A Victorian street in Ashton

The home of Mary Ann

A married mother of two

Who hatched a cunning plan

Factory worker by day

And barmaid by night

She purchased a packet of Harrisons

To see off an infestation of mice

 

Topped her daughter for tenner

‘Epilepsy’ took her fellas life

She fancied the bloke ‘cross the road, so

Next she killed his wife

Peelers got suspicious

The pathologist agreed

Poison was the substance

Motives- lust and greed

 

At Manchester Assizes

She became the first of many

Sentenced to meet her destiny

On the gallows of Mr Berry

A conviction she protested

‘I am quite innocent, I am not guilty at all’

Collapsed as she was led away...

But the inevitable could not be stalled

Prepared for execution

Bound, hooded and leashed

The wardens stepped away

And the trap door was released