The Unfortunate Woman v Her Well-Respected Killer: A Domestic Violence Trial in 1876
The trial of Kenneth Brown (father of Edith Cowan) for the murder of his second wife Mary Ann shook the community of 19th Century Western Australia. Learn about this historic case and explore the evolution of women's rights and law reform in Western Australia in an exhibition and short film.
The Old Court House Law Museum’s latest special exhibition investigates a famous historic Western Australian trial. The interpretation explores how Brown’s victim and wife Mary Ann’s right to safety was eclipsed by social conventions and the reputation of her husband.
Examine the social and legal perceptions around accountability and provocation in the prosecution and defence of Kenneth Brown; Mary Ann’s well-respected killer.
A special short film included in the exhibition unpacks issues of family and domestic violence prevalent in the case which still resonate today.