Helen Thomson, a resident of Queensferry in the county of Linlithgow, became embroiled in the turbulent period of Scottish history characterized by rampant fear of witchcraft. The year 1644 marked a dire point in her life as her name appeared in the judicial annals under a case formally recorded as C/EGD/2339. During a time when accusations of witchcraft could readily spiral into deadly outcomes, Helen faced charges that would prove catastrophic.
The records indicate that Helen stood trial, as denoted in document T/JO/518. The proceedings ended with a grim conclusion; Helen was executed. While the records do not specify the particular circumstances or the nature of the accusations against her, the fact that she was found guilty and sentenced to death underscores the severe and unforgiving nature of the witch trials of this era. These trials were marked by a combination of fear, superstition, and the legal environment of 17th-century Scotland, which often left those accused little chance for defense. Helen's narrative, preserved in these sparse historical entries, reflects the perilous existence many endured during the witch hunts that swept through Scotland between 1563 and 1736.