Selina Wadge

Selina Wadge (1850 – 15 August 1878) was a Cornish woman who was convicted of the murder of one of her children. The building was constructed in 1837 under the provisions of the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834. In 1878, she remained unmarried and had two illegitimate children; six-year-old John and two-year-old Henry, known as Harry, who was disabled. She was said to have been courting a former soldier named James Westwood. She travelled to the nearby village of Altarnun to visit her mother with her children. As the well was covered, foul play was suspected though the body showed no signs of violence. Wadge then confessed to Mrs. Downey that she had committed the murder alone; Wadge was arrested, taken to Launceston police station, and charged with murder. There, she stated that Westwood had convinced her to drown her child after promising his hand in marriage. After 45 minutes consideration, the jury pronounced a guilty verdict but recommended that mercy be given due to the belief that the murder had not been premeditated.

Execution After sentencing, Wadge was taken back to Bodmin Jail where she received a letter from Westwood asking for forgiveness. The case papers were sent to Home Office officials who did not recommend a reprieve to the Home Secretary Sir Richard Assheton Cross.

Wadge was hanged by William Marwood at Bodmin Jail on 15 August 1878. The execution was carried out in private and the media were not allowed access. Wadge was one of four women hanged for the crime of infanticide between 1868 and 1899.

Legacy Bodmin Jail, where Selina Wadge was imprisoned and executed in 1878. Wadge is one of the most infamous prisoners of Bodmin Jail. The historic prison is considered the most haunted building in Cornwall. It has also been described as one of the most haunted in Britain, featuring in the television programme Most Haunted. The ghost of Wadge has been said to haunt Bodmin Jail and is particularly affected by the presence of children and pregnant women. The ghost has been described as "a woman in a long dress". Sightings were reported on the prison's third and fourth floors.

The case has been studied due to the classism and sexism of the Victorian period. Particularly as a young mother from rural Cornwall, whether she had a fair trial has been questioned. According to feminist analysis, the verdict was affected by the reality of 19th-century motherhood.

The court papers are held by the The National Archives. In 2023, an exhibition held at Bodmin Jail included a love letter from her belongings.