1 Lauder Road
Grange Cemetery
Dr Pritchard
By Robert G. Bartholomew
A celebrated event took place in 1865 which had a close association with The Grange in Edinburgh. It involved the murders of Mrs Jane Taylor, who lived at 1 Lauder Road, and her daughter, Mary Jane Pritchard; these were notorious in their repercussions throughout Scotland.
Edward William Pritchard was born in Hampshire in 1825 and came from a naval family. He studied under two eminent surgeons in Portsmouth, and while there is some doubt as to his qualifications he did claim to have studied at Kings College Hospital in London, and to have graduated there in 1846. He served in the Royal Navy as an assistant surgeon with HMS Victory, and for four years in various ships travelled throughout the world. While based in Portsmouth he met his future wife Mary Jane Taylor, whose father was a highly respected and prosperous silk merchant in Edinburgh.
The couple were married in 1851 and after some time apart, Dr Pritchard resigned from the Navy, and took up an appointment as a general practitioner in Yorkshire, where they both lived for a time at Hunmanby. It is recalled that while there, he built up a very indifferent reputation, and in 1959 left under a cloud and in debt.
Having set up a general practice in Glasgow, he tried to establish himself by joining the Athenaeum Club and several learned societies. He gave public lectures on his travels, and boasted of his friendship with Garibaldi. He purchased a diploma of Doctor of Medicine and tried to obtain other qualifications, but could not find sponsors for either of the Faculties of Physicians or of Surgeons.
In 1863, he was living with his wife and family in Berkeley Terrace: they now had five children. While there, there was a mysterious fire in which their servant girl lost her life; and subsequently there was an insurance claim. The family now moved to 22 Royal Terrace, and then to Clarence Place, which was part of Sauchiehall Street. Mrs Taylor assisted with the purchase price of this house.
In October 1864 it was noted that Mrs Pritchard was not well, so she went through to Edinburgh to recuperate with her parents at 1 Lauder Road. Her health improved somewhat, so she decided to return to Glasgow for Christmas. She then became ill again with sickness and vomiting, and her mother came through to help look after her. Mrs Taylor too became sick, and attributed it to the same.
A few days later, on 25 February 1865, Mrs Taylor died. A neighbour, Dr James Paterson, who had been in practice for over 30 years, was asked by Michael Taylor to certify the death of his wife, but he was not prepared to do so. The death was accordingly certified by Dr Pritchard himself as ÒPrimary cause, Paralysis: duration, twelve hours. Secondary cause: Apoplexy: duration, one hour.Ó He then accompanied the body to Edinburgh, where arrangements were made for the funeral to take place in Grange Cemetery.
On return to Glasgow, Dr Pritchard found that the condition of his wife had not changed for the better. On 17 March, she took a severe attack of cramp and became light-headed, after her husband was seen to have given her something to drink. Dr Paterson was called in during the evening and found that her condition had taken an alarming change for the worse. Two days later, she died, and Pritchard certified the cause of her death as gastric fever, it duration two months. That same day, he accompanied the body of his wife to Edinburgh with a view to its interment beside that of her mother in Grange Cemetery. At his request, the coffin was opened at Mr TaylorÕs house, and he kissed his dead wife on the lips, exhibiting, we are told, Òa great deal of feelingÓ. However, as he stepped off the train in Queen Street Station in Glasgow, he was arrested. This followed the receipt by the Procurator Fiscal of an anonymous letter, pointing to the suspicious circumstances in which mother and daughter had died.
Dr Pritchard was a handsome man of considerable presence, with a convincing personality in all that he did. He was flamboyant and generous. His mother-in-law thought the world of him, and assisted financially for the sake of the family. His qualifications, however, were vague, and he indulged in Ògratuitous falsehoodsÓ. Although he appeared to have a loving relationship with his wife, he had also had a long-standing affair with Mary McLeod, the 15-year-old servant girl from Islay. Mother and daughter knew about this, and it could have been a motive for their downfall, in addition to the never-ending requirement for money.
The trial was held in the High Court in Edinburgh, with Lord Inglis presiding. It took four days and involved much examination and cross-examination. It was established that both Mrs Taylor and her daughter died of poisoning. They had both been taking large quantities of BattleyÕs Sedative Solution (opium) to relieve their pains, but this had been laced with Antimony and Tincture of Aconite poisons Ñ which Dr Pritchard was able to obtain, and its was possibly administered by Mary McLeod on his instructions.
Throughout the trial, Pritchard strenuously maintained his innocence and his family and relations were staunch in his support, as was public feeling generally. However, an exhumation was ordered on Mrs TaylorÕs body, and a post mortem showed an unmistakable presence of antimony. An examination on Mrs Pritchard gave the same result.
Pritchard was hanged for his crimes on 28 July, three weeks after his conviction. It was the last public hanging in Glasgow, and attracted tens of thousands of onlookers. At 8.10pm he was Ôlaunched into eternityÓ on the gallows erected over the pavement in front of the South Jail. In 1910, when rebuilding work was carried out, a grave was discovered with the initials EWP. The corpse was examined and was found to be wearing patent leather boots, which Ñunlike Dr PritchardÕs reputationÑwere in a perfect state of preservation.
Credits:
This article has been produced by Robert G. Bartholomew who lived at 1 Lauder Road from 1967 to 1996. The gravestone to Michael and Jane Taylor, along with their daughter Mary Jane Pritchard, can be found in Grange Cemetery, backing onto LoversÕ Loan, approximately 50 metres from the main gate in Grange Road.
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