Maggie Dickson, a Musselburgh woman who earned the nickname 'Half-Hangit Maggie' in the 1700s, survived her own hanging in Edinburgh's Grassmarket on September 2, 1724, and lived for around 40 more years.
The Life and Crime of Maggie Dickson
Born in 1702 in Inveresk near Musselburgh, Dickson spent most of her life there before working as a fish hawker and marrying. Her husband deserted her around 1723, forcing her to relocate to Kelso in the Scottish Borders.
In Kelso, Dickson found work at an inn, where she began an affair with the innkeeper's son. She became pregnant and concealed it to avoid being sacked. Her baby was born prematurely and died a few days later. She planned to place the deceased infant in the River Tweed but changed her mind and left the baby along the riverbank.
The Hanging and Miraculous Survival
The infant was discovered the same day and traced back to Dickson. She was charged, sent to Edinburgh, convicted, and sentenced to death. The public execution took place at the Grassmarket on September 2, 1724. After she was pronounced dead, her friends and family fought for possession of her body and began the journey back to Musselburgh.
On the way home, strange noises came from the coffin, and the lid began to move. When the family opened it, they found Dickson still alive. She complained of a dry mouth and a sore neck but was well enough to walk the rest of the way home.
Legacy and the Pub Named After Her
Dickson was never re-hanged, as the court's sentence had technically already been carried out. She became a local celebrity and lived freely until her death around 40 years later. Some say she survived by manipulating the ropemaker into making a weak noose, though this has not been proven.
Her legacy lives on through Maggie Dickson's, a pub on the Grassmarket that serves hearty meals, local craft beers, and more than 90 hand-selected whiskies.
