In the midst of the turbulent days of the 17th century, Helen Thomson, a resident of the small burgh of Queensferry in Linlithgow, found herself at the center of a witchcraft trial in 1644. The records provide a succinct yet striking account of her encounter with the forces of legal and societal judgment prevalent during this period in Scottish history. Queensferry, known for its strategic location near the Forth crossing, was a town caught in the midst of the societal anxieties and religious fervor swirling across Scotland at the time. In this climate, accusations of witchcraft were not uncommon, and Helen became one of the many whose lives were irrevocably altered by them.
The trial, designated in the records as T/JO/518, marks the official inquiry into the allegations against Helen. Unfortunately, the specific details of the accusations and the proceedings that took place have not survived in the records we have at our disposal. However, what remains clear is the grim outcome: Helen Thomson was executed. This ultimate fate, though not unusual for those accused of witchcraft in 17th-century Scotland, underscores the brutal reality of the period's legal and cultural approach to such cases. Her story, like that of many others, serves as a solemn reminder of the past, illustrating the intense fears and harsh legal practices that characterized the Scottish witch trials between 1563 and 1736.