Mysterious Deaths in Burnham Westgate In the early spring of 1835, two murders by poisoning occurred in the Norfolk village of Burnham Westgate. The victims were Catherine Frary’s husband, 33-year-old Robert, and her lover’s wife, Mary Taylor. Frances Billing and Catherine Frary lived in a row of three cottages on North Street in Burnham Westgate. … Read more
A Desperate Situation In the final case on infanticide, we examine the case of Hannah Halley, who, like so many young women at the time, found herself in a seemingly impossible situation. She murdered her newborn infant because she could not keep her job and nurse a baby, and without the job, she could not … Read more
Introduction In the second of the series on infanticide, we examine the case of Ann Statham, who may well have been suffering from post-natal depression. Background and Relationship Life Before the Crime Ann Statham was an unmarried 28-year-old woman who had lived with her mother near Wichnor (now spelled Wychnor), between Lichfield and Burton-on-Trent in … Read more
Mary was a sixteen year old kitchen maid at the imposing Maesllwch Castle near Glasbury, the home of Walter Wilkins Esq., Member of Parliament for the county of Radnorshire (now part of Powys in Wales). She had become pregnant but had tried to conceal the pregnancy to keep her job and stay on in the servant’s quarters in the castle. On Sunday the … Read more
Researched and written by this month’s guest contributor Monty Dart. The words used in this account come from contemporaneous reports of the trial. Sarah Jones was described in The Times 24th April 1827 as ‘this unfortunate victim to seduction’. She is reported to have been about 26 years old and came to trial at Usk, Monmouthshire for the murder … Read more
