John Makin (14 February 1845 – 15 August 1893) and Sarah Jane Makin (20 December 1845 – 13 September 1918) were Australian baby farmers who were convicted in New South Wales of the murder of infant Horace Murray. Both were tried and found guilty in March 1893 and sentenced to death. John was hanged on 15 August 1893, but Sarah's sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. On 29 April 1911, she was paroled from State Reformatory for Women at Long Bay in response to the petition of her daughters. And remained free until her death in 1918, she never said another word concerning these murders, but wrote her memoirs in 1917-1918, finishing the works shortly before her death.
Their Background: Sarah Jane Sutcliffe was born on 20 December 1845 to Ellen Murphy and Emanuel Sutcliffe; her father was a miller and former convict. Sarah was first married to sailor Charles Edwards on 29 April 1865 in Sydney, Australia. She later married brewery drayman John Makin of Dapto, New South Wales on 27 August 1871. John was the son of farmer William Samuel Makin and his wife Ellen Selena. John and Sarah eventually had five sons and five daughters. The couple turned to baby farming, the practice of caring for illegitimate babies in exchange for payment, as a source of income after John was injured in an accident.
Case of Horace Murray
In 1892, 18-year-old Amber Murray placed an advertisement in the Sydney Morning Herald in search of a mother to adopt a baby boy. Murray was unable to care for her illegitimate son Horace, born on 30 May of that year, and offered to cover child support expenses. The Makins replied that they were willing to take care of Horace in exchange for 10 shillings per week. Daughter Blanche Makin accepted an upfront payment of £3 and picked up the child. John continued to collect child support payments from Amber Murray while responding with excuses to her requests to see Horace. When Murray visited an address near Sydney that was provided by the Makins, the family was nowhere to be found. They had already moved to Macdonaldtown, New South Wales. Murray never saw her baby alive again.
The Discovery of bodies: The Makins came to police attention on 11 October 1892, when worker James Hanoney was clearing a clogged underground drain in the backyard of a home in Burren Street, Macdonaldtown and found it blocked with the remains of two infant children. Investigators examined records to trace the Makins, who had moved again to Chippendale. The Makins and four of their daughters were arrested, though only John and Sarah were charged. Police exhumed remains from the backyards of eleven homes that the Makins had occupied since 1890.
A total of twelve dead infant bodies were recovered, though some sources count thirteen. Prosecutors believed the Makins sought to profit by taking in babies for child care payments, and found it easier to kill the children and deceive the parents to continue receiving money. One of their victims was Horace Murray, whose clothing would be identified by his mother Amber.
The Trial: In March 1893, the Makins' own daughters testified against them in court. 16-year-old Clarice stated that she recognized clothing recovered from one of the dead babies that was previously in the custody of her mother. 11-year-old Daisy recalled that two young girls that followed them to Macdonaldtown, but not Horace. Another couple testified that they had also been paying the Makins 10 shillings per week for the temporary care of their illegitimate baby. However, they ended up paying the Makins £2 to cover funeral costs, as the child died within days. The Makins did not attend the funeral.
The Sentencing: Both Sarah and John Makin were sentenced to death by hanging by the Supreme Court of New South Wales at Sydney for the murder of Horace Murray, with a recommendation by the jury that Sarah Makin be spared the death penalty. Before sentencing the Makins, the Judge M. H. Stephen in the case spoke out:
“You took money from the mother of this child. You beguiled her with promises which you never meant to perform and which you never did perform having determined on the death of the child. You deceived her as to your address and you endeavoured to make it utterly fruitless that any search should be made and finally, in order to make detection impossible, as you thought, having bereft it of life, you buried this child in your yard as you would the carcase of a dog... No one who has heard the case but must believe that you were engaged in baby farming in its worst aspect. Three yards of houses in which you lived testify, with that ghastly evidence of these bodies, that you were carrying on this nefarious, this hellish business, of destroying the lives of these infants for the sake of gain.”
—Justice Matthew Henry Stephen
After two appeals and a plea for clemency were denied, John Makin was hanged in the gallows on 15 August 1893 at Darlinghurst Gaol. He was pronounced dead at 12:16 AM. Sarah's sentence was commuted to life imprisonment with hard labour at the State Reformatory for Women at Long Bay. After her daughters campaigned for her release, Sarah was paroled in 1911, having served 19 years in prison. According to court records, the Makins were not charged in any further criminal activity. On 13 September 1918, Sarah Makin died in Marrickville, New South Wales; she was buried in Rookwood Cemetery.
Their Effect on legislation: The case of John and Sarah Makin raised awareness of the institution of baby farming and led the New South Wales Legislative Assembly to initiate the Children’s Protection Act of 1892, to bring the care of orphaned and destitute children under state control.
In the media:The story of Amber Murray and the Makin family inspired the 2008 Australian theater production The Hatpin, which played in Sydney and in New York City. In 2009, it was nominated for three Sydney Theatre Awards and won one for best actress.
