Among the cold stones of Edinburgh’s Calton Jail, a tragic chapter in the city’s criminal history came to a grim close in 1889. Jessie King, a young woman from Stockbridge, was executed behind those imposing walls—becoming the last woman ever hanged in Edinburgh. Her story is a haunting mix of poverty, desperation, and injustice.

A Life on the Margins

Jessie King lived a hard life. In her twenties and working as a domestic servant, she had few options and even fewer protections in Victorian society. She became involved with Thomas Pearson, a man with a history of crime and abuse. Together, they lived in bleak conditions in the Edinburgh district of Stockbridge.

The Crime: “Baby Farming”

In an era without state welfare or support for unwed mothers, a dark trade emerged known as baby farming. Women like Jessie took in illegitimate children for a fee, promising to care for them. In many cases, the money wasn’t enough—and in the worst cases, neglect turned into tragedy.

Authorities were alerted when the bodies of several infants were found hidden in and around Jessie’s lodgings. The babies had likely been smothered or poisoned. Jessie was arrested and charged with murder. Pearson, despite his suspected involvement, was never charged.

Trial and Execution

Jessie’s trial shocked Edinburgh. Many saw her not as a monster, but as a woman broken by circumstance—possibly suffering from mental illness, certainly trapped by an abusive relationship. Still, she was found guilty and sentenced to death.

On March 11, 1889, Jessie King was hanged inside Calton Jail. Public executions had ended by then, so the event was conducted behind closed doors. She was buried in unconsecrated ground within the jail—her remains now lie beneath the government buildings on Regent Road.

A Tragic Legacy

Jessie King’s case drew deep sympathy, especially among social reformers and women’s groups. Some began questioning whether she had been more a victim than a villain. Her story echoed through newspaper editorials and eventually became a symbol of systemic failure and injustice in plays and literature.

Today, the only physical reminder of Calton Jail is the Governor’s House on Regent Road. But Jessie’s story endures—a stark reminder of how society once treated its most vulnerable, and a voice from the past still whispering through Edinburgh’s stony silence.