1. Origins and Social Context
1.1 Why Baby Farming Emerged
The practice of baby farming grew up in late Victorian era when there was no effective contraception and great social stigma attached to having a child out of wedlock. Proper adoption agencies and social services didn’t exist at this time.
Instead, a number of untrained women offered legal fostering and adoption services to unmarried mothers who would hand over their baby plus, say, £10–£15 in cash (quite a large sum of money then) to them in the hope that the child would be re-homed. Most of the babies were in one way or another. It is probable that some were sold to childless couples and others fostered/adopted for a few pounds. Unmarried mothers were often desperate so they answered the adverts placed in newspapers by seemingly reputable people.
1.2 Mothers’ Alternatives Were Limited
Getting rid of a child in this way had obvious advantages to the mother – it was simple, quick and legal with few questions asked. The mothers had few real alternatives. Abortion was illegal and the back street abortions that were carried out were a very high-risk alternative, sometimes resulting in severe haemorrhaging or even the death of the women or prosecution and imprisonment if she was found out. Abandonment was similarly illegal and little sympathy was extended by the courts to women who abandoned their children in those days. Murdering of unwanted children by their mothers typically resulted in the death penalty in Victorian Britain. Selina Wadge was hanged by William Marwood on the 15th of August 1878 at Bodmin for the murder of her illegitimate son, and Louisa Masset became the first person to be executed in the 20th century for murdering her young son.
1.3 Baby Farming’s Criminal Exploitation
If having been “re‑homed,” a baby disappeared, the mother was often too frightened or ashamed to tell the police so it was very easy for the unscrupulous baby farmers to kill off unwanted or hard to foster (or sell?) babies. Sadly, a few of the baby farmers found killing off the babies far easier than re-homing them and these are the cases examined here. Murder yielded a quicker profit without the need for caring for the child for weeks or months, at their own expense.
1.4 Victorian Infant Mortality and Limited Forensics
In an age of high infant mortality, deaths of babies and small children attracted little attention and were actually quite common. Where a baby’s body was found, it was often impossible to trace the mother as the authorities did not have the advantage of DNA tests.
2. Executed Baby Farmers (1870–1909)
Six baby farmers were hanged in England and one each in Scotland and Wales over the 40-year period from 1870 to 1909. These were:
- Margaret Waters (35) – Horsemonger Lane Gaol, Surrey – 11 October 1870 (murder of John Walter Cowen)
- Annie Tooke (40) – Exeter – 11 August 1879 (murder of 6-month-old Reginald Hyde)
- Jessie King (27) – Calton Prison, Edinburgh – 11 March 1889 (strangling of Alexander Gunn)
- Amelia Dyer (57) – Newgate Prison – 10 June 1896 (murder of 4-month-old Doris Marmon)
- Ada Chard-Williams (24) – Newgate – 6 March 1900 (murder of 21-month-old Selina Ellen Jones)
- Annie Walters (54) & Amelia Sach (29) – Holloway Prison – 3 February 1903 (Finchley Baby Farmers)
- Rhoda Willis (44) – Cardiff Prison – 14 August 1907 (murder of newborn ‘Treasure’)
3. Case Profiles
3.1 Margaret Waters (Brixton)
Background and Crimes
35-year-old widow Margaret Waters was charged with five counts of wilful murder in Brixton, plus neglect and conspiracy. She placed 27 adverts for adoption charging £4 each. John Cowen paid £2 for infant John, born 14 May 1870. Sgt. Richard Relf investigated 18 infant deaths, following an advert by “Mrs Oliver” (alias Sarah Ellis). At Frederick Terrace, Relf, Cowen, and others found John and five other infants in “pitiable” condition, underweight and with laudanum.
Trial and Execution
Waters and Ellis were tried at the Old Bailey (Sept 21–23, 1870). Waters was found guilty of John’s murder; Ellis was convicted of obtaining money by false pretences and jailed for 18 months. Waters confessed, was hanged by William Calcraft at 9 am on 11 October 1870; 200–300 witnessed the black flag.
