poor teenage parents who moved frequently so that her father, a miner, could find work. By the summer of the following year she was pregnant by a newcomer to murton, a young miner called william mowbray, and was quietly married to him at newcastle register office.
Frederick was the brother of mary anns friend margaret cotton. Yet mary ann cotton is not just the first but perhaps the uks most prolific female. Meet mary ann cotton, britains first female serial killer. Mary denied murder but she was found guilty on march 8 1873 and sentenced to death. Margaret edith and her son george from her marriage to james robinson. Meet mary ann cotton, britains first female serial. Mary ann cotton was born in south hetton, england in 1832 to a mining family. The mother had to take care of three children, while suffering with the depression owing to her husbands death. After her arrest in july 1872, she was remanded in custody to the police station on bondgate, near to the sun inn, and her committal proceedings were held in the bondgate. Find maryann costanzos phone number, address, and email on spokeo, the leading online directory for contact information.
It is likely that she murdered three of her four husbands, apparently in order to collect on their insurance policies, and many others. I found a female serial killer in my family tree atlas obscura. Mary ann cotton born mary ann robson in october 1832 in low moorsley, county durham died 24 march 1873 was an english woman convicted of murdering her children and believed to have murdered up to 21 people, mainly by arsenic poisoning. Mary ann cotton dark angel paperback pen and sword books. Yet for her crimes, the woman nicknamed the black widow should be mentioned in the same breath as jack the ripper, the yorkshire ripper, fred west and harold shipman. When margaret died of mysterious stomach ailments, mary ann was there to console her brother. Jul 21, 2017 and busy hands cant help themselves poison makes the world go round poison makes the whole room spin mary ann cotton, dead and forgotten she lies in her bed, with her eyes wide open sing, sing, oh, what can i sing, mary ann cotton is tied up with string bring me a bouquet of belladonna trimmed with a sprig of mistletoe bloodroot, white poppy, the black widow spider and the cobras kiss mary. Between 1843 and 1890, another 48 socalled black widows were convicted and put to death. Britains first female serial killer by wilson, david isbn. Up in the air selling black pudding a penny a pair. Her father, a bound miner, was contracted for one year receiving a deplorable family dwelling and meager wages. Mary ann cotton also had her own nursery rhyme of the same title, sung after her hanging on march 24, 1873. Britains first female serial killer by david wilson, a criminologist.