Valentines Day Special: Maggie Dickson

While we were in Edinburgh, we came across the story of Half-Hangit Maggie. Now quite untraditionally we have opted to tell you about her as part of our Valentines Day Special as we've decided her story was doused in love, apart from the execution bit.

Just outside of what is now the Last Drop pub, public executions were held at the Grass market section of Edinburgh, and there was a rather peculiar execution one day. Back in the 18th century there was a lass called Maggie Dickson. She was fairly ordinary, no reason to have been a well known figure within these parts, that was until her husband abandoned her in 1723.

Back in those days, they didn't take kindly on women too much and as her husband had deserted her she didn't have a means to live. So she had to flee to the Scottish Borders where she managed to get a job for an innkeeper in exchange for lodgings. Unfortunately, whether it was consensual or not, the Innkeeper's son got Maggie pregnant. A destitute woman who then went on to get pregnant outside of her marriage was the ideal candidate for the noose back in the day, so Maggie did her best to conceal her pregnancy and tried to keep her job, which if it was found out she was seeing the Innkeeper's son, she'd have lost.

The baby came prematurely and died soon after, but Maggie hid this fact from everyone and went to the River Tweed with the intention of throwing her baby in. In a moment of grief and love for her baby she couldn't bring herself to do it and instead left the baby on the riverbank. It was discovered the same day and traced back to her resulting in her being charged under the contravention of the concealment of pregnant act. No prizes for what the penalty was, poor Maggie was dragged back to Edinburgh for her trial and execution.

The date was decided. The 2nd of September 1724 was the date Maggie Dickson would be hung. Her head went in the noose and she was hung by the neck until she was pronounced dead and her body placed in the coffin and made ready to travel to her burial. But this didn't quite go to plan as half way there they heard knocking from within the coffin. Those escorting her body fearfully opened the coffin to find Maggie alive and a deal was struck to let her go. She accompanied them to the town where she was due to be buried and went about living her life.

Of course it wasn't as simple as that. Someone recognised her and she was dragged back to Edinburgh so that they could finish the job. Luckily for Maggie though, a lawyer was present and brought forward that Maggie had actually served her sentence, she was hung at the neck until she was pronounced dead. It was agreed that this was the case, there was paperwork, and so Maggie was beyond further prosecution and left to live happily for another 40 years or so.

Now you might be wondering how it is she survived. Some say that she became a friend of the rope makers and he loosened the rope he supplied for her execution. Some say she seduced him, others say she seduced the hangman himself.  Rumour also has it that the hangman took pity on her and din't do the knot so tight. Whatever the story, Maggie went on to live her happily ever after. She married again and was allowed to remain in Edinburgh as a local celeb. They now have a pub named after her just behind the spot she was hung.

We chose this story because of the happily ever after and if there was ever a message to spread on a day like today, then it is that things will always turn out alright in the end. Happy endings do exist. Raise a glass to Maggie if you've got one.