Mary Ann Geering - Sussex

Map of Sussex: Image taken from: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/cgi-bin/mapserv?map=/usr/local/share/map-files/bound_map_page.map&layer=os_medium_1904&mode=map&map_imagetype=png&mapext=3346496.54950+2707563.18065+3383496.54950+2737563.18065&map_size=370+300 

Mary Ann Geering also known as the "Guestling Murderess"  murdered members of her own family with deadly poision. 

Mary Plumb was born in 1800, she was born the eldest of five children of George Plumb an agricultural labourer who lived in Westfield, Sussex. When she was old enough, she was sent into service. However, her first taste of employment was soured by accusations that she handled money improperly. Dismissed from her job, she soon found work in another place. It was at this place, where she met Richard Geering and a romance sprung up between the two. However, Mary soon fell pregnant with Richard's child out of wedlock. And, with the bastardry laws still in effect, she was soon forced to marry Richard Geering. According to the Morning Chornicle, which was published on the 22nd August 1849 she was literally carried into the Church to be wed.

 During there marriage, Richard and Mary had eight children. However, all was not well between them, it was often said that they had frequent fights due to Richard's dependance of alcohol and his habit of opium taking. This frequently led the Geerings to have very little money to live on, and often Mary was forced to pawn her husband and children's clothing. 

Arsenic Poision. Image taken from: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/mar/18/poison-arsenic-gun-control-crime

According to the Censor of the Times which was published on the 19th August 1849, Richard and his sons were part of the Guestling Benefit Society. One of the benefits of joining this society was that if a member died, all members would pay a shilling towards the cost of the funeral. There was over 100 members a part of this society which meant that Mary Ann Geering would be given a considerable amount of money, if one of more members of her family passed away. Furthermore, another stipulation of the society was that if a member had fallen ill they were to be given 10 shillings (£30.21) a week for the first 12 weeks. And 6 shillings (£18.13) for the next 40 weeks. It is believed that this inducement led Geering to commit the crimes that would send her to the gallows. 

This situation came to a head in September 1848. Richard Geering, who was 56 at the time.  Was taken ill with violent bouts of sickness and raging thirst, he died five days after he had fallen ill. When Richard died, the Doctor who had seen him had pronounced that although the death was sudden it did not give him any cause for alarm.  However, four months after Richard's death, George Geering, 21 was taken ill with the same symptoms as his father, and, although nursed by his mother and brother James, he passed away. Six weeks after George's death James, aged 26 was taken ill with the same symptoms as his brother and father, he died on the 6th March 1849. 

Victorian Graveyard. Image taken from: https://www.deviantart.com/estruda/art/Old-Victorian-Cemetery-329266356

Finally, on Easter Sunday that year, Benjamin Geering who was then 18 years old was taken ill. However, in Benjamin's case he was attended by two to three doctors, who elected to remove him from his mother's care. The fact that Benjamin recovered being away from his mother, caused suspecion to heavily fall on Mary Ann Geering. Furthermore, the Doctor's also concluded that the reason for Benjamin's sudden derioration was due to being poisoned by aresnic. The coroner under Police supervision, exhumed the bodies of Richard, James and George and found traces arensic in all the remains. At the inquest it revealed that Mary Ann Geering, had purchased arsenic from a chemist in Hastings. She was then arrested for the murder of her husband, her two sons and the attempted murder of Benjamin. 

Mary Ann Geering was convicted of the murders of Richard, George and James Geering and the attempted murder of Benjamin at the Lewes Assizes. She admitted her crimes to the court and was sentenced to death. According to the Morning Chronicle, Mary Ann had one interview with her family, it was said that she acted strange with them, however, she did send them affectionate letters. On the 21st August 1849 the day of her execution, Mary Ann Geering appeared on the scaffold dressed in black. When the noose was placed around her head, she clasped her hands as if in prayer but as was pulled down they went immediately to her sides. She convulsed for a few moments after which she was pronounced dead, at the age of 49. It is claimed that she kept saying "Oh Lord Jesus have mercy on me". 

His Majesty's Prison Lewes: Image taken from: https://institutionalhistory.com/homepage/prisons/major-prisons/hmp-lewes/

The case of the "Guestling Murderess" shocked not only Sussex but the country, that not only a women had murdered but that she had killed members of her own family for monetary gain. Mary Ann Geering's case is a clear example of a woman driven to desperate measures in order to save herself from abject poverty and a loveless marriage. It could also be said that greed further motivated her crimes, by not just killing Richard, she had also subverted the social norms that a mother should love and protect her children, not murder them.