What was baby farming?

Baby farming was widespread in late Victorian times, when effective contraception was not widely available and unmarried mothers were ostracised. Desperate women contacted baby farmers, who for a price took these unwanted babies. In the days before official adoption, sometimes these babies were adopted for a lump sum payment. Other babies were taken into care for regular payments.  Unfortunately, the people involved in this practice did not have the welfare of the babies at heart, and it was financially more viable if the babies in their care died or were disposed of mysteriously.

Who was Minnie Dean?

Minnie Dean, was born in Scotland in 1844. She first appeared in Southland, New Zealand, as a widow with two children in the early 1860s. She married a local innkeeper, soon to become farmer, Charles Dean. With the end of the gold rush era, the Dean’s soon found themselves down on their luck. They took possession of The Larches, a large abandoned house in Winton, Southland. Soon after they arrived, the Dean’s house burned down. Charles built a cottage and lean-to and began raising pigs. His wife, Minnie began taking in unwanted babies for payment, a practice known as baby farming. Over time some children in her care died. At first the deaths were not treated as suspicious, but after a while questions started being asked and she was put under observation.

In New Zealand, the infant mortality rate at that time was between 80 to 100 for every 1000 live births. Consequently, occasional deaths, either through illness or accident, could be expected at places such as The Larches, where many children lived. But, after a series of deaths and the mysterious disappearance of children, an investigation into her activities was launched.

Murder on a Train

The event resulting in Minnie Dean’s arrest took place in 1895. In short, Minnie travelled by train to collect a baby she had agreed to take. On the outward trip she carried an empty hat box. A railway guard reported a series of Minnie's small activities that he considered suspicious. Police were alerted, and the baby was eventually dug up in her garden, along with the body of another baby and a four year old child. Clothing found at The Larches was identified as belonging to the baby she boarded the train with.

Tried for Murder

There was enough evidence to arrest Minnie for murder. She went on trial, was found guilty. One witness told how Minnie Dean acquired a three week old baby during a stay in her boarding house. Other witnesses told of seeing Minnie boarding the train carrying a young baby and a hat box. On leaving the train the baby had disappeared and the hat box was suspiciously heavy. The verdict was that the baby from the train had died of an overdose of laudanum. The other baby recovered in the garden was thought to have died from asphyxiation.

Minnie Dean was the first and only woman ever executed in New Zealand. She was hanged at Invercargill gaol on 12 August 1895.

Larnach Castle In New Zealand

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