My Name is Martha Brown

by Nicola Thorne

Based on a true story, a captivating tale of passionate love and violent death in 1850s Dorset.In 1856, Martha Brown was publicly hanged for the brutal murder of her husband. Among those who witnessed her death was a sixteen-year-old local lad, and the memory of her execution haunted him for the rest of his life. Corresponding to a friend many years later, he wrote ‘I remember what a fine figure she showed against the sky as she hung in the misty rain, and how the tight black silk gown set off her shape as she wheeled half-round and back.’ The writer was Thomas Hardy.Martha Brown was an ordinary woman of humble parentage, probably illiterate. Very little is known about her. Despite a small team of dedicated researchers delving into old records and original sources to try and piece together her life story, she remains tantalising and elusive, seemingly exercising a strange and powerful spell, even from the grave. We do know that John Brown was her second husband. His age on the marriage certificate is given as twenty-one; Martha’s as forty-one. Why did John and Martha marry? After all, she was twenty years his senior – hardly commonplace as we reach the millennium, never mind the 1850s. She was described as ‘a wonderful-looking woman with beautiful curls’. It is easy to see why she would have married a handsome, younger, virile man who could perhaps release her from a life of tedium and drudgery. Why did he marry Martha? Some people have suggested it was for money – she’d inherited a legacy of some fifty pounds from her deceased first husband. Did the age difference that eventually led him into the arms of a much younger and prettier girl lead to jealousy, a precipitating factor in the tragedy – if Martha did indeed kill John?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Historical, 19th Century

416 pages, Hardcover

First published July 17, 2000

About the author

Nicola Thorne (real name: Rosemary Ellerbeck) was born in Cape Town, South Africa. Her father was English and her mother a New Sealander, and she was brought up and educated in England. She graduated in Sociology at the London School of Economics, but always wanted to pursue a literary career and worked as a reader and editor while writing her first novels. In 1975 she left publishing to write full and and has now written a number of successful novels under the pseudonym Nicola Thorne. She lives in St. John's Wood, London.

Reviews

[Janet Cardillo]

Excellent storytelling

This was a satisfying read, long and unpredictable, as is life. The fact that it is the result of so much research shows and is a fascinating view of one uneducated, but intelligent woman. Makes me think of my grandmother who arrived here at 14 and was married off to an older man. I would enjoy reading more by this author.

[Randy Ladenheim-Gil]

The hanging of Martha Brown stayed with Thomas Hardy for many years--he witnessed it when he was sixteen years old--and supposedly based Tess on her. Is this novel anywhere near Tess/Hardy? Of course not, though I found it interesting and stuck with it all the way, even when it wasn't as compelling as I hoped. What can I say? I love historical true crime, so I'm glad I read this.

[Kay]

The copy of this book that I downloaded has Martha Brown dangling as a hanged corpse so it's obvious from the outset that this doesn't end well. What's remarkable is how well developed Martha's character is as she develops from a young poor girl with dreams but very little opportunity through troubles, tragedies, and certainly some joy to where her life ends. It made me very sympathetic to her plight. Not only was Martha's aspirations limited by being a woman, they were limited by being poor every bit as much. The social net, as such, certainly didn't exist and families' fortunes were hinged on good/poor decisions made by people with little, if any, formal education. Despite that, Martha takes what happiness available, learns to accept some things, and has the courage to be true to herself. Very little is known of the real Martha Brown, but I rather think she would very much like this portrayal.

[Dina_s]

A sad and unsettling tale of an illiterate working class woman struggling to find her place in society and make ends meet in tough and troubled times.
Based on a true story, Martha Brown's lot in life fascinated and influenced an impressionable Thomas Hardy who witnessed her hanging as a young lad.
It is not an easy story to read, but is definitely worth your while. The author and her fellow researchers have painstakingly pieced together this unfortunate woman's life against whom the odds were stacked from the very day she was born.
Extremely well written and beautifully detailed, the author brings to life the toil and hardships of 19th century rural communities in such a manner that you can imagine yourself amongst them watching the tragedy unfold.

[Linda Hardy]

This books is based on the true story of Martha Brown in rural Dorset from the 1830's to the 1850's, Martha is from a poor family and times are hard and tough, from happy time when she married and had two children to the sadness of their passing, and later Martha would remarry to a much younger man who would hit her, in a rage of temper she strikes out at her husband and kills him, It was a sad story in many ways, life was harsh. I liked the story but found the book had many typing errors and could of done with better editing.

[Ammy]

A good look at a common woman's life that included a high infant mortality rate and the need for a man to give your life a purpose. It definately makes one thankful for our freedom of choice we have today.

[denise]

Martha Brown

If your a history lover, then this book is for you. Absolutely loved this, wanting to keep reading, also not wanting the book to end. Martha had a very hard, tragic life, also a tragic end.
Please read, very good story of those old times, a much harder way of life.

[Fi]

Very absorbing read, & all the more fascinating or being based on a true story.
Shades of Thomas Hardy - & not simply because it's also set in Dorset.

[Rebecca]

Great little book, so sad this is how life was for women.

[Kathleen Valentine]

Just started it but it is hard to put down.

[Jeanine]

Quite an interesting story of a woman who was hanged for the murder of her husband.

[Lynn Heiden]

Fantastic book based on the True story of Martha Brown, I read this in 2 days totally compulsive reading, loved it, just so sad that Martha didn't have more choices in life

[vickyrodriguez]

Really enjoyed this book.

Easy reading and grabs you in from the 1st page. Also ,knowing Martha Brown was a real person makes for a very interesting read.

[Karen]

Well written story, rich in atmosphere and heart.