A Gannett Company. A month later, when James' baby John died of gastric fever, he turned to his housekeeper for comfort and she became pregnant. She only fell two feet, so the executioner had to push down on her shoulders. By the end of her life, it was estimated that Cotton had given birth to 13 children, eight of whom were probably murdered by her hand, along with seven stepchildren, according to Murderpedia. An English woman convicted of murdering her children. Then the local newspapers latched on to the story and discovered Mary Ann had moved around northern England and lost three husbands, a lover, a friend, her mother, and 11 children, all of whom had died of stomach fevers. Only two of her children survived her, including this new arrival. During this time, her 3-year-old daughter died, leaving her with one child out of the nine she had borne. Mary Ann Robson Cotton (1832-1873) - Find A Grave Mary Cotton was born in North England during the Victorian Period. One could simply walk down to the corner shop and buy enough arsenic to kill a man a few times over. Mary Ann never confessed to any of the deaths, and the number of her victims is uncertain, though most sources believe she killed upwards of 21 people. She is the daughter of John Quick-Manning and Mary Robson . However, she stayed in Durham and lived in a place called Seaham Harbour. There, she discovered that no money would be paid out until a death certificate was issued. At the end of her life, as she spoke with officials, Cotton did not offer an explanation for any of her murders. She apparently complained to a parish official named Thomas Riley that her stepson, Charles Edward Cotton, was preventing her from marrying Quick Mann. She gained employment as nurse to an excise officer recovering from smallpox, John Quick-Manning. Mary Ann received the insurance money, and she then left her daughter in the care of her mother. Five days later, Mary Ann told Riley that the boy had died. Richard Quick Mann was a custom and excise man specialising in breweries and has been found in the records and this may be the real name of Mary Ann Cotton's lover. Updates? Sing, sing, what can I sing? 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. Low Moorsley (now part of Houghton-le-Spring in the City of Sunderland), Margaret Edith Quick-Manning (Cotton) Kell, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Ann_Cotton, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NXHY-K2R, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:264G-ZP5, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NFJ3-241, https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NXGL-55T, Mary Elizabeth (Ward) Dawson (abt.1829-abt.1904). It went like this: Mary Ann Cotton, she's dead and she's rotten. Margaret, her husband, and their baby daughter Clara moved to the United States in 1893, but she then returned to Durham in 1894 as a young widow. Their first child Margaret Isabella (Mary Isabella on her baptismal record) was born that November, but she became ill and died in February 1868. She asked Riley if he could commit Cotton to a workhouse and when that suggestion was rebuffed, she said this to Riley: I wont be troubled long. Richard Quick Mann was a custom and excise man specialising in breweries and has been found in the records and this may indeed be the real name of Mary Ann Cotton's alleged lover. Mary Ann Cotton's trial, for allegedly murdering her stepson Charles, was delayed for several months so that she could give birth. By the time they got married in August 1867, three of Robinsons children and his mother had died. Though, as the Journal of Victorian Culture reports, there was some financial relief available to widows, it was often highly restricted. Her father died eight years later in a mining accident. During the Victorian era, arsenic was seemingly everywhere, to the point where it became the murderer's poison du jour. CONTENT MAY BE COPYRIGHTED BY WIKITREE COMMUNITY MEMBERS. Mary Ann first Cotton left home at only 16 years old to work as a nurse, according to Britannica. A more complete version runs: She lies in her bed With eyes wide open. She was found guilty and sentenced to die. Then Mary Ann's mother, living in Seaham Harbour, County Durham, became ill so she immediately went to her. Our female killer of interest was born Mary Ann The trap door wasnt placed high enough to break her neck. They married in Monkwearmouth on 28 August 1865. Mary Ann backed off but not before ominously predicting that Charles would "go like all the rest of the Cotton family." Nattrass soon followed, though not before he put Mary Ann down as a beneficiary in his will. