A WOMAN is appealing for a £4,000 donation to ensure letters written by a County Durham serial killer while in prison go on display in the region.
Victoria House started looking into history of Mary Ann Cotton who is notorious for killing an estimated 22 people by arsenic poisoning, after discovering there may be a distant connection with her partner’s family.
It was during an internet search she discovered the eight letters written by Cotton, of West Auckland, near Bishop Auckland, were up for sale on eBay and decided there was a need for them to be shared in public
After much discussion with the seller, he agreed to let her buy them and hand them to the Durham County Record Office – but only if she can raise the £4,000 within days.
“I just don’t have that kind of money,” she said. “I don’t want to see these letters lost. They deserve to be seen by people “The seller has other interest so we need to be quick. I am hoping there is someone really generous out there who can help. I am sure the letters will still contain her DNA. I know the value of history.”
County Durham-born Cotton was hanged after her conviction at Durham Assizes in 1873 for murdering her stepson but her other victims included her children, husbands and boyfriends, many of whom had insurance policies.
The letters were written from her prison cell as she awaited execution. Miss House, who is originally from Hartlepool but now lives in Oxford, said: “Next time I am back in Durham I would like to go and see the letters there. “I don’t mind if someone else wants to own them as long as they can go on display in Durham.”
Miss House added she also hopes to track down the owner of the bible, which also belonged to Cotton while she was in jail.
Anyone able to help Miss House should message her on her Facebook page Mary Ann Cotton Letters from Jail 1873
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mary-Ann-Cotton-Letters-from-Jail-1873/506511082802147
http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/local/southdurham/bishopauckland/10976632.Plea_to_help_get_serial_killer_prison_letters_put_on_display/?ref=rss
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