Episode 58: Maggie Dickson. This week Joannagh delves into the history books to bring us the bizarre story of Maggie Dickson.
Convicted of killing her newborn baby in 1724, Maggie was jailed and sentenced to be hanged.
Joannagh describes some of the now outdated aspects of life in Edinburgh in the 1700's, particularly the obsolete medical techniques used to convict Maggie.
We also hear how a less than thorough medical examination, and the very specific wording of a law, led to Maggie Dickson going down in the history books as "Half-Hangit Maggie".



Case research by Joannagh Shanks
Produced by Emma Taylor & Joannagh Shanks
Editing by Shaun O'Neill
Music by Tribe of Noise


Sources of research:

https://diggingup1800.com/half-hangit-maggie-the-woman-who-survived-a-hanging/

https://digital.nls.uk/broadsides/view/?id=16830&criteria=dickson

https://ewh.org.uk/learning/classroom-resources/old-edinburgh/auld-reekie/

https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usbiography/d/maggiedickson.html

http://www.the-grassmarket.com/history/maggie-dickson.html

https://www.thenational.scot/news/18685609.back-day-legend-half-hangit-maggie-dickson/

https://random-times.com/2020/01/18/half-hangit-maggie-dickson-the-woman-who-survived-the-hangmans-noose/

https://www.spookyisles.com/margaret-dickson/

https://www.scotsman.com/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/half-hangit-maggie-scots-woman-who-survived-hanging-622567

https://www.scotsman.com/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/gardyloo-grim-story-unsanitary-edinburgh-1480434

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Tolbooth,_Edinburgh

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/lost-edinburgh-old-tolbooth-prison-1554328

https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/728/

https://murderpedia.org/female.D/d/dickson-margaret.htm