Tombstone of Hannah Twinoy - a woman who died from the paws and fangs of a tiger and her own stupidity (7 photos)

What are the odds of an ordinary 18th-century Brit encountering an exotic predator? Not particularly high. And this woman made history thanks to her encounter with the striped beast and her own arrogance.





This crumbling tombstone commemorates Britain's first death by tiger claws and fangs.



In the corner of a wide British churchyard at Malmesbury Abbey, Wiltshire, lies the grave of Hannah Twinoy, an 18th-century barmaid who is said to have been the first person in British history to be killed by a tiger.





Malmesbury Abbey

A touching, eloquent poem is etched into the crumbling stone, telling of the tiger that led to Hannah's death. The poem reads:



In the bloom of life she was snatched away from here, She had no place to protect herself, For the ferocious tiger took her life. And so she lies on a bed of clay, Until the day of resurrection.



While this poetic tale does not prove the cause of Twinna's death, there is also a well-known local story about the woman's demise. According to legend, Twinnoy was working in a bar in Malmesbury when a travelling menagerie set up shop in the back yard. In her spare time, the woman began to visit the place and tease the animal, despite stern warnings not to disturb it.

Unfortunately, the tiger managed to escape from its cage and went straight to Hannah. And predictably, he mauled her, apparently remembering the abuse. There was even a plaque with this story here at one time, which was created by a local historian. But someone really needed it for sale or melting down, and the plaque was stolen.



The headstone gives the date of death as October 1703, making her the earliest recorded case of a tiger killing a human in British history. To commemorate the strange pioneer's death in 2003 - the 300th anniversary - an interesting ceremony was held - all the local girls named Hannah, under the age of 11, came to the grave and laid flowers. It seems none of them had as much trouble with exotic animals as the poor curious barmaid.