Britain’s First Female Serial Killer: The Life and Crimes of Mary Ann Cotton | Ep. 237
British Murders with Stuart Blues
Stuart Blues
4.6 • 880 Ratings
🗓️ 19 March 2026
⏱️ 30 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In the mid-1800s, a quiet trail of deaths began to follow a woman across the North East of England. Husbands, children, and relatives seemed to fall suddenly ill, often complaining of stomach pains before dying not long after. At the time, many of these deaths were put down to disease, something that wasn’t uncommon in Victorian Britain.
But over the years, the number of deaths began to raise eyebrows. Wherever this woman went, tragedy seemed to follow. Families were torn apart, life insurance payouts appeared at just the right moment, and whispers began circulating that these deaths might not have been natural at all. Poisoning, suspicion, and greed were all in the mix.
In this episode of British Murders with Stuart Blues, I take a chronological look at the life and crimes of Mary Ann Cotton, one of Britain’s earliest known female serial killers. A woman suspected of poisoning multiple husbands, children, and relatives during Britain’s Victorian era, Mary Ann Cotton remains one of the most infamous female serial killers in UK history. We’ll explore her use of arsenic, the murders that shocked North East England, her trial and execution, and the legacy of suspicion and horror she left behind.
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Disclaimer:
The case discussed in this podcast episode is real and represents the worst day in many people's lives. I aim to cover such stories with a victim-focused approach, using information from publicly available sources. While I strive for accuracy, some details may vary depending on the sources used. You can find the sources for each episode on my website. Due to the nature of the content, listener discretion is advised. Thank you for your understanding and support.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Your true crime story will start in just a moment, but before it does, have you got your ticket for the Always True Crime Live Show? |
| 0:08.6 | Stuart from British Murders, Mike from Murder Mile, and Paul, the true crime enthusiast, are teaming up for the ultimate true crime takeover at Crossed Wires Festival. |
| 0:19.1 | They'll be diving into the details of some gripping cases in a live |
| 0:22.2 | show that you won't want to miss. Search Crossed Wires Festival now and see all three shows with just |
| 0:28.4 | one ticket. In the mid-1800s, a quiet trail of deaths began to follow a woman across the northeast of England. |
| 0:39.2 | Husbands, children, and people close to her seemed to fall suddenly ill, often complaining |
| 0:44.9 | of stomach pains before dying not long after. At the time, many of these deaths were put down |
| 0:50.9 | to disease, something that sadly wasn't uncommon in Victorian Britain. |
| 0:55.6 | But over the years, the number of deaths began to raise eyebrows. |
| 1:00.1 | Because wherever this woman went, tragedy seemed to follow. |
| 1:04.3 | Families were torn apart, life insurance payouts appeared at just the right moment, and whispers |
| 1:09.9 | began circulating that these deaths might not |
| 1:12.5 | have been natural at all. In this episode of British murders with Stuart Blues, I'm taking |
| 1:17.8 | a chronological look at the life and crimes of Mary Ann Cotton, one of Britain's earliest |
| 1:23.7 | known female serial killers. A woman suspected of poisoning multiple husbands, |
| 1:30.0 | children and relatives during Britain's Victorian era, leaving behind a legacy of suspicion, |
| 1:36.9 | greed, and a body count that historians still debate to this day. |
| 1:42.1 | Before we get into the case, I've got a quick favor to ask. |
| 1:45.0 | Please consider following British murders on your podcast player of choice or subscribe |
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