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. A 19th Century Children's Ryhme was born out of her famed crimes. BLOOMINGTON Kimberly Ann (Cotton) Smith, 65, of Bloomington went to her heavenly home at 2:53 p.m., on Thursday, January 5, 2023 surrounded by her family. Soon after the move, Mary Ann's father fell 150 feet (46m) to his death down a mine shaft at Murton colliery in February 1842. That man was recorded as "John Quick-Manning," though it's possible that he gave Mary Ann a partially false name. By the middle of the nineteenth century, there was almost an epidemic of poisoning so who knows how many murders were committed. That is until she grew overconfident and made a remarkable blunder. Lying in bed with her eyes wide open. Mary Ann Cotton, ne Mary Ann Robson, also known as Mary Ann Mowbray, Mary Ann Ward, and Mary Ann Robinson, (born October 31?, 1832, Low Moorsley, Durham county, Englanddied March 24, 1873, Durham county), British nurse and housekeeper who was believed to be Britain's most prolific female serial killer. She rekindled the romance and persuaded her new family to move near him. Robinson married Mary Ann at St Michael's, Bishopwearmouth on 11 August 1867. 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. Mary Anns 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. In September 1870 Mary Ann and Cotton were marriedthough she was still wed to Robinsonand she later gave birth to a son. The delay was caused by a problem in the selection of the public prosecutor. 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. An army of readers many anonymous, others marshalled by Tim Brown of Ferryhill Local History Society and some relatives have helped put us right. If so, login to add it. She was regarded as Britain's Greatest Female Mass Murderer. 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. Mother of Margaret Jane Mowbray; Isabella Mowbray; Margaret Jane Mowbray; John Robert Mowbray; Robert Robson Cotton and 3 others; Mary Isabella Robinson; George Robinson and Margaret Edith Quick-Manning Fletcher Kell less The "great moral drama," as it was described, likely used the bloody true crime tropes so beloved by Victorians to impart a decidedly un-subtle lesson about how to live one's life the right way. However, the infant mortality was falling as the century progressed, making Cotton's mishaps all the more striking. As The Northern Echo reports, most believe that this child was probably the eighth of her biological children and one of only a few who would survive an encounter with their mother. Serial killer Mary Ann Cotton is a female serial killer. Stuff You Missed in History Class (Podcast). Was still legally married to James Robinson, Mary Ann & Mowbray's children: (3 rumored but unsubstantiated children), Mary Jane (-1860), Margaret Jane (-1865), John Robert (-1864), Isabella (-1867), George Ward (-1866), husband (briefly) - already ill and in the hospital when they met and married, 5 children of James Robinson & his late wife, Hannah, Margaret Lonsdale Robson Stott, mother (-1867), Child of Mary Ann & James Robinson: Margaret Isabella (-1868), 4 Children of Frederick & Unknown Cotton: 2 (before 1869) plus Frederick Jr and Charles Edward Cotton (-1872) - for whose murder she was arrested, tried and hung, Child of Mary Ann & Frederick Cotton: Robert Robson Cotton (-1870), Frederick Cotton, Sr, bigamous (she was the bigamist, not him) husband (-1871), Lady Killers, BBC Radio 4, Episode 7: Mary Ann Cotton (more info on. Soon, he found out that she owed 60 and had also stolen 50 she was supposed to put in the bank. George Robinson was the other. Baptised at St Mary's, West Rainton on 11 November 1832. Some three minutes passed before she finally died. [6] The first part of the dramatisation was broadcast on 31 October 2016, the second part was broadcast on 7 November. What clouds hung over the family? 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. However, it was accepted, and Russell conducted the prosecution. However, Mary Ann was widely regarded as the countrys deadlist killer until Harold Shipman, who was thought to have murdered as many as 260 people in the late 20th century. 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. Today we dive into the serial killer Mary Ann Cotton. Once again, Mary Ann collected insurance money in respect of her husband's death. Riley, who also served as West Auckland's assistant coroner, said she needed to accompany him. She allegedly poisoned up to 21 people before being executed in 1873. Robinson, meanwhile, had become suspicious of his wife's insistence that he insure his life; he discovered that she had run up debts of 60 behind his back and had stolen more than 50 that she was supposed to have put in the bank. Mary Ann Cotton also had her own nursery rhyme of the same title, sung after her hanging on March 24, 1873. William joined the Durham Light Infantry and ended up in the London Rifles. The mother had to take care of three children, while suffering with the depression owing to her husband's death. Her family describe her as being immensely private, intelligent, warm and kind-hearted, and a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. Around this time she took up with a former lover, Joseph Nattrass, but later became pregnant by another man, John Quick-Manning. Mary is 25 degrees from Margaret Atwood, 