Gathering more research on Mary Ann Cotton

1. Notes from the book
Withthe bookarrivingyesterdayandalreadyhavingseparateresearchdocuments,anythingI
discoverfromthe bookthat hasn’talreadybeennoteddownwillbe placedhere foreasyaccess.
Book title:Mary AnnCotton:Dark Angel
Author: Martin Connolly
A bookpublishedin2016. Althoughthatisquite recent,the authormakesitclearfrom the start that
he had doe hisresearch.Afterwritingabookletbefore thistitled,‘The PottedHistoryof West
Auckland’, there wasamentionof the serial killerthatmanyhadcome up askingformore
informationonher.
Doingall of hisresearch,Martinhad evenreadtwoalreadypublishedbooksfocusingonMary Ann
where withone he hadfoundto have a few false factswiththe otherhavinga few gaps inthe story.
Withthisbook,the who storyhas beenexpandedonwithfreshermaterialskeepingthe bookupto
date as the authoralsoimpliesthe bookcomesfromhisunderstandingof the eventskeepingit
honest.
 Knownas ‘The WestAucklandPoisoner’.
 Afterbeingarrestedinthe Augustof 1872, Mary Annhad to spenda few daysina dark and
forebodingspartanpolice stationcell.Herbedwashardwithonlya clothto be usedas a
mattressand blanket.
 WesleyanMinister,MrHoldforthwhoattendedthe trial, wasalsothe one whobaptised
Mary Annas a baby. And wasevenincharge of the Sundayschool she had attendedasa girl.
 Duringyoungadolescence,MaryAnnwouldhelpoutasa Sundayschool teacher.
 It isbelievedthatwithhowpoor herfamilywasthroughoutherchildhood,thisiswhat
causedherto desire the richesinherlaterlife.
 Becominganapprentice dressmaker,thishelpedMaryAnncreate the dressesshe would
have longedfor.Dressesherfamilywouldneverbe able toafford.
 Havinga hurriedmarriage with herfirsthusbandat 19, liesbeganasshe claimedtobe 21 to
seduce the 26-year-old.
 Whilstlivinginthe South,reportssuggestthe couple had4to 5 childrenwhohadcome and
gone withno registrations.
 Mary AnnCottonwas able toread and write asher signatures were written boldandstrong.
Although,the lettersproducedwhilstinprisonrevealedabadhandwritingstyle thatis
believedtohave beenactedupon.
 George Ward doesn’tgetanymentionfromMary Annduringthe trial,nordoesshe write a
letterforhim.
 It getsnotedat trial that the deathsof the MowbraychildrenandbabyJohn Robinsonwere
all classed as natural bythe twosurgeonswhohadtendedtothemall.
 The allegationof Mary Annmurderinghermotherwasn’tmade until the trial. Butremains
as ‘notproven’.
 Mary Annwasaccused of goingto Newcastle topurchase arsenicsoap.
 Whenher andJamesRobinsons’relationshipwasover,MaryAnnhad takentheirbabywith
Jamesclosingdownhishome tomove inwithhissister.OnNew Year'sEve 1869, Mary was
livingwithafriendandhadclaimedshe wasgoingto posta letterbuthadneverreturned
leavingbabyGeorge inher friend's care. The friendhadthentakenthe babyto James’

2. sister’shouse droppinghimoff there.Arrivingtothe newsafterworkingaNightWatch
Service, Jameswasoverjoyedbythe returnof hisson.
 Unsure of whatit wasMary was doingwiththe money,the trial hadinfluencedabelief that
she wouldgoto the racesbut there continuestobe noevidence of this.
 The periodbetweenherthirdandfourthhusbandisuncertain. Butitisbelievedthatshe had
turnedback to JosephNattrass.
 Givingbirthto CharlesCotton,Frederickhadacceptedthe fatherrole althoughitisunknown
whothe boy's fatherreallyis.
 Dr Kilburnbecame the familydoctoronce theyhadarrivedandsettledinWestAuckland.
 Afterthe deathof FrederickCottonandjustbefore Christmasin1871, JosephNattrasshad
movedinwithMary Annbecominga lodger.Thensoonafter,two brothershadmovedinas
lodgers,George andEdwardTaylor.
 RobertRobsonCottonwas certifiedfordeathcausedfrom‘teething3weeksconvulsions.’
 21st
of August1872 was Mary Annsappearance forthe firsthearing of the case.She faced
the two magistrates,HickandRobson,where she appearedcalmwhilstholdingawhite
handkerchief tothe side of herface throughout.
 Mary AnnDoddswas the firstto give evidence.
 Chapter,‘The road to DurhamAssizes’hasall todo withthe evidence sharedrunningupto
the final daysof trial.
 The followingchapter,‘The DurhamTrial’hasall to dowiththe trial itself.
 There isevena chaptergivingcharacterdescriptionstoall those whowere apartof the story
and theirwhereaboutsforafewscenes.
Withall of thisinformationandmore unmentionedthatisinthe book,I am readyto begin
developingmyscript.