The Poisoner of Ashton: The Case of Mary Ann Britland

Mary Ann Britland was a notorious English poisoner who, on August 9, 1886, became the first woman to be executed in the dark halls of Strangeways Prison in Manchester. This chilling moment marked the end of a series of poisonings that shook not only the English town of Ashton-under-Lyne, but the entire nation. The story of Mary Ann Britland is a dark tale of betrayal, poisoning, and a doomed romance with a deadly outcome. Mary Ann Britland was born in Bolton in 1847, the second daughter of Joseph and Hannah Hague. She grew up in modest circumstances. In 1866, she married Thomas Britland at St. Michael’s Church in Ashton-under-Lyne. The couple moved into a rented house at 133 Turner Lane and had two daughters, Elizabeth Hannah and Susannah. Mary Ann Britland worked in a factory during the day and as a barmaid at night – a double life that would later take a cruel turn. In February 1886, Mary Ann Britland entered a nearby pharmacy. Claiming that her house was infested with mice, she bought several packs of “Harrison’s Vermin Killer,” a poison containing strychnine and arsenic. As required by law at the time, she had to record her purchase in the poison register. It was an inconspicuous beginning to the murderous series that was to follow. Her first victim was her eldest daughter, Elizabeth Hannah, who died under mysterious circumstances in March 1886. The doctor who was called to the scene declared Elizabeth’s death to be from natural causes. Mary Ann Britland then collected £10 from her daughter’s life insurance policy. Her next victim was her husband Thomas, who died on May 3, 1886. His death was diagnosed as epilepsy, and Britland again received a payout from the insurance company. By this time, Mary Ann Britland had already begun an affair with her neighbor Thomas Dixon. After her husband’s death, Mary Dixon, the 29-year-old wife of Thomas Dixon, invited Britland to live with them. On May 14, 1886, Mary Dixon joined the list of Britland’s victims. The striking similarity of the symptoms of the three deaths finally aroused suspicion. The police questioned Mary Ann Britland about Mary Dixon’s death, and a pathological examination revealed lethal amounts of the two poisons in Dixon’s body. Britland was immediately arrested, as was Thomas Dixon. At Ashton police station, Mary Ann Britland confessed that she wanted to marry Thomas Dixon and had therefore first poisoned her daughter Elizabeth, who allegedly had similar intentions. She then poisoned her husband Thomas and finally Mary Dixon. During the interrogation, she also spoke of how carefully she had prepared the poisons and that she hoped no one would discover the true cause of the deaths. The trial of Mary Ann Britland began on July 22, 1886, before Judge Cave at Manchester Court. Although she claimed that the small insurance sums were not sufficient motives, nor was her affair with Dixon, the evidence against her was overwhelming. Eyewitnesses reported Britland’s interest in poisonous substances and suspicious conversations about the effects of strychnine. It took two days for the jury to reach a verdict and find Britland guilty. Despite her remorse for the murders she had committed, she was sentenced to death. On the morning of August 9, 1886, Mary Ann Britland had to be carried to the place of execution by two guards because she had collapsed from fear. She begged for mercy, but the execution was relentless. James Berry, the executioner, prepared her for execution. Finally, the guards withdrew and Mary Ann Britland was hanged. The tragic events surrounding Mary Ann Britland cast a dark light on human nature and the abysses that can open up when greed and passion take over. Today, the case serves as a reminder not only of the horrors that can emanate from the hands of a single person, but also of the need for careful investigation and justice. Mary Ann Britland may have been the first woman to be executed at Strangeways Prison, but her name remains synonymous with deadly intrigue and poisonous machinations.