Amelia Dyer English criminal, child killer Country: Great Britain

Biography of Amelia Dyer

Amelia Elizabeth Dyer was born in 1838 in Pyle Marsh, Bristol, England. She was the fifth child of Samuel Hobley, a shoemaker, and his wife Sarah Hobley. Despite her upbringing in a relatively well-off family, Amelia's childhood was marred by her mother's mental illness, which she developed after surviving a typhus epidemic.

At the age of 13, after her mother's death, Amelia moved to Bristol and lived with her aunt, who arranged for her to apprentice in a corset workshop. Her father passed away in 1859, and his business was taken over by Amelia's older brother. In 1861, at the age of 24, Amelia married a much older man named George Thomas, who was 59 years old at the time. During their wedding ceremony, George lied about his age, while Amelia slightly increased her age to minimize the age difference.

Following her husband's wishes, Amelia pursued education and eventually became a nurse, which was a highly respectable profession at the time. She acquired various medical skills, including some knowledge of midwifery, which proved to be profitable. By attending to unwed mothers during childbirth, she could charge a fee to keep their secret and then arrange for the adoption of their children, all while making a significant profit.

During this time, Amelia befriended Ellen Dane, who taught her the intricacies of running this business. When Ellen became wanted by the authorities, she had to leave the country, and Amelia took over the care of Ellen's "children." Amelia herself had a daughter and became a widow shortly after. With her financial situation becoming challenging, she decided to continue the business of caring for and disposing of unwanted infants. Her respectable appearance, education, and medical background made it easy for people to trust her with their illegitimate children.

However, the secret to her successful business was horrifying. Infants brought into Amelia's home immediately became addicted to Godfrey's Cordial, also known as "Mother's Friend." This popular medicine, when administered in large doses, led to the rapid deterioration and death of the infants. The sedated appearance of the children masked the effects of the drug, and their deaths were often perceived as natural or due to their illegitimacy. Any suspicions some mothers may have had were outweighed by the need to keep their own secrets hidden.

Amelia's business thrived for ten years after her husband's death until she came under suspicion by the police in 1879 due to the high mortality rate of the children in her care. Surprisingly, she was only found guilty of "neglect" and received a ridiculously lenient sentence of six months in prison.

After her release, Amelia attempted to resume her business, but her plans quickly unraveled when a nurse who had entrusted her child to Amelia discovered she had been given a different baby. Amelia evaded the situation by faking a suicide attempt and was sent to a psychiatric hospital instead of facing trial. Her experience caring for her mentally ill mother proved useful during her time at the clinic.

While under outpatient care, Amelia continued her child-killing activities, gradually eliminating the need for doctors' involvement in verifying the deaths. In 1893, she was deemed sane by doctors, and her daughter had already married and moved to London. Amelia relocated to Kensington Road in Reading, Berkshire.

Her last victim was Evelina Marmon, the daughter of a buffet attendant. Evelina's mother, initially concerned for her child's well-being, trusted Amelia due to her respectable appearance. However, after receiving no response to her correspondence, she became suspicious. In March 1896, a barge worker discovered the body of a baby on the River Thames and reported it to the police. The investigation led the authorities to Amelia. She was placed under observation, and her daughter and son-in-law were also implicated in the case.

Amelia Dyer's trial commenced on May 22, 1896, and ended with a death sentence. On June 10, 1896, at 9 a.m., she was hanged at Newgate Prison. Her final words were, "I have nothing to say."

Amelia Dyer's crimes surpass the inhumanity of even the most notorious murderers in history, and she became the undeniable "champion" among female killers in Victorian England.