The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-06-13 00:00:00

MURDER OF SIX CHILDREN BY THEIR

MOTHER.

ON Saturday an awful murder was perpetrated in a cot-
tage at Westend, situate about a mile west of Esher, and
on the borders of the royal domains of Claremont. Some
workmen passing by the cottage about six o'clock, a 331"
saw a pillow stained with blood oustide one of the
windows. Their suspicions were excited, and they
knocked at the door, but received no answer. As soon as
possible they obtained a ladder, and effected an entrance
through the window. They found in the room they
entered a woman with her throat cut, but not altogether
dead, and lying by her child, two young children dead
from wounds in the throat. On searching the other bed:
rooms they discovered four more children murdered.
Their throats were severed, and the weapon, a razor, Was
found. Mr. Izod, a surgeon, of Esher, was sent for. All
the children were dead, but the woman was not so, and be
dressed her wounds. Her name is Mary A.= Brough,_,
aged forty seven or forty-eight,the wife of George Brone,
somewhat older than herself. She was first nurse to big,
Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, but was dismissed
before the prince was named ; some said at the time, be-
cause she was detected drinking ardent spirits ; others,
because she had, contrary to medical restrictions, received
visits surreptitiously from her husband. Her place was
supplied by a woman named Batchelor, who is now enjoy'
ing her reward. The miserable woman Brough was
some twenty years ago, kitchenmaid at the palace of Clare;
mount, and her husband was then and afterwards employed
there as lamplighter, watchman, and porter. He is nog,
employed as the guardian of the ornamental waters and
fishponds of Claremount. His father was coachman maul
years ago to Prince Leopold, now the King of the Bel;
gians. They had several children who died of natural
causes young, and finally the victims murdered by their
mother, Georgina, the eldest, aged eleven, Caroline aged
eight, William, seven years old, Henry and Harriet, twins,
born in ' March, 1851.. and George, the youngest, aged
twenty-one months. The murdered children were well
known in Esher, and the two eldest girls were remarkable
for their pretty exterior and more than ordinary:intelli-
gence. Their persons were familiar to the royal exiles of
Claremont, and the Prince de Joinville used often to 'sea
with them in his fishing excursions to the ponds over
which their father watched, and frequently conversed
with them. The causes assigned for this wholesale infan•
ticide, and, for the present, successless suicide are many.
Jealousy, as usual, is alleged to have been the promoter of
this shocking tragedy. The husband believed her faith-
less, and three or four days ago quarrelled with her, left
his cottage and took up his residence at Esher. The
inhabitants could only talk, wonder, and commisserate.
The father of the children appears to be respected by the
villagers of Esher, of which,.though long resident, he is
not a native. The homicide has recovered from the
effects of her self-inflicted wound, and there is a proba-
bilty that she may survive. To a female neighbour who
visited her she said, " I cut the throats of the five oldest
easily as they slept. Baby was awake, and he gave rile
most trouble."