3.2 Annie Tooke (Exeter)
Crime and Discovery
Born 6 October 1878 to Mary Hoskins, Reginald Hyde was handed over to Annie Tooke for £12 + 5 shillings/week. After spring 1879, Tooke struggled to care for him. He disappeared after 9 May; his torso was found 17 May by a miller—disarticulated. A butcher and doctor pressured Tooke; she initially blamed Mary Hoskins. Eventually Tooke confessed to suffocating Reginald and dismembering him.
Trial and Hang
Tooke was tried 21–22 July 1879, convicted, and hung 11 August 1879 by William Marwood.
3.3 Jessie King (Edinburgh)
Operation and Confession
Living with Michael Pearson in Canonmills, Jessie had two baby farm victims: Alexander Gunn and a female infant. Boys discovered Alexander’s strangled body; police found the girl in her cellar after Jessie confessed under questioning, citing “drunken melancholy.”
Trial and Execution
Tried Feb 1889, declared sane, and hanged 11 March 1889 by James Berry at Calton Prison. Reporters noted her calmness; Berry praised her bravery.
3.4 Amelia Dyer (Reading)
Multiple Murders
A notorious baby farmer, Dyer, age 56, moved to Caversham (1895) and used aliases (e.g., Mrs Thomas). A bargeman found 15-month-old Helena Fry in the Thames (30 March 1896). Dyer “adopted” Doris Marmon and Harry Simmons; both bodies found 10 April, wrapped in a carpet bag, white tape around their necks. Seven bodies were ultimately tied to her with the same tape. Dyer admitted: “You’ll know all mine by the tape.”
Trial and Execution
Arrested 4 April 1896, tried May 21–22, convicted in 5 minutes, and hanged 10 June 1896 by James Billington. At 57 and 213 lbs, she received a 3’6″ drop—the oldest woman executed since 1843. Rumoured to haunt Newgate. She may have killed up to 400 infants over 15–20 years.
3.5 Ada Chard-Williams (London)
Fake Adoption and Evidence
Chard-Williams, £5 “nurse,” took 21-month-old Selina Ellen Jones. Florence Jones paid balance and found them gone. Selina’s body washed up 27 Sept, tied with Fisherman’s bend—her signature knot. Chard-Williams admitted baby farming in a letter, but denied murder.
Trial and Hanging
Tried Feb 16–17, 1900, found guilty, and hanged 6 March 1900 by James Billington. She was the last woman executed at Newgate. Husband William was acquitted; she was suspected of other murders.
3.6 Annie Walters & Amelia Sach (Finchley)
Operation
Sach ran a nursing home, arranged foster care, and Walters killed infants via chlorodyne or suffocation. Bodies were disposed in the Thames or dumps.
Discovery and Arrest
A suspicious landlord noted two baby deaths. One baby (boy called Galley) died under Walters. Sach’s home yielded more bodies.
Trial and Execution
Tried Jan 15–16, 1903, convicted in 40 minutes. Hanged Feb 3, 1903 at Holloway by William Billington assisted by Henry Pierrepoint. Sach collapsed pre-execution; Walters remained calm.
3.7 Rhoda Willis (Cardiff)
Rhoda Willis adverted child care, returning home drunk and discovered newborn corpse. She was arrested. Hanged 14 August 1907 at Cardiff Prison by Henry & Thomas Pierrepoint.
4. Legal Reforms and Legacy
As a result of these cases, Parliament passed several protective laws:
- Infant Life Protection Act 1897
- Children’s Act 1908
These required authorities to be notified within 48 hours of custody changes or a child’s death under seven, empowered them to investigate baby farms and abusive households, enter suspicious homes, and remove children. They also instituted fitness and health standards for caregivers. Proper adoption and fostering regulations were introduced, ultimately ending baby farming in Britain.
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