John Sadler will be hosting two graphic lectures following the life of Cotton, who was believed to have murdered up to 20 people.

Born as Mary Ann Robson in Murton, Cotton started her killing spree at the age of 19.

Her victims included her seven children and first husband William Mowbray.

Born in 1832, Cotton's father was a Murton pitman who was killed when his daughter was just 14.

A few years later, Cotton married William Mowbray, whose work took them away from the North East.

Mowbray had four children from a previous marriage and another four with Cotton.

By the time they returned to County Durham five years later, four were dead. A fifth died soon after.

The family moved to Sunderland, where two more youngsters died, followed by Mr Mowbray.

The deaths were passed off as being caused by gastric fever and Cotton was able to pocket £35 from their life insurance policies.

After starting work as a nurse at Sunderland infirmary, Cotton met and married patient George Ward.
Not long after, Ward, 33, died.

Her next partner was shipyard foreman James Robinson, who soon found all three of his children dead, as well as Cotton's remaining child to Mowbray.

The killer and Robinson had two children together – one died within an hour of birth.

When Cotton questioned whether he should take out life insurance, Robinson became suspicious and Cotton fled.

In 1870, she was introduced to coal miner Frederick Cotton and a few months later she was pregnant and married again. Months later, he was dead.

After a string of other romances and dead children, the net started closing in when Cotton told neighbours her husband, Charles Edward, had fallen ill but she "wouldn't be troubled long". Days later he was dead.

A post-mortem examination returned a verdict of death by natural causes.

But a doctor took the stomach and other organs home before the body was buried and carried out his own tests, which found traces of arsenic.

Despite being charged with four murders, she only faced trial for the murder of Charles Edward – a crime she denied.

She was found guilty and was sentenced to death.

Her story can be heard on Saturday at City Library and Arts Centre at 10.30am and on December 10, at Washington Town Centre Library at 10.30am.

To reserve a free place, phone 561 8408.