Between 1827 and 1828 William Burke and William Hare murdered at least 16 people to provide fresh bodies to the local anatomy school.
Had they not gotten so cocky, it may have been quite lucrative, as each body fetched approximately £10, a large sum for those days.
Had they not gotten so cocky, it may have been quite lucrative, as each body fetched approximately £10, a large sum for those days.
Macabre Supply and Demand
Public dissection, England, 1760. Back in 1828 medical science was under rapid advancement. Great discoveries were being made, but unfortunately there were not enough dead bodies or cadavers as they are called, for the scientists/doctors to experiment on. Enter William Burke and William Hare, two Irish immigrants living in Scotland who quickly became entrepreneurs’ of the deadly kind. Within a ten month period, these two men killed at least 16 people and sold their bodies to medical science.
At that time, the main legal supply of corpses for anatomical purposes in the UK were of those condemned to death and dissection by the courts. Although executions were rather plentiful in those days, they still were not frequent enough to keep up with the demand on ‘modern science’ and anatomy studies. Body snatching became prominent, and often that would also fail, because after a while graveyards took security measures to ensure the fresh graves were not dug up.
At that time, the main legal supply of corpses for anatomical purposes in the UK were of those condemned to death and dissection by the courts. Although executions were rather plentiful in those days, they still were not frequent enough to keep up with the demand on ‘modern science’ and anatomy studies. Body snatching became prominent, and often that would also fail, because after a while graveyards took security measures to ensure the fresh graves were not dug up.
Burke and Hare. Both Burke and Hare immigrated to Scotland to work as labourers on the Union Canal. They met when Burke moved in to the same area as Hare’s wife’s boarding house. Both of dubious character, they quickly became fast friends.
A tenant at the boarding house, an old army pensioner passed away of natural causes, with £4 of rent in arrears. Hare knew that the old soldier didn’t have anyone who would look for him, so he arranged, with the help of Burke, to fill the coffin with bark and sell the body to Dr Robert Knox, Edinburgh’s leading anatomist, who drew large crowds to his dissections at the University of Edinburgh, for a fee. The men got £7.10s (2010 values: £731, US$1,130), quite a considerable sum of money at the time!
A tenant at the boarding house, an old army pensioner passed away of natural causes, with £4 of rent in arrears. Hare knew that the old soldier didn’t have anyone who would look for him, so he arranged, with the help of Burke, to fill the coffin with bark and sell the body to Dr Robert Knox, Edinburgh’s leading anatomist, who drew large crowds to his dissections at the University of Edinburgh, for a fee. The men got £7.10s (2010 values: £731, US$1,130), quite a considerable sum of money at the time!
A Long List of Victims
The maze like mish mash of alleys and buildings typical of the area where Burke and Hare 'worked'. The sale of bodies seemed like such a simple way to earn a good deal of money, that evil plans began to hatch in their heads. Before long they had chosen a victim, Joseph, a tenant at the boarding house who was very ill. They spent some time with him, got him roaring drunk on whisky, and then suffocated him.
The next victim was a woman. Abigail Simpson was an older lady from the village of Gilmerton. They invited her in off the street to spend the night, and then also intoxicated her with alcohol before smothering her. Her body was placed in a tea-chest and a clandestine meeting was arranged with a porter to exchange the body. They were paid £10.
Two more murders were committed within relatively quick succession. Hare’s wife orchestrated one murder, ensuring the victim was intoxicated and stayed that way until her husband arrived home to ‘finish the job’. The next was murdered by Burke, acting on his own.
Burke then met two women at a part of Edinburgh known as Canongate, Mary Paterson and Janet Brown. It is probably these two ladies were prostitutes. Brown was uncomfortable when an argument broke out between Burke and his mistress, so she left. Paterson stayed and unfortunately met her demise.
Effie, a scavenger who sold scraps of leather was the next victim, and the one after that was a drunk woman who was so close to being arrested, only to have ‘Burke’ save her by saying they knew her and could return her to her lodging. Instead he delivered her body to the medical school.
The next victim was a woman. Abigail Simpson was an older lady from the village of Gilmerton. They invited her in off the street to spend the night, and then also intoxicated her with alcohol before smothering her. Her body was placed in a tea-chest and a clandestine meeting was arranged with a porter to exchange the body. They were paid £10.
