Mary Ann Cotton was born in 1832 in Low Moorsley, England. She moved frequently between various locations in England between 1848 and 1871, including Sunderland, South Hetton, Newcastle Upon Tyne, St Germans, Bradford, Seaham Harbour, Pallion, Walbottle, and West Auckland. In 1873, she was arrested and sent to Durham County Prison, where she was later hanged for murder.
2. Location timeline
1832: Mary Ann Cotton was born in Low Moorsley and spent her childhood between Sunderland and Durham.
1848: Mary had moved away from home, living in a village nearby South Hetton.
1851: Mary moved back home with her mother and stepfather.
1852: Married William Mowbray in Newcastle Upon Tyne then soon moved to the South-West of England.
1856: First daughter was born at St Germans then moved back to the North-East.
1858: Lived in the street of the “Bradford Sweet Poisoning Incident”.
1865: She moved to the Seaham Harbour after her first husbands death. Then moved back to Sunderland where she was married at
St Peters Church in Monkwearmouth.
1866: Became a housekeeper for James Robinson in Pallion.
1867: Went back to the Seaham Harbour to “look after” her sick mother. Then returned to Pallion after her mothers’ death. Married
at St Michaels in Bishop Wearmouth.
1869: Mary was kicked out of the Robinson household.
1870: Moved in with Frederick Cotton who lived in Walbottle, Northumberland. They were then married at St Andrews in Newcastle.
1871: Moved to West Auckland to be with a former lover.
1873: Mary Ann was arrested and sent to the County Durham Prison where she was later hung.
3. Wesleyan Sunday School, Murton
The killers old primary school which she regularly
attended. Could possibly be used for flash back
sequences.
4. Mine shafts
Working as a miner, it was at the
Murton Collier where Mary Ann’s
father had passed away.
Located in Spennymoor, there is a
museum dedicated towards the
coal mining era which could
possibly be helpful with this
production.
5. Beamish
Being suggested as a filming location due
to its Victorian look, I will be arranging to
head here to find what opportunities I
could make of this as I have never been
here before.
I do like the look of what I’ve come
across online, but I can only say for sure
once the script is done and when I have
travelled there.
6. Durham Crown Court
Not expecting to be able to film inside, but
establishing shots could be used of this
building as it was where Mary Ann’s trial
had taken place.
Although, on the Government website the
options to visit or contact are there which
will come in handy depending on how the
script plays out.
If I am able to actually, a visit would be
helpful even if the filming isn’t allowed,
that way I could discover the way it works
improving my script and if there is any
history within the place about the arsenic
killer.
Sunderland University does have its own
court room though I could request to do
the filming in.
7. Durham County Gaol, Durham Prison
I will not be attempting any prison trips,
but I am currently looking around for
somewhere that holds a fake, built-up
prison cell I could possibly use as a
setting.
Not winning yet, the jail Mary Ann
Cotton was sent to and hung at is
what’s being used for the example in
this slide.
