Edith Jessie Thompson was born on December 25, 1893, in Dalston, London. She was the first of five children in her family. Her father, William Eustace Graydon, worked as a clerk for the Imperial Tobacco Company, and her mother, Ethel Jessie Graydon, was the daughter of a police constable. Edith had a happy childhood and showed talent in dancing and acting. She was also academically bright, particularly good at arithmetic.

After completing her education in 1909, Edith began working at a clothing manufacturing firm called Louis London in London. In 1911, she moved to a job at Carlton & Prior, a wholesaler of women's hats. She quickly made a name for herself as a stylish and intelligent woman, earning promotions to become the chief buyer for the company. This role allowed her to travel to Paris regularly for business.

At the age of 15, Edith met Percy Thompson, who was three years older than her. They entered a six-year engagement before marrying at St Barnabas, Manor Park, on January 15, 1916. The couple first lived in Westcliff-on-Sea and later bought a house in Ilford, London, in 1920. Both of their careers were going well, and they were enjoying a comfortable lifestyle.

In 1920, they met 18-year-old Frederick Bywaters. However, Bywaters had first met Edith nine years earlier as a schoolfriend of her younger brothers. Bywaters had joined the merchant navy, and during a trip to the Isle of Wight in 1921, Edith and Frederick began an affair. Initially, her husband Percy did not suspect anything but gradually noticed Edith pulling away from him.

In September 1921, Bywaters left to spend a year at sea, during which Edith kept in touch with him through letters. After he returned, their relationship continued to develop.

On October 3, 1922, Edith Thompson and her husband Percy went to a theater with Edith's uncle and aunt. After the show, they took a train back home to Ilford, London. As they walked near their house, a man attacked them. During the struggle, Edith fell to the ground while her husband was stabbed. He died before Edith could get help, and the attacker ran away. Neighbors heard Edith screaming, and when the police arrived, she was still in a state of shock.

The next day, Edith went to the police station, where she was confronted with Frederick Bywaters, the man who was suspected of the attack. The police, misleadingly, told her that Bywaters had confessed. This led Edith to reveal her connection with him, knowing that they had been involved in a romantic relationship.

Investigators found more than 60 love letters from Edith to Bywaters. These letters detailed her feelings and thoughts about her marriage and her affair. The authorities believed that these letters linked her to the murder. During the preliminary hearings, her defense argued that the letters did not suggest she was involved in the murder planning.

The trial started on December 6, 1922, and was highly publicized. Bywaters cooperated with the police and insisted that he acted alone and without Edith's knowledge. The prosecution presented the love letters as evidence of her supposed involvement in the murder. They pointed out passages where Edith expressed her desire to escape her marriage, including references to poisoning Percy.

Despite her lawyer advising her against it, Edith chose to testify in her own defense. However, her responses raised doubts in the minds of the judge and jury. She described herself in ways that seemed contradictory and inconsistent. Bywaters, during his testimony, claimed that he had acted out of anger and that Edith had no idea he intended to confront Percy violently.

On December 11, 1922, the jury found Edith and Bywaters guilty of murder. Both were sentenced to death by hanging. Edith broke down in court, while Bywaters protested her innocence. Public opinion eventually shifted, and a significant number of people signed a petition against their deaths.

Despite support from the public, the Home Secretary denied a reprieve for either of them. A few days before their execution, Edith learned the date of her hanging, leading to a state of panic and distress.

On January 9, 1923, Edith Thompson was executed in Holloway Prison. She was in a near-unconscious state, having been heavily sedated due to her extreme fear. Frederick Bywaters was executed on the same day at Pentonville Prison. Their bodies were buried within the prisons after their executions.