Mary Ann Britland English poisoner Country: Great Britain

Biography of Mary Ann Britland

Mary Ann Britland, also known as Mary Ann Hague, was an English poisoner and the first English woman to be executed by hanging at Strangeways Prison in Manchester. She was born in Bolton, Lancashire. In 1866, she married Thomas Britland in Ashton-under-Lyne, and the couple lived in a rented house on Turner Lane. They had two daughters.

Mary Ann Britland was forced to work two jobs - during the day at a local factory and in the evening as a maid at a local bar. In February 1886, she claimed that mice infested her house and bought several packets of rat poison to combat the problem. Since the poison contained cyanide and strychnine, Mary Ann had to sign a special register for poison buyers. However, this clear evidence did not deter her from her plans - and she intended to use the poison not against mice...

The first victim of Britland was her eldest daughter, 19-year-old Elizabeth Hannah, whom she poisoned in March 1886. The doctor could not determine the cause of death and stated that the girl died of natural causes. Mary Ann even received £10, the amount her daughter was insured for. On May 3, Thomas Britland passed away, and this time the doctors diagnosed epilepsy, giving the grieving widow the opportunity to receive another insurance payout.

Shortly after, Mary Ann was invited to live with her neighbors, Thomas Dixon and his wife, who lived across the street. Rumor has it that Dixon and Britland were having an affair, hindered only by Mary Dixon, Thomas's lawful wife. Mary Ann Britland resolved this issue in a way she had already practiced - on May 14, her namesake died.

After the third death under similar circumstances and with unusual symptoms, the police finally suspected foul play. Soon, Mary Ann had to appear before interrogators - the body of her last victim was exhumed, and the pathologist discovered the true cause of death. Britland and Dixon were arrested, and Mary Ann finally began to provide the necessary testimony. According to her, she started killing solely out of love for Thomas Dixon, which explained the deaths of Mary Dixon and Thomas Britland. Mary Ann confessed that she killed her eldest daughter out of fear, believing that 19-year-old Elizabeth had discovered her plan.

Britland was charged with three murders, while Dixon, in turn, was found innocent and released. On July 22, 1886, Mary Ann appeared in court. Her motives were still unclear - initially, investigators suspected that Britland was driven to commit the murders by the desire to collect insurance money. During the trial, many indirect pieces of evidence emerged - Mary Ann had conversations with acquaintances about poisoning, rat poison, and, most importantly, how to conceal traces of poisoning. The detectives managed to find the registry where the accused had signed when purchasing the poison. Ultimately, Mary Ann Britland was sentenced to death by hanging, although she never admitted her guilt.

On the day of her execution, Britland seemed absent-minded from the morning. The guards had to practically carry her to the gallows. Two guards held her at the gallows while hangman James Berry prepared for the execution. Britland became the first woman to be executed by hanging in Strangeways Prison.