Mary Ann Cotton - Dark Angel Spoilers Within

[Barmaid]

THIS QUESTION CONTAINS SPOILERS SO DONT READ IT IF YOU DONT WANT TO KNOW.......

I found DA fascinating. She was actually only convicted of one murder - her stepson (at least I think that was the case). However, she was suspected of murdering up to 21 people (8 of her own kids, 7 step children, 3 husbands, her mother, her lover and a friend).

I cannot help thinking though that the evidence on which she was convicted was pretty shaky and this seems to be a conviction based largely on suspicion, gossip and inference. Yes there was arsenic in the child's body - but arsenic was present everywhere in Victorian times. Two doctors who gave evidence were apparently less than clear as to how they were treating the child; a post mortem was carried out ON THE KITCHEN TABLE - no doubt the very table where the alleged poison was prepared. Evidence was led by the prosecution that the child had been viciously beaten 4 days before his death but there were no bruises.

Yes, accepted, she seems to have been rather errr "unlucky" having all those deaths around her, but life expectancy in Victorian times was not great for the working class. My own experience of family history has taught me that some people can have several spouses and well over a dozen children with only a few reaching maturity.

I really cant decide whether she was an evil serial killer; a one off murderer or completely innocent.

Any views?

[Calibax]

A bit coincidental that all died of 'gastric' problems.
The Robinson children were relatively rich and were healthy before Cotton arrived.

[Barmaid]

Hmmmm, there are rather a lot of "gastric problems" that seem to arise, Calibax. Those and "unexplained" causes of death.

I've just read another report that says that the step son was actually exhumed and that is when the traces of arsenic were found.

I might download the trial transcript later if I can find it.

[naomi24]

She's being portrayed from the outset as a multiple killer so it's difficult to divorce my mind from that at that moment. I'd never heard of her, but I'll read up on her.

[Smowball]

Have I missed the second part??

[Mamyalynne]

Part 2 Monday 7th November 9pm ITV

[Smowball]

Oh thank god for that! Must say there was an awful lot of hanky panky going on wasn't there!

[Mamyalynne]

Indeed yes.

[Jackdaw33]

Notorious around these parts, coming from Durham. Even when I was a small boy in the 50s children would sing a skipping rhyme about her:

Mary Ann Cotton,
She's dead and she's rotten.
She lies in her bed,
With her eyes wide oppen (open)

Sing, sing, what shall I sing?
Mary Ann Cotton is tied up with string.

Where, where? Up in the air,
Selling black puddings a penny a pair.

[Smowball]

I've not heard that rhyme before...

[Jackdaw33]

Co. Durham has its share of mass murderesses. The last one was Mary Wilson, the last woman to be sentenced to death, in 1958 (but reprieved 5 days before her execution). She was convicted of poisoning two of her husbands, although she was widely believed to have poisoned all six.

[Smowball]

Best avoid Co. Durham then........

[Sammy48]

She could have been suffering from PMT.