THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION OF GRISLY TALES
FROM THE GALLOWS, GUILLOTINE AND GAS CHAMBER
executed Elizabeth Brownrigg, a lady assuredly receiving
everything she deserved!
Originally a servant, Elizabeth had married James Brownrigg
and they lived in Fetter Lane, near Fleet Street in London.
Elizabeth became a midwife and, needing to have assistance in
the house, contacted the local Foundling Hospital for some
apprentices. Two of the girls were thus employed as servants,
Mary Mitchell and Mary Jones, but soon found that they had
left the frying pan only to end up in the fire, for Mrs Brownrigg
was a cruel and violent woman who did not hesitate to beat them.
Mary Mitchell endured the hardships for a year and then
managed to escape, only to be captured by the son of the family,
who brought her back to his mother’s tender mercies.
Not long afterwards, the Marys were joined by yet another
Mary, 14-year-old Mary Clifford, who was particularly ill-treated
by her mistress. For the most trifling offence she would be tied
up naked and beaten with a cane, a horsewhip, a broom handle
or anything else that came to hand; made to lie in the cold, damp
cellar on sacking; and was fed only on bread and water. Later
she was confined in the yard, a chain around her neck securing
her to the door, her hands being tied behind her.
Mrs Brownrigg’s cruelty knew no bounds, but retribution
was in sight when, on 13 July 1767, she stripped Mary Clifford
naked and hung her up by her arms to a staple in the ceiling,
then whipped her already severely scarred body until the blood
flowed across the kitchen floor. But the brutal treatment was
witnessed by a neighbour, who sent for the police. On arrival,
although they released Mary Clifford from her bonds, ‘her body
being one continual ulcer, ready to mortify’, Elizabeth Brownrigg
and her son had escaped. The badly injured Mary Clifford died
in St Bartholomew’s Hospital a few days later; the Brownriggs,
mother and son, were now wanted on murder charges.
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