Minnie Dean, the Scottish baby farmer
In New Zealand Minnie Dean's name is synonymous with cruelty, yet the Greenock-born woman is relatively unknown in Scotland. We look at the life of Minnie the "baby farmer" and reveal why, over one hundred years later, the process of restoring her reputation is now underway.
Minnie Dean photographed at the time of her wedding in 1872 (courtesy of NZHistory) and a report from the Marlborough Express from 12th August 1895 (courtesy of the National Library of New Zealand).
Emigration
Williamina (Minnie) McCulloch was born in Greenock in 1844, but by 1862 had emigrated to New Zealand to live with an aunt, one of the original settlers in the Otago area. She arrived with one young daughter and pregnant with her second. Minnie became a teacher in the Southland region and married publican-turned-farmer Charles Dean in 1873.
Over the ensuing years their life in Southland was extremely difficult: business ventures were unsuccessful and, suffering from what was probably post-natal depression, Minnie's daughter Ellen drowned herself and her two children in their home well. Charles was declared bankrupt in 1884.
Baby farming
Charles and Minnie moved to a two bedroomed cottage named The Larches in the town of Winton. He became a labourer while she set herself up as a 'baby farmer'; a practice relatively common in Victorian times where a person would look after unwanted, illegitimate children in return for a one-off or monthly payment.
Over the course of two years two young babies died of natural causes while under Minnie's care and a subsequent inquest found that The Larches was not suitable accommodation for children, albeit that they were well cared for. With the authorities now keeping an eye on her activities, Minnie became guarded of her work, advertising her services under false names. When another child in her care died, again of natural causes, she discreetly buried him in her garden.
Minnie's downfall
New Zealand artist Janice Gill has created a series of paintings based on Minnie Dean's life. In 'Collecting the Child' Minnie - and her hatbox - are seen at Clarendon station with the baby, its mother and grandmother.
In 'Disguising the Grave' Minnie has buried the babies' bodies in her garden, under a sea of orange Montbretia plants. According to Janice no self-respecting Southlander will have the plant in their garden for fear of association.
Martin McCrae from Stirling discovered his connection to Minnie while investigating his family history; she was his great grandmother's sister. He has since researched Minnie's story, and here explains the pattern of events that lead to her arrest:
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Minnie was charged with the murder of one of the children, baby Dorothy Carter, and put on trial in Invercargill in June 1895.
Over the years many myths and stories have evolved about Minnie's life. New Zealand author Dr Lynley Hood was keen to separate the fact from fiction when she researched her tale prior to writing the biography, Minnie Dean: Her Life and Crimes, published in 1994. As she explains here, it seems that Minnie's intentions were good.
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Janice Gill's painting 'The Accused' and a report from the Manawatuh Herald on 25th June 1895 (courtesy of the National Library of New Zealand).
Guilty
Minnie Dean protested her innocence but was found guilty of Dorothy Carter's murder and sentenced to death. She was hanged in Invercargill on the 12th August 1895 and buried in an unmarked grave in Winton.
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A report from New Zealand's Star newspaper from 12th August 1895 (courtesy of the National Library of New Zealand) and Janice Gill's painting 'The Walk to the Gallows'.
In the years since her execution, folklore has kept Minnie's name alive in the Southland area. Her reputation is akin to the Bogeyman's, with parents warning disobedient children that if they didn't behave Minnie Dean would come for them. Through her research Lynley Hood aimed to find out where the truth lay:
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Restoring Minnie's reputation
After learning of Minnie's life and death Martin McCrae planned to erect a headstone at Minnie's grave, where her husband Charles is also buried. To do this he required the local authority's permission; the process took some time and in the meantime - perhaps in a bid to stall the ceremony - another stone was found to have been laid at the grave. The inscription read: Minnie Dean is part of Winton's history/Where she now lies is now no mystery. It is still unknown who was responsible.
The stone was removed to another part of the cemetery, allowing Martin's stone to be installed. In February 2009 the new headstone was unveiled during a traditional Maori ceremony, the Hura Kohatu. It brought together many people involved in Minnie's story including relatives of the children she cared for, her own descendents and locals from Winton.
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New Zealand abolished the death penalty in 1961 and as such Minnie Dean remains the only woman ever to have been executed in the country.
Are you investigating your family's history? If you've got a story to share or a query about your genealogical research get in touch with BBC Radio Scotland's family history programme Digging Up Your Roots.
