Nathaniel St. André Swiss surgeon-anatomist to King George I. With the kings patronage, Nathaniel aqquired land named Giddy Bridge, in Southampton, Adding to his already sizeable portfolio, Bellevue House, the Dolphin Hotel and exclusive London addresses. What could possibly go wrong for a man who has reached the pinacle of society. All this is about to change, let me introduce you too Mary toft.

Mary ToftA twenty-five year old illiterate servant, married to Joshua Toft, a cloth salesman. According to reports, despite having had a miscarriage just a month earlier in August 1726, Mary still appeared to be pregnant. On September 27th, she went into labour and was attended by her neighbour Mary Gill, and her mother in law Ann Toft. She gave birth to something resembling a liverless cat. Guildford obstetrician John Howard, visited Mary the next day where he was presented with more animal parts which Ann Toft said she had taken from Mary during the night. The following day, Howard returned and helped deliver yet more animal parts. Over the next month Howard recorded that she began producing a rabbit's head, the legs of a cat, and, in a single day, nine dead baby rabbits.
At a loss, Howard sent letters to some of England's greatest doctors and scientists and the King's secretary, informing them of these miraculous births.

King George INews spread rapidly. The king became curious and dispatched two men to investigate further, Nathaniel St. André and Samuel Molyneux, secretary to the Prince of Wales. Mary was swiftly becoming a local celebrity, which resulted in her being relocated to Guildford where she could be observed closely by John Howard. On November 15th St. André and Molyneux arrived at Howard's home in Guildford and were immediately greeted with the news that Mary was in labour with her fifteenth rabbit. Toft gave birth to several more dead rabbits in their presence.
The newspapers jumped in on the act, printing a selection of stanzas.Hand sketched images depicting the whole story.

DownfallsPublishing a narrative of the events Nathaniel asked fellow anatomist Dr. James Douglas, to counter sign the narrative. Not only did Douglas refuse to sign it, he then put the knife in declaring it was 'nothing but a collection of impossibilities'. Events took another turn when Joshua Toft was witenessed purchasing rabbits in the local market place, his accomplice, a hotel porter admited later to being a part of the scam. Sadly St André was suspected of involvement in the hoax, both Toft and independent investigators claimed that he had been duped. The king distancing himself from the saga, refused an audience with St Andre, also removing his royal duties and his salary removed. Strangely he still retained the title of court anatomist.

In 1728, St André treated Samuel Molyneux, a Member of Parliament who had suffered a fit while in the House of Commons. The treatment was rather unsuccessful, and Molyneux died in April. On the night of Molyneux drawing his last breath, St André eloped with Molyneux's wife, Elizabeth, the two marrying in 1730. Rumours soon spread that St André had poisoned the MP.
Nathaniel and Elizabeth retired to the countryside,away from the limelight, eventually opting for a move back to Southampton in the early 1750's. Spending their days devoted to charitable works, botany, gardening and architecture. But nothing is for ever, on Elizabeth's death, St André not only lost his wide he lost her considerable inherited income.
He also lost money on investments and most of his possessions were destroyed in a fire. His last years were within sadly spent in an almshouse. He died at the age of 96, in 1776, having refused to eat rabbit for the rest of his life. Little is known of Toft's later life. She briefly reappeared in 1740 when she was imprisoned for receiving stolen goods. She died in 1763, and her obituary ran in London newspapers alongside those of aristocrats. She was buried in Godalming on 13 January 1763.

Giddy Bridge Wetherspoons Today Weatherspoons in Southampton is sited on the land of Giddy Bridge, near Bedford place. Having breakfast there one morning I read a pamphlet on the history of Giddy Bridge and that inspired this post.