LEADING DATES IN THE BLANDY CASE
1744.
22 May—Marriage of Cranstoun and Anne Murray.
1745.
19 February—Birth of their daughter.
1746.
August—Cranstoun meets Mary Blandy at Lord Mark Kerr's.
October—Mrs. Cranstoun takes proceedings in Commissary Court.
1747.
August—Second meeting of Cranstoun and Mary. Cranstoun visits the Blandys and stays six months.
1748.
January—Cranstoun returns to London.
1 March—Cranstoun's marriage upheld by the Commissary Court.
May—Mrs. Blandy's illness at Turville Court. Cranstoun pays a second six-months' visit to the Blandys.
December—Cranstoun's regiment "broke" at Southampton. He returns to London.
1749.
March—Mrs. Blandy and Mary visit Mr. Sergeant Stevens in Doctors' Commons.
28 September—Mrs. Blandy taken ill after her return home.
30 September—Death of Mrs. Blandy.
1750.
August—Cranstoun returns to Henley. Puts powder in Mr. Blandy's tea.
October—Cranstoun professes to hear nocturnal music, &c.
November—Cranstoun leaves Henley for the last time.
1751.
April—Cranstoun writes from Scotland to Mary that he has seen Mrs. Morgan and will send powder with pebbles.
June—Powder and pebbles received by Mary, with directions to put the powder in tea. Mr. Blandy becomes unwell. Gunnell and Emmet ill after drinking his tea.
18 July—Cranstoun writes to Mary suggesting she should put the powder in gruel.
4 August—Gunnell makes gruel in pan by Mary's orders.
5 August—Mary seen stirring gruel in pantry. Mr. Blandy taken seriously ill in the night.
6 August—Mr. Norton, the apothecary, called in. Gruel warmed for Mr. Blandy's supper.
7 August—Emmet eats what was left the night before, and is taken ill. Mary orders the remains of the gruel to be warmed. Gunnell and Binfield notice white sediment in pan and lock it up.
8 August—Gunnell and Binfield take pan to Mrs. Mounteney, who delivers it to Mr. Norton.
9 August—Mr. Stevens, of Fawley, arrives and hears suspicions.
10 August—Gunnell tells Mr. Blandy of suspicions. Mary burns papers and packet. Dr. Addington called in.
11 August—Pan and packet given to Dr. Addington. He warns Mary. Her letter to Cranstoun intercepted.
12 August—Last interview between Mary and her father.
13 August—Mr. Blandy worse. Dr. Lewis called in. Mary confined to her room.
14 August—Death of Mr. Blandy. Mary attempts to bribe Harmon and Binfield to effect her escape.
15 August—Flight of Mary. Coroner's inquest. Mary apprehended.
17 August—Mary removed to Oxford Castle.
4 September—Cranstoun escapes to Calais.
1752.
2 March—Grand Jury find a True Bill against Mary Blandy.
3 March—Trial at Oxford Assizes. Prisoner convicted and sentenced to death.
6 March—Execution of Mary Blandy.
2 December—Death of Cranstoun.