28 degrees from Jim Carrey, 27 degrees from Elsie Knott, 26 degrees from Gordon Lightfoot, 30 degrees from Alton Parker, 27 degrees from Beatrice Tillman, 25 degrees from Jenny Trout, 27 degrees from Justin Trudeau, 28 degrees from Edwin Boyd, 24 degrees from Barbara Hanley, 33 degrees from Fanny Rosenfeld and 27 degrees from Cathryn Hondros on our single family tree. Margaret died at her home - 66, Church Lane, Ferryhill and left an Estate valued at 740, divided between her daughter CLARA and only surviving son - ROBINSON KELL. That's likely why she killed her fourth husband. The so-called fever mimicked the symptoms of arsenic poisoning, a fact which would later prove interesting to investigators. R > Robson | C > Cotton > Mary Ann (Robson) Cotton, Categories: Serial Killers of the 19th Century | This Day In History March 24 | Murderers | Death by Hanging | Serial Killers | Notables, WIKITREE HOME | ABOUT | G2G FORUM | HELP | SEARCH. Mary Ann's first visit after Charles' death was not to the doctor but the insurance office. Robinson, meanwhile, had become suspicious of his wife's insistence that he insure his life; he discovered that she had run up debts of 60 behind his back and had stolen more than 50 that she had been expected to bank. The mother who murdered her own children was, though, a sensational story, and the media of the day led by The Northern Echos famous editor, WT Stead whipped up feelings against her. [citation needed] The jury retired for 90 minutes before returning a guilty verdict. In a close-knit community like the Durham coalfield, it would have been impossible for Margaret to escape the notoriety of her birth. Soon after, Mary Ann learnt that her former lover, Joseph Nattrass, was living in the nearby village of West Auckland, and no longer married. "Mary Ann Cotton." It was performed by a notoriously clumsy hangman, and the trap door was not positioned high enough to break her neck, forcing the executioner to press down on her shoulders. Dark Angel, is based on the extraordinary true story of the Victorian poisoner Mary Ann Cotton, played by Downton Abbey star Joanne Froggatt. As per History Collection, Cotton was hanged at Durham County Gaol on March 24, 1873. 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. Russell's appointment over Aspinwall led to a question in the House of Commons. He was John Quick- Manning, who was probably the excise officer at West Auckland Brewery and who was definitely married to someone else. The Cotton case was the first of several famous poisoning cases he would be involved in during his career, including those of Adelaide Bartlett and Florence Maybrick. She is believed to have murdered up to 21 people in total. The inquiry into Charles Cotton's death showed that Mary Ann's weapon of choice was arsenic. 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. Then Nattrass became ill with gastric fever, and died just after revising his will in Mary Anns favour. He threw her out, retaining custody of their son George. 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. Although she is often said to be Britains first female serial killer, this is a false claim. Authorities also exhumed the bodies of Nattrass and two other Cotton children, and all were determined to have been poisoned with arsenic. . In August, Mary Ann married Robinson, and the couple had two children, though only one survived. 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. 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. Mary Ann was quickly arrested. I could be remembering it wrong, though. Soon after she entered the home, Robinson's infant son died of yes, you guessed it "gastric fever.". James Robinson was a shipwright at Pallion, Sunderland, whose wife, Hannah, had recently died. One of her patients at the infirmary was an engineer, George Ward. Few people who lived with Mary Ann Cotton were shown mercy, not least the children who were so unfortunate as to enter her orbit. 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. 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. Up in the air Sellin' black puddens a penny a pair. As Mary Ann Cotton, Dark Angelreported, Mary Ann blamed lax pharmacists for her young stepson's death. 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. Though many killers are male, it turns out that women have turned to serial murder as well. Before their final break, Cotton had attempted to get Robinson to insure both himself and the remaining children. However, the first hearing led to Mary Ann's conviction for the death of Charles in March of that year. 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. The Robson family moved to the village of Murton in Durham when Mary Ann was eight, but tragedy struck in February 1842. 