A missing murderer

[v.wells]

A very sad accounting of what I am sure was a common occurrence back then. Life was so truly difficult for women in ordinary circumstances but Frances Stallard's situation was really heartbreaking.

[*bunty*]

Yes, it is hard to put yourself in this woman's shoes. It must have been a terribly hard time.

[Penny Gallo]

The fact that the child was bleeding from the ears suggests that the poor little thing had already had considerable maltreatment at the hands of the foster-home, may have had goodness-only-knows what other injuries and was probably extremely fractious. It must have been a nightmare for this poor lone young woman.

What does surprise and gratify me is the way that she is accepted back into Society afterwards, ie the fact that she is employed once more as a servant in households with children. Obviously local people felt there were extenuating circumstances. I wonder what happened to Gatrell?

[St. Peter]

I haven't been able to track down George Gatrell. One or two men of that name appear in the census records but I don't think they are the George I was looking. The nearest being a George Gatrell born in Ringwood in 1846 but he is listed as a blacksmith and there is no evidence that he was ever a shipwright in his younger days.

[MaureeninNY]

Going by newspaper reports which lists his mother as Martha,I'm quite sure that on the 1851 and 1861 census he's the George Gat*rell born about 1847 in Lymington. I haven't really tried to track him down after that.

Maureen in NY

[Fiona67]

1888, 12rno. 28. Only a Woman's Life. By One who
saved it, Lon., 1889, 12mo. (An account of the trial
and conviction of Frances Stallard for child-murder in
1877, and of the commutation of her sentence through
the efforts of Mrs. Houatoun, who was convinced of the
woman's innocence. The publication of this book led
to her release, after an imprisonment of twelve years,
Lord Coleridge, who had originally tried the case, having
so advised.)

[georgiep]

Births mar qtr 1875 IOW
Agnes Ellen Stallard
Death jun qtr 1877 IOW
Agnes Ellen Stallard aged 2yrs.

Sleeping with angels.
God bless the little darling.

GeorgieLP