The Merry Widow of Windy Nook Who Lost Four Husbands

Mary Elizabeth Wilson was better known by those who lived near her as The Merry Widow of Windy Nook. It is hard to believe any woman could be merry after having four husbands pass away, that is, unless, like Mary, you had helped those husbands into the afterlife.

The Merry Widow became famous as the last woman to be sentenced to death in Durham in 1958. Although, like the title grieving widow, this was not one she deserved as her sentence was changed to life imprisonment shortly after she was incarcerated.

A Long Marriage

Mary Elizabeth Cassidy was born in County Durham on 11th June 1889; little is known about her family. At a young age, she went to work for a family called Knowles; it was here that she fell in love with the son of the family.

Mary and John Knowles were married shortly after meeting and moved to Windy Nook in Gateshead. Here they shared a lengthy marriage of forty-one years. The couple had six children, three boys and three girls; unfortunately, two of the girls died whilst in infancy.

In 1955, tragedy struck the couple as John died, leaving Mary alone.

The Merry Widow

Not that Mary was that heartbroken. Before the death of her husband, she had moved her lover into the home. Then, five months after the death of Knowles, Mary married John Russell.

Unfortunately, this marriage was short-lived as Russell died in 1956, for which the Merry Widow inherited £42. Both this and the death of her husband were ruled natural causes, which left Mary free to marry again.

Her third husband was a retired estate agent, Oliver Leonard, who she married in June 57. Oliver managed a successful marriage for two days before he died suddenly, leaving her £50.

Husband number four was Ernest Wilson. When he died fourteen days after the wedding, he left Mary £100 and a bungalow. Mary didn’t even attend Ernest’s funeral.

The Town Gossip

Throughout these rapid marriages, Mary had started to become local gossip. The first thing that confused people was how happy Mary appeared, earning her the nickname The Merry Widow of Windy Nook.

The second red flag to the people of Windy Nook occurred during her fourth wedding. When guests asked her what she would like done with the leftover sandwiches, she commented on leaving them as they would still be fresh for the funeral. She also asked the undertaker whether he offered a discount as she was his best customer.

Arrest

Not long after, the police heard about the local gossip and had her last two husbands exhumed. The medical examiner found large quantities of phosphorus in their bloodstream, a substance used in beetle poison. Mary was arrested in December 1957.

The defence argued that both the men had phosphorus in their blood because it was contained in their medication. However, the jury was unconvinced and convicted her of the two murders. On 29th March 1958, she was sentenced to die.

The Black Widow Dies

Shortly after this, her first two husbands were exhumed, and the same phosphorus levels were found in both their remains. Despite this, the court decided not to prosecute as there was little point.

Mary’s sentence was commuted to life in prison on 1st June 1958; her advanced age convinced authorities that the death penalty was unnecessary. Mary passed away of natural causes in Holloway Prison on 5th December 1962.

Sources:

• Bletchly, Rachael. ‘Horrific Crimes of “cosy Old Lady” Who Was the Last Brit Sentenced to Hang’, 3 March 2018.
• Killers, Serial. ‘Serial Killer Mary Elizabeth WILSON - The Merry Widow of Windy Nook’. Accessed 21 March 2023.
• Mary Elizabeth Wilson | Murderpedia, the Encyclopedia of Murderers’. Accessed 21 March 2023.