October, 31, 1832 Her parents were the kind of people that helped out where help were needed. A court-appointed lawyer put forth the idea that Charles had ingested arsenic through wallpaper, says the RadioTimes. Riley countered that the boy was a "little healthy fellow," but Charles died on July 12, 1872. That child John Joseph Fletcher, named after his late father was born at Merrington Lane, Spennymoor, in early 1895. She named her Margaret Edith Quick-Manning Cotton, partially to target her latest lover as the father of the child. Female Serial Killers in Social Context reports that Mary Ann's first move was to approach Thomas Riley, a grocer who also happened to be the local assistant manager for the poor relief. The insurance policy Mary Ann had taken out on (the still living) Charles' life still awaited collection. 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. Rumour gave rise to suspicion and scientific investigation. Patrick Lynch - October 23, 2017. Matthew Ridgway, whose father was the Green River Killer remembers his father as a regular dad. At 16, Mary Ann left home to become a nurse at the nearby village of South Hetton, in the home of Edward Potter, a manager at Murton colliery. Another daughter, Isabella, was born in 1858, and Margaret Jane died in 1860. The census revealed that her boys were working underground William was a collier and John was a pony driver. Mary Ann and her only surviving child Isabellawent to live in Sunderland. She went undetected for decades, apparently killing a succession of husbands, children, and stepchildren with arsenic, then a readily available poison. However, the prosecutions evidence, notably the other arsenic-related deaths, proved insurmountable, and she was convicted and sentenced to death. Yet, according to Female Serial Killers, his cause of death was listed as cholera and typhoid. Though she's been gone for nearly a century and a half, Cotton remains one of the most shocking female killers in modern history. It includes lines like "Mary Ann Cotton is tied up with string./Where, where?/Up in the air.". 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. Estimated Net worth. Though Mary Ann Cotton was dead and buried by the spring of 1873, the tales of her life became so notorious that she has never really left us. 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. 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. Mary Ann Cotton killed anywhere between 14 and 25 people with arsenic. Mary Ann Cotton ( ne Robson; 31 October 1832 - 24 March 1873) was an English convicted murderer who was executed for poisoning her stepson. . Isabella went to live with her grandmother whilst Mary Ann worked at The Sunderland Infirmary, House of Recovery for the Cure of Contagious Fever, Dispensary and Humane Society. 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. Her stepson, Frederick Jr., and Robert, her infant son with Frederick, died early 1872. Product Description. When Cotton gave birth to her and Robinson's child, her infant daughter quickly died of "convulsions." Mary Ann first Cotton left home at only 16 years old to work as a nurse, according to Britannica. She was, as The Northern Echo reports, remembered after her 1954 death as "intelligent, warm and kind-hearted." Mary Ann received a life-insurance payment of 5 10s 6d for Isabella. 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. Mary Ann backed off but not before ominously predicting that Charles would "go like all the rest of the Cotton family." 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. Yet, according to Female Serial Killers, his cause of death was listed as cholera and typhoid. At least 15 of those were family members. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. Margaret had acted as substitute mother for the remaining children, Frederick Jr. and Charles, but in late March 1870 she died from an undetermined stomach ailment, leaving Mary Ann to console the grieving Frederick Sr. 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. Baby Margaret spent some time with her biological mother in the jail cell, before she was eventually given to her adoptive parents, William and Sarah Edwards, aged about 10 weeks old. Soon enough, he and two of the children also died of "gastric fever." According to the RadioTimes, a local Doctor Kilburn conducted a rushed inquest and determined that the boy had died of gastroenteritis. Riley, who also served as West Auckland's assistant coroner, said she would have to accompany him. Last week, we covered the life and crimes of Mary Ann Cotton, also known as the West Auckland Poisoner. Mary Ann got a job at a nearby house at the age of sixteen. Her death was registered by her son ROBINSON the day after she died. She served there for three years. 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. Serial killer Mary Ann Cotton is a female serial killer. She told Riley that the boy was sickly and added: "I wont be troubled long. When she left, she started to train as a dressmaker. Mary Ann Cotton. Soon, Mary became pregnant by him with her thirteenth child. 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. Robinson refused to meet with his estranged wife in person, though he sent his brother-in-law. Here she had free access to the drugs supply. tenthpin management consultants salary . 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. [8], The Mary Ann Cotton case was partly dramatized on an episode of the 2022 BBC Radio podcast series Lucy Worsley's Lady Killers. 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. Cotton took her daughter, Isabella Jane, who had been living with Margaret, with her. When the gallows trapdoor opened, Mary Ann Cotton . The Times correspondent reported on 20 March: "After conviction the wretched woman exhibited strong emotion but this gave place in a few hours to her habitual cold, reserved demeanour and while she harbours a strong conviction that the royal clemency will be extended towards her, she staunchly asserts her innocence of the crime that she has been convicted of." In 1852, 20-year-old Mary Ann married colliery labourer William Mowbray at Newcastle Upon Tyne register office; they soon moved to South West England. After her marriage to Robinson crumbled, Cotton was introduced to Frederick Cotton by his sister, Margaret. Meanwhile, Mary Ann had rekindled her old romance with Joseph Nattrass, who had moved nearby. Editors' Code of Practice. An army of readers many anonymous, others marshalled by Tim Brown of Ferryhill Local History Society and some relatives have helped put us right. [citation needed] The jury retired for 90 minutes before returning a guilty verdict. In Pop Culture Sing, sing, oh what should I sing? This week, I'll delve into her psychology. We told the story in Memories 96, with, as ever, a few inaccuracies. Our female killer of interest was born Mary Ann Her daughter, Clara, 19, was living with Sarah in St Lukes Terrace, Ferryhill. As per History Collection, her younger sister Margaret died in 1834, when Cotton would have been only 8 years old. However, in 1870 Mary Ann met another widower, Frederick Cotton, who was the brother of a friend. An examination ultimately revealed the presence of arsenic in his stomach. Cotton was no exception. They married in September 1870, and Frederick died in December 1871 from the ever-present "gastric fever." However, it was accepted, and Russell conducted the prosecution. 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. The inquiry into Charles Cotton's death showed that Mary Ann's weapon of choice was arsenic. The family moved often so no long-term friends kept track of the family and Mary Ann had another three children in rapid succession. The defence in the case was handled by Thomas Campbell Foster, who argued during the trial that Charles had died from inhaling arsenic used as a dye in the green wallpaper of the Cotton home. Her daughter, Clara, 19, was living with Sarah in St Lukes Terrace, Ferryhill. Isabella lasted a few weeks until she died of "gastric fever," and she was soon followed by two more of Robinson's children, who succumbed to "continued fever" and yet another case of "gastric fever," according to death records. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. Her father, a bound miner, was contracted for one year receiving a deplorable family dwelling and meager wages. The lives of William and of their children were insured by the British and Prudential Insurance office and Mary Ann collected a payout of 35 on William's death (equivalent to 3,560 in 2021, about half a year's wages for a manual labourer at the time) and 2 5s for John Robert William. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. And kind-hearted. Newsquest 's audited local newspaper network people that helped out where help were needed yet according... Also served as West Auckland 's assistant coroner, said she would have accompany! `` intelligent, warm and kind-hearted. 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