Two more murders were committed within relatively quick succession. Hare’s wife orchestrated one murder, ensuring the victim was intoxicated and stayed that way until her husband arrived home to ‘finish the job’. The next was murdered by Burke, acting on his own.
Burke then met two women at a part of Edinburgh known as Canongate, Mary Paterson and Janet Brown. It is probably these two ladies were prostitutes. Brown was uncomfortable when an argument broke out between Burke and his mistress, so she left. Paterson stayed and unfortunately met her demise.
Effie, a scavenger who sold scraps of leather was the next victim, and the one after that was a drunk woman who was so close to being arrested, only to have ‘Burke’ save her by saying they knew her and could return her to her lodging. Instead he delivered her body to the medical school.
Illustration of one 'Burking'. An old lady and her mute son were the next unfortunates. These deaths differed in that they overdosed the old lady on painkillers, but the boy... the boy got stretched over Hare’s knee until his back broke. What a horrible way to die! Hare later said that the way he killed that boy disturbed him the most out of all the deaths he committed – as it should have. The old lady and the poor boy fetched £8 each.
Next were a Mrs Hostler and Ann Dougal, a cousin of Burke’s mistress. Mary Haldane, a former lodger who had asked to sleep in their stable was the next victim, and then Mary’s daughter, Peggy, a few days later, when she came around to ask if they had seen her mother.
James Wilson, known as ‘Daft Jamie’ was the next victim. He was a mentally disabled youth of about 18 years when he was murdered. The mistake they made with this victim was that he was a familiar figure on the streets, so when he went missing, it was noticed, and his body was recognised when Dr Knox uncovered it. The Doctor denied that it was Jamie and quickly dissected him to make him no longer recognisable.
The last victim was Mary Docherty, who was invited into the lodging house, and given supper and some drinks, but whose death was delayed due to the presence of other lodgers, the Grays, there at the time. Neighbours reported later in the evening that they heard the sounds of a struggle, and a woman’s voice crying out “Murder!”
Next were a Mrs Hostler and Ann Dougal, a cousin of Burke’s mistress. Mary Haldane, a former lodger who had asked to sleep in their stable was the next victim, and then Mary’s daughter, Peggy, a few days later, when she came around to ask if they had seen her mother.
James Wilson, known as ‘Daft Jamie’ was the next victim. He was a mentally disabled youth of about 18 years when he was murdered. The mistake they made with this victim was that he was a familiar figure on the streets, so when he went missing, it was noticed, and his body was recognised when Dr Knox uncovered it. The Doctor denied that it was Jamie and quickly dissected him to make him no longer recognisable.
The last victim was Mary Docherty, who was invited into the lodging house, and given supper and some drinks, but whose death was delayed due to the presence of other lodgers, the Grays, there at the time. Neighbours reported later in the evening that they heard the sounds of a struggle, and a woman’s voice crying out “Murder!”
Busted!
The execution public notice. Their killing spree was up! The next day the Gray’s returned. Suspicious at the behaviour of Burke, who would not let them approach a bed where Mrs Gray had left a stocking, she checked it later in the evening when they were alone in the residence, and found the body of Mary Docherty under it. They immediately went to the police to report the murder, and that is how Burke and Hare, together with Burke’s mistress and Hare’s wife, were arrested.
Burke and his mistress McDougal faced three charges of murder. Their trial lasted 24 hours, and found Burke guilty, but McDougal not proven so.
Burke and his mistress McDougal faced three charges of murder. Their trial lasted 24 hours, and found Burke guilty, but McDougal not proven so.
Death mask of Burke alongside a life mask of Hare. At 8.15am on 28 January, 1829 Burke was hanged in front of an enormous crowd.
In a show of irony, the next day his body was pubically dissected.
So what happened to Hare?
Well, he was given the chance for immunity if he served as a witness against his best friend. Naturally he did it, and spent the rest of his life fleeing angry mobs, whenever he was recognised in towns all throughout the United Kingdom.
In a show of irony, the next day his body was pubically dissected.
So what happened to Hare?
Well, he was given the chance for immunity if he served as a witness against his best friend. Naturally he did it, and spent the rest of his life fleeing angry mobs, whenever he was recognised in towns all throughout the United Kingdom.
By Peet Banks 2014
Put together by Ashley Hall 2014
Put together by Ashley Hall 2014
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