QSR1864/4/5/9

Depositions of Mary Ann Cockle, wife of George, labourer of Round Green, Luton. Alfred Heale, surgeon of Luton. Mary Tuffnell, widow of Luton. George Smith, police sergeant of Luton. In the case of Charlotte Ellingham accused of unlawfully and maliciously wounding of Mary Ann Cockle the younger.

26 September 1864

From: 1864 To: 1864

Mary Ann Cockle: wife of George and she had a daughter named Mary Ann Cockle who was 5 years old. She knew the prisoner Charlotte Ellingham and she lived next door. On Friday 16 September, about noon, she heard Mary Ann crying in the backway. She went to see what the matter was and found her throat cut and blood was spilling out. Mary Ann was screaming and said that Mrs Ellingham had cut her throat with a razor. She took Mary Ann indoors and sent for a doctor. Mr Heale came and attended to Mary Ann. Alfred Heale: a member of the Royal Collage of Surgeons and a Licentiate of the Apothecaries Company, On 16 September he was passing the Cockle’s house and called in. He saw the child, Mary Ann Cockle, and found a wound across the front of her throat. It might have been done with a razor. It was a superficial wound. He believed that at times the prisoner was of unsound mind. Mary Tuffnell: a widow living at Hitchin Road in Luton. She had known the prisoner for 30 years. On 16 September Ellingham came to her house and said she wanted to speak to her. Ellingham asked her to go a little way with her as she had something to tell her. She went with her and Ellingham told her “I have cut a child’s throat”. She asked Ellingham whose and Ellingham replied it was Mrs Cockles. Ellingham said “I have not killed it. I have not cut it much”. The prisoner said she was sorry she had done it and was a good deal upset. Tuffnell asked if she was sure she had not killed the child and Ellingham replied she had not hurt the child much. The prisoner asked Tuffnell what she should do. She had known the prisoner to be queer in the head at times and she would drink a little some times. Ellingham had tried to poison herself about 7 years previous. Sergeant George Smith: he went in search of the prisoner and found her in Hastings Street, Luton. He took her into custody and charged her with cutting the throat of a little girl named Mary Ann Cockle, with a razor. Ellingham said she knew she had done it and was sorry for it. She said that if the child died then she would know her doom. She said she had intended to give herself up to Mr Pope. He produced the razor he found at the prisoner’s house. It had been hanging over the shelf. Statement of the accused: nothing.

item

Ellingham, Charlotte,
Cockle, Mary Ann,
Cockle, Susan,
Heale, Alfred,
Tuffnell, Mary,
Smith, George

Luton Round Green, Luton Hastings Street, Luton Hitchin Road, LUTON, surgeon, wounding, assault, mental illness