In August 2009, the Makin story was televised in the Discovery Channel documentary series Deadly Women. According to the third season episode "Blood for Money", which featured reenactments with actress Pip Moore as Amber Murray, the Makins moved more than 15 times in a period of 20 years.
We must protect our children today for they are our future tomorrow - Bird
Their Background: Sarah Jane Sutcliffe was born on 20 December 1845 to Ellen Murphy and Emanuel Sutcliffe; her father was a miller and former convict. Sarah was first married to sailor Charles Edwards on 29 April 1865 in Sydney, Australia. She later married brewery drayman John Makin of Dapto, New South Wales on 27 August 1871. John was the son of farmer William Samuel Makin and his wife Ellen Selena. John and Sarah eventually had five sons and five daughters. The couple turned to baby farming, the practice of caring for illegitimate babies in exchange for payment, as a source of income after John was injured in an accident.
Case of Horace Murray
In 1892, 18-year-old Amber Murray placed an advertisement in the Sydney Morning Herald in search of a mother to adopt a baby boy. Murray was unable to care for her illegitimate son Horace, born on 30 May of that year, and offered to cover child support expenses. The Makins replied that they were willing to take care of Horace in exchange for 10 shillings per week. Daughter Blanche Makin accepted an upfront payment of £3 and picked up the child. John continued to collect child support payments from Amber Murray while responding with excuses to her requests to see Horace. When Murray visited an address near Sydney that was provided by the Makins, the family was nowhere to be found. They had already moved to Macdonaldtown, New South Wales. Murray never saw her baby alive again.
The Discovery of bodies: The Makins came to police attention on 11 October 1892, when worker James Hanoney was clearing a clogged underground drain in the backyard of a home in Burren Street, Macdonaldtown and found it blocked with the remains of two infant children. Investigators examined records to trace the Makins, who had moved again to Chippendale. The Makins and four of their daughters were arrested, though only John and Sarah were charged. Police exhumed remains from the backyards of eleven homes that the Makins had occupied since 1890.
A total of twelve dead infant bodies were recovered, though some sources count thirteen. Prosecutors believed the Makins sought to profit by taking in babies for child care payments, and found it easier to kill the children and deceive the parents to continue receiving money. One of their victims was Horace Murray, whose clothing would be identified by his mother Amber.
The Trial: In March 1893, the Makins' own daughters testified against them in court. 16-year-old Clarice stated that she recognized clothing recovered from one of the dead babies that was previously in the custody of her mother. 11-year-old Daisy recalled that two young girls that followed them to Macdonaldtown, but not Horace. Another couple testified that they had also been paying the Makins 10 shillings per week for the temporary care of their illegitimate baby. However, they ended up paying the Makins £2 to cover funeral costs, as the child died within days. The Makins did not attend the funeral.
The Sentencing: Both Sarah and John Makin were sentenced to death by hanging by the Supreme Court of New South Wales at Sydney for the murder of Horace Murray, with a recommendation by the jury that Sarah Makin be spared the death penalty. Before sentencing the Makins, the Judge M. H. Stephen in the case spoke out:
“You took money from the mother of this child. You beguiled her with promises which you never meant to perform and which you never did perform having determined on the death of the child. You deceived her as to your address and you endeavoured to make it utterly fruitless that any search should be made and finally, in order to make detection impossible, as you thought, having bereft it of life, you buried this child in your yard as you would the carcase of a dog... No one who has heard the case but must believe that you were engaged in baby farming in its worst aspect. Three yards of houses in which you lived testify, with that ghastly evidence of these bodies, that you were carrying on this nefarious, this hellish business, of destroying the lives of these infants for the sake of gain.”
—Justice Matthew Henry Stephen
After two appeals and a plea for clemency were denied, John Makin was hanged in the gallows on 15 August 1893 at Darlinghurst Gaol. He was pronounced dead at 12:16 AM. Sarah's sentence was commuted to life imprisonment with hard labour at the State Reformatory for Women at Long Bay. After her daughters campaigned for her release, Sarah was paroled in 1911, having served 19 years in prison. According to court records, the Makins were not charged in any further criminal activity. On 13 September 1918, Sarah Makin died in Marrickville, New South Wales; she was buried in Rookwood Cemetery.
Their Effect on legislation: The case of John and Sarah Makin raised awareness of the institution of baby farming and led the New South Wales Legislative Assembly to initiate the Children’s Protection Act of 1892, to bring the care of orphaned and destitute children under state control.
In the media:The story of Amber Murray and the Makin family inspired the 2008 Australian theater production The Hatpin, which played in Sydney and in New York City. In 2009, it was nominated for three Sydney Theatre Awards and won one for best actress.
In August 2009, the Makin story was televised in the Discovery Channel documentary series Deadly Women. According to the third season episode "Blood for Money", which featured reenactments with actress Pip Moore as Amber Murray, the Makins moved more than 15 times in a period of 20 years.
We must protect our children today for they are our future tomorrow - Bird
