Dark Angel - Mary Ann Cotton

[Geddy2112]

Last night ITV hosted Dark Angel the story of Mary Ann Cotton, I have not watched it yet till both episodes are recorded and I can watch them back to back. So not sure how historically accurate it is.

As kids we were always 'frightened' of Mary and told many gruesome stories, she was born in my home town and considered to be England's first serial killer. Poison was her method of choice and it's claimed she could have had up to 21 victims.

Interesting there is a slight Ripper link to this case (sort of) as The Cotton case was the first of several famous poisoning cases involving Charles Russell. During his career he was involved in the cases of Adelaide Bartlett and Florence Maybrick.

[GUT]

Not available here.

If they give any details of background of Mr Cotton I'd be very interested.

[Geddy2112]

Snaffled from wikipedia...

'Mary Ann was desperate and living on the streets. Then her friend Margaret Cotton introduced her to her brother, Frederick, a pitman and recent widower living in Walbottle, Northumberland, who had lost two of his four children. Margaret had acted as substitute mother for the remaining children, Frederick Jr. and Charles. But in late March 1870 Margaret died from an undetermined stomach ailment, leaving Mary Ann to console the grieving Frederick Sr. Soon her eleventh pregnancy was underway.

Frederick and Mary Ann were bigamously married on 17 September 1870 at St Andrew's, Newcastle Upon Tyne and their son Robert was born early in 1871. Soon after, Mary Ann learnt that her former lover, Joseph Nattrass, was living 30 miles away in the County Durham village of West Auckland, and no longer married. She rekindled the romance and persuaded her new family to move near him. Frederick died in December of that year, from "gastric fever." Insurance had been taken out on his life and the lives of his sons.'

[louisa]

I have seen the series advertised and it looks interesting.

I am presuming this is the same Mary Cotton who killed her children in order to collect insurance money? Or am I thinking of another case?

If it's the one I think it is then I have a book about it somewhere.

[Geddy2112]

I am presuming this is the same Mary Cotton who killed her children in order to collect insurance money? Or am I thinking of another case?

The one and only...

[GUT]

Snaffled from wikipedia...

'Mary Ann was desperate and living on the streets. Then her friend Margaret Cotton introduced her to her brother, Frederick, a pitman and recent widower living in Walbottle, Northumberland, who had lost two of his four children. Margaret had acted as substitute mother for the remaining children, Frederick Jr. and Charles. But in late March 1870 Margaret died from an undetermined stomach ailment, leaving Mary Ann to console the grieving Frederick Sr. Soon her eleventh pregnancy was underway.

Frederick and Mary Ann were bigamously married on 17 September 1870 at St Andrew's, Newcastle Upon Tyne and their son Robert was born early in 1871. Soon after, Mary Ann learnt that her former lover, Joseph Nattrass, was living 30 miles away in the County Durham village of West Auckland, and no longer married. She rekindled the romance and persuaded her new family to move near him. Frederick died in December of that year, from "gastric fever." Insurance had been taken out on his life and the lives of his sons.'

Thanks Geddy, all those basics in aufait with I was hoping the TV show may have had some background on him.

Some claim he was if the same Cotton family that intermarried with my family. Personally I doubt it, but hoping there may have been a short cut.

[Geddy2112]

Thanks Geddy, all those basics in aufait with I was hoping the TV show may have had some background on him.

Some claim he was if the same Cotton family that intermarried with my family. Personally I doubt it, but hoping there may have been a short cut.

They have not got round to him yet, I think the programme is still on her second husband and first bit on the side... maybe in the last part there will be more info. I doubt it as it is not a documentary but rather a drama.

[louisa]

This drama must be a repeat because I was looking back through the older threads and see that on 08/26/2015 Archaic posted a thread about this TV drama.
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[Pcdunn]

Not a repeat, new in October

This drama must be a repeat because I was looking back through the older threads and see that on 08/26/2015 Archaic posted a thread about this TV drama.
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It's not a repeat, Louisa. It was new this year, with the first episode airing on ITV on October 31. One of the actresses from "Downton Abbey" plays the lead character.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4742700/episodes?season=1&ref_=tt_eps_sn_1

I hope it comes to BBC America or PBS Mysteries, as it sounds very interesting.

Archaic may have been posting about this program when it was announced as being in production, or perhaps about a 1996 TV movie also called "Dark Angel" about a serial killer. That title has been used more than once.

[louisa]

It's not a repeat, Louisa. It was new this year, with the first episode airing on ITV on October 31. One of the actresses from "Downton Abbey" plays the lead character.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4742700/episodes?season=1&ref_=tt_eps_sn_1

I hope it comes to BBC America or PBS Mysteries, as it sounds very interesting.

Archaic may have been posting about this program when it was announced as being in production, or perhaps about a 1996 TV movie also called "Dark Angel" about a serial killer. That title has been used more than once.

Yes it does sound interesting.

The actress Joanna Froggatt is a very good character actress and has been in a number of TV dramas.

[Fleetwood Mac]

Snaffled from wikipedia...

'Mary Ann was desperate and living on the streets. Then her friend Margaret Cotton introduced her to her brother, Frederick, a pitman and recent widower living in Walbottle, Northumberland, who had lost two of his four children. Margaret had acted as substitute mother for the remaining children, Frederick Jr. and Charles. But in late March 1870 Margaret died from an undetermined stomach ailment, leaving Mary Ann to console the grieving Frederick Sr. Soon her eleventh pregnancy was underway.

Frederick and Mary Ann were bigamously married on 17 September 1870 at St Andrew's, Newcastle Upon Tyne and their son Robert was born early in 1871. Soon after, Mary Ann learnt that her former lover, Joseph Nattrass, was living 30 miles away in the County Durham village of West Auckland, and no longer married. She rekindled the romance and persuaded her new family to move near him. Frederick died in December of that year, from "gastric fever." Insurance had been taken out on his life and the lives of his sons.'

This is a decent example of why Geordies should be banned from entering County Durham.

Us County Durham folk are going about our business with a: "it's nice to be nice" attitude and turn your back for one minute and a stray Geordie has snuck under the radar, entered the place and in no time is getting down to business poisoning people for no apparent reason.

I'm from County Durham and I hadn't heard of this case until about 2 years ago. Now it all makes sense: she was a Geordie, not one of us.