The Accurate Facts are:  Nattrass was suffering from a kidney disease, and had been for many years prior to meeting Mary Ann Cotton. Fearing that he was dying he requested his friends, George Hedley and Elijah Atkinson to witness his will. George Hedley and Elijah Atkinson kept true to their word and attended the proposed meeting with Nattrass. Both men agreed that Nattrass was in a dire state and that if his desire was for Mary Ann to have his personal possessions and remaining moneys should he die, then it was acceptable for them to be his witnesses. Mary Ann was present when Nattrass told the two men that she had been like a wife to him in his time of needs and that she had shown him great kindness and care. He also told the men that any apparel, fob watch and trust money in the club would go to Mary Ann. It is quite clear Nattrass chose with witnesses present to change his will voluntarily.

Professor Wilson states in a Newspaper article, dated Daily Mirror 17th of March 2012. “That Mary Ann Cotton killed two lovers, Joseph Nattrass and John Quickmanning.”

The Accurate Facts are: We are aware of how Joseph Nattrass died, however the suggestion that Mary Ann Cotton poisoned her lover John Quickmanning is totally incorrect, and further advances the inaccurate comments made by poor research. It is evident that Mr. Quickmanning returned to his native area of Darlington-Middlesbrough, where he was already married, and appears to have been a landlord in a local boarding house. It is certain that he fathered a child to Mary Ann Cotton, and is provable that when Mary Ann cotton was arrested in July of 1872, he left West Auckland shunning any contact with Newspapers, Reporters and indeed Mary Ann Cotton herself.

I find it necessary to use the extracts from those Newspapers and incorrect comments made, not just from Professor Wilson’s proposed book, but from those other (well known authors) who have also rehashed and used information which seems to be recycled and printed, without any detailed or accurate trail of recorded evidences. It is paramount to establish credible and factual information, and to that end I hold a collection of documents from the era of Mary Ann Cotton herself. I also have the complete collection (copies) of documents held by the British Public Records Office. To consolidate my research for my manuscript, I do have access to Mary Ann Cotton’s living relations, and the information which I use is fully consistently and accurate, with Official Court Documents, Reports, Police evidences, and comments made at the time of Mary Ann Cotton’s life and trial. My connection to Mary Ann Cotton’s living relations, is both private, confidential and in trust.