Looking back with Ian Scott on Victorian murder accused Madelaine Smith's Falkirk connections

The sensational Victorian murder trial of Madelaine Smith is one such story. One of our guides, Jessie Young, who spent many years working in the Crown Office, is particularly interested in the case because it involved the unique Scottish verdict of ‘Not Proven’ and is often discussed when politicians and others make plans to get rid of it.

In 1855 Madelaine was a 22 year old well-to-do young lady living in a big house in Glasgow’s Blythswood Square. She met and fell in love with Pierre Emile L’Angelier an older man from Jersey who was an apprentice nurseryman and factory worker in the city. By all accounts he was a charmer with very French style and manners and the two commenced a very steamy and passionate affair. This of course was without the knowledge of her family who hoped for a much better match for their beloved daughter.

How and why things went sour between the couple we do not know but it seems that she tried to end the relationship and that Pierre threatened to hand over a huge batch of explicit love letters she had written to him over the months they were together. At this stage she began to buy lots of arsenic which she later claimed was for cosmetic purposes and to kill rats. During 1857 Pierre became increasingly ill and believed Madelaine had laced his hot chocolate repeatedly with the poison. When he died she was charged with murder and many of the juicy letters were presented in court causing a huge sensation which shocked the prim Victorians in the city and further afield. I don’t have enough space for the details of the trial – suffice to say that after nine days the jury decided that there was not enough direct evidence to convict and returned the Not Proven verdict. Few people thought she was innocent but she was released.

So what is the Falkirk connection? Well there are a few: firstly she was the granddaughter of David Hamilton the famous architect who designed the Steeple and Larbert Old Parish Church. Secondly she had relations living in Falkirk and in Polmont. Just opposite Callendar Park next to the Meadows there was a house called Belmont and we are told that there was considerable interest shown by nosey folks and Victorian ‘paparazzi’ so that in the days after the trial the curtains were drawn to prevent intrusion.

More significant is the fact that Madelaine herself came to live in Polmont Bank House after a short spell in Bridge of Allan. The house later served as a nursing home and a hotel and stood where the ALDI supermarket is today. Still pursued by the press, she finally left for London and later New York. After quite a busy and successful life (and two marriages) she died in 1928 but her story continued to fascinate the public and still does today. Did she do it? Almost certainly but the evidence was circumstantial and the jury were unconvinced

The Steeple is open for tours every Tuesday from midday to 4pm and on Saturdays from 10am to 4pm. Admission is free and you can book via the steeple website or just come in when your passing. You will hear about Madelaine and much else besides.