Who Was Fanny Adams?
Fanny Adams was born on April 30, 1859, in Alton, Hampshire, England. The young girl, known for her bright and cheerful disposition, lived with her family in Tanhouse Lane. Alton, a market town, was known for its hop gardens and breweries, which played a significant role in its economy. Fanny's best friend, Minnie Warner, lived next door, and the two girls often played together in the nearby Flood Meadow.
The Day of the Crime
On the sunny afternoon of August 24, 1867, Fanny, her sister Lizzie, and Minnie asked their mother if they could go out to play in the meadow. Their mother, Harriet Adams, agreed. The girls set off and encountered Frederick Baker, a 29-year-old solicitor's clerk who had moved to Alton a year prior. Baker gave the girls money for sweets and picked blackberries for them. When Lizzie and Minnie decided to head home, Baker persuaded Fanny to accompany him to Shalden. Fanny refused, and Baker abducted her, taking her into a nearby hop garden.
The Horrific Discovery
When Fanny did not return home, her mother and neighbors began searching for her. Their worst fears were confirmed when laborer Thomas Gates discovered Fanny's dismembered body in the hop garden. The brutality of the crime shocked the nation.
The Arrest of Frederick Baker
Police Superintendent William Cheyney arrested Baker at his workplace later that evening. Baker protested his innocence, but a diary entry found at his desk implicated him. It read: "Killed a young girl. It was fine and hot." Bloodstains were found on Baker's clothing, and although the small knives found on him were not believed to have caused the injuries, he remained the prime suspect.
The Investigation and Trial
Despite Baker's claims of innocence and attempts to plead insanity, the evidence against him was overwhelming. Witnesses placed him with Fanny, and forensic tests confirmed human blood on his knives. The trial, held in Winchester on December 5, 1867, resulted in a guilty verdict. On December 24, 1867, Baker was hanged outside Winchester Prison.
Legacy
Fanny Adams' grave in Alton cemetery bears a headstone that reads:
"Sacred to the memory of Fanny Adams aged 8 years and 4 months who was cruelly murdered on Saturday August 24th 1867. Fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both body and soul in hell. Matthew 10 v 28."
The phrase "Sweet Fanny Adams" entered the vernacular as slang for anything worthless, evolving to "sweet F.A." to mean "nothing at all." The tragic case of Fanny Adams remains a poignant reminder of a dark chapter in Victorian England.
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