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. Once again, she profited from the insurance policy, but her spree was about to come to an end. But more than a dozen close friends and . This left their widowed mother in a difficult situation. By May 1872, Mary Ann Cotton had moved to West Auckland with her last remaining child, stepson Charles Cotton. She told Riley that the boy was sickly and added: I wont be troubled long. The following year Mary Ann went to visit her ailing mother, who died about a week after her return. Her father Michael, a miner, was ardently religious and a fierce disciplinarian. By now, she had become pregnant with a child by an excise officer named Richard Quick Mann. As Discover Magazine reports, the great majority of female serial killer appear to murder for money. Mary Ann's downfall came when a parish official, Thomas Riley, asked her to help nurse a woman who was ill with smallpox. It may well be that the name of the excise man was in fact Richard Quick Mann. The attending doctor later gave evidence that Ward had been very ill, yet he had been surprised that the man's death was so sudden. Frederick 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. According to Psychology Today, female serial murderers often have a drive that's pretty distinct from their male counterparts. 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. Around this time she took up with a former lover, Joseph Nattrass, but later became . According to PBS, there's even been a modern two-part television drama, Dark Angel, which premiered on PBS' Masterpiece Theater in 2017. Margaret was born in 1873. Then came the First World War. She enjoyed crafting, hosting ceramics classes for many years, creating scrapbooks of family memories, and making special cards for every occasion. The place is Durham Gaol. Then Mary Ann's mother, living in Seaham Harbour, County Durham, became ill with hepatitis, so she immediately went to her. 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. Plus, it really was everywhere, from the green dye in clothes, to wallpaper, to rat poison. He hired Mary Ann as a housekeeper in November 1866. Their next child, George, was one of the rare few of Cotton's children who would survive her. Accessed 14 August 2015. Campbell Foster argued that it was possible that the chemist had mistakenly used arsenic powder instead of bismuth powder (used to treat diarrhoea), when preparing a bottle for Cotton, because he had been distracted by talking to other people. The last straw was when he found she had been forcing his children to pawn household valuables for her. But in late March 1870 Margaret died from an undetermined stomach ailment, leaving Mary Ann to console the grieving Frederick Sr. Margaret died from a mysterious stomach problem which allowed Mary Ann to dig her claws into the Cotton family. John joined the Green Howards, rose to be a lance corporal, and was killed, on June 11, 1917, at the Battle of Messines, near Ypres. Product Description. Corrections? The couple met when Robinson hired Mary Ann as his housekeeper in November 1866. 29 July 2015. (The lack of documentationsuch as birth and death certificatesleaves many details of Mary Anns life open to dispute.) 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. Cotton had rather more luck at work, where she came across a patient named George Ward. Neither came home. One month later, when James' baby died of gastric fever, he turned to his housekeeper for comfort and she became pregnant. So, by the summer of 1865, Mary Ann, widow Mowbray, had buried her husband William and at least eight, if not nine, of her own children. Doctor William Byers Kilburn, who had attended Charles, had kept samples, and tests showed they contained arsenic. However, in 1870 Mary Ann met another widower, Frederick Cotton, who was the brother of a friend. Mary Ann subsequently worked as a hospital nurse in nearby Sunderland, and in 1865 she married a patient, George Ward. She grew a dislike of children while working as a housemaid, and this didn't stop once she had children of her own. 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. Frederick Jr. died in March 1872 and the infant Robert soon after. Soon, Mary became pregnant by him with her thirteenth child. For many people in Victorian Britain, being born into a working-class family meant that one's life was often touched by tragedy. Mary Ann had cashed in William's life insurance, equivalent to about 1,700 in today's money. He died in October 1866, baffling doctors on his way out. Why arsenic, though? The doctor who attended Charles had kept samples, and they tested positive for arsenic. She was coming home to Durham, and to her adoptive parents, pregnant with her third child.
Meredith Funeral Home Obituaries, Funny Things To Say Like Icup, Scout And Amber Bears Update 2019, Chris Packham Father, City Of Ottawa Fiori Login, Commissionaires Criterion Login, Things To Do In Sullivan County This Weekend, Discraft Anax Vs Vulture,
Meredith Funeral Home Obituaries, Funny Things To Say Like Icup, Scout And Amber Bears Update 2019, Chris Packham Father, City Of Ottawa Fiori Login, Commissionaires Criterion Login, Things To Do In Sullivan County This Weekend, Discraft Anax Vs Vulture,