The History of Burke and Hare, And of the Resurrectionist Times

Read by Michele Fry, Colleen McMahon, John, William Allan Jones, Maeve, Greg Giordano, Ciufi Galeazzi, Mairi Patterson, Catherine Emerson, KevinS, Larry Wilson

From the preface: ".....of all the criminal events that have occurred in Scotland, few have excited so deep, widespread, and lasting an interest as those which took place during what have been called the Resurrectionist Times, and notably, the dreadful series of murders perpetrated in the name of anatomical science by Burke and Hare. In the preparation of this work the Author has had a double purpose before him. He has sought not only to record faithfully the lives and crimes of Burke and Hare, and their two female associates, but also to present a general view of the Resurrectionist movement from its earliest inception until the passing of the Anatomy Act in 1832, when the violation of the sepulchres of the dead for scientific purposes was rendered unnecessary, and absolutely inexcusable."

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M4B Audiobook 00-23 (163MB)

M4B Audiobook 24-48 (179MB)

queue_music Chapters 48

1 00 - Preface and Introduction. The Resurrectionist Movement—Its Contributing Causes and Results 11:25
2 01 - Ch.1 Early Prohibition of Dissection—Shakespeare’s Tomb—The Progress of Anatomy—Curious Incident in Edinburgh—An Old Broadside Ballad on Body-Snatching—Tumults in Edinburgh and Glasgow—Female “Burkers” 20:59
3 02 - Ch.2 Tales of the Resurrectionists—The Students at Work 18:15
4 03 - Ch.3 Tales of the Resurrectionists—What the Doctors did 11:15
5 04 - Ch.4 Tales of the Resurrectionists—The Professional Body-Snatchers—A Dundee Resurrectionist Ballad—A Strange Experiment in Glasgow 23:14
6 05 - Ch.5 The Early Life of Burke and M‘Dougal—Their Meeting with Hare and his Wife—Some Notes Concerning the Latter 19:29
7 06 - Ch.6 Death of Donald the Pensioner—Hare’s Debt—Negotiations with the Doctors—A Bargain Struck—Sale of Donald’s Body 7:04
8 07 - Ch.7 New Prospects—Description of Hare’s House—The Murder of Abigail Simpson, the Old Woman from Gilmerton—The Two Sick Men 14:56
9 08 - Ch.8 Qualms of Conscience—The Murder of Mary Paterson, and Escape of Janet Brown—Preservation of the Fallen Beauty 18:32
10 09 - Ch.9 Unknown Victims—The Two Old Women—Effy the Cinder Raker—“A Good Character with the Police”—Burke and Hare Separate—The Murder of Mrs. Hostler 12:31
11 10 - Ch.10 Old Mary Haldane—The End of her Debauch—Peggy Haldane in Search of her Mother—Mother and Daughter United in Death 11:08
12 11 - Ch.11 A Narrow Escape—The Old Irishwoman and her Grandson—Their Murder—Hare’s Horse rising in Judgment 8:42
13 12 - Ch.12 Jealousy—An Undeveloped Plot—Hare Cheats Burke, and they Separate—The Foul Work Continued—Murder of Ann M‘Dougal 17:02
14 13 - Ch.13 James Wilson, “Daft Jamie”—Some Anecdotes concerning him—Daft Jamie and Boby Awl 18:59
15 14 - Ch.14 Daft Jamie Trapped into Hare’s House—The Murder—The Body Recognised on the Dissecting Table—Popular Feeling 12:46
16 15 - Ch.15 The End Approaches—Proposed Extension of Business—Mrs. Docherty claimed as Burke’s Relative—The Lodgers Dismissed—The Murder of Mrs. Docherty 13:33
17 16 - Ch.16 An Ill Excuse—Strange Behaviour—Discovery—The Threat—Unavailing Arguments—The Last Bargain 10:20
18 17 - Ch.17 The Arrest of Burke and M‘Dougal—Discovery of the Body—Hare and his Wife Apprehended—Public Intimation of the Tragedy—Burke and M‘Dougal give their Version of the Transaction 15:26
19 18 - Ch.18 Public Excitement at the West Port Murder—The Newspapers—Doubts as to the Disappearance of Daft Jamie and Mary Paterson—The Resurrectionists still at Work 15:44
20 19 - Ch.19 Burke and M‘Dougal amend their Account of the Murder—The Prosecution in a Difficulty—Hare turns King’s Evidence—The Indictment against Burke and M‘Dougal 17:04
21 20 - Ch.20 Public Anticipation of the Trial—Appearance of Burke and M‘Dougal in the Dock—Opening of the Court—The Debate on the Relevancy of the Indictment 15:38
22 21 - Ch.21 The Trial of Burke and M‘Dougal—Circumstantial Evidence—Hare’s Account of the Murder of Docherty—What he Declined to Answer—Mrs. Hare and her Child 14:47
23 22 - Ch.22 The Trial—Speeches of Counsel—Mr. Cockburn’s Opinion of Hare—The Verdict of the Jury 14:33
24 23 - Ch.23 The Last Stage of the Trial—Burke Sentenced to Death—The Scene in Court—M‘Dougal Discharged—Duration of the Trial 12:10
25 24 - Ch.24 The Interest in the Trial—Feeling as to the Result—Press Opinions—Attack on Dr. Knox’s House 10:52
26 25 - Ch.25 Burke’s Behaviour in Prison—Liberation of M‘Dougal, and the Consequent Riot—Visitors at Burke’s House in the West Port—Burke’s Idea of the Obligations of Dr. Knox—His Confessions 14:29
27 26 - Ch.26 “The Complicity of the Doctors”—Numerous Disappearances—Dr. Knox and David Paterson—Paterson Defends Himself—“The Echo of Surgeon’s Square”—The Scapegoat 19:20
28 27 - Ch.27 The Legal Position of Hare and his Wife—Gossip about Burke—Mrs. Hare and her Child—Constantine Burke—Anatomical Instruction—Mrs. Docherty’s Antecedents 12:51
29 28 - Ch.28 Burke’s Spiritual Condition—The Erection of the Scaffold—The Criminal’s Last Hours—Scene at the Execution—Behaviour of the People 15:12
30 29 - Ch.29 Lecture on Burke’s Body—Riot among the Students—Excitement in Edinburgh—The Public Exhibition—Dissection of the Body of the Murderer—Phrenological Developments of Burke and Hare 21:37
31 30 - Ch.30 Hare’s Position after the Trial—Warrant for his Commitment Withdrawn—Daft Jamie’s Relatives seek to Prosecute—The Case before the Sheriff and the Lords of Justiciary—Burke’s Confession and the “Courant”—The Lord Advocate’s Reasons for Declining to Proceed against Hare—Pleadings for the Pa 22:10
32 31 - Ch.31 Hare’s Case before the High Court of Justiciary—Speech by Mr. Francis Jeffrey—Opinion of the Judges—A Divided Bench—The Decision of the Court 20:22
33 32 - Ch.32 Popular Feeling against Hare—His Behaviour in Prison—Withdrawal of the Warrant—His Liberation and Flight—Recognition—Riot in Dumfries, and Narrow Escape of Hare—Over the Border—Ballad Version of the Flight 21:55
34 33 - Ch.33 The Confessions of Burke—The Interdicts against the “Edinburgh Evening Courant”—Burke’s Note on the “Courant” Confession—Issue [Pg x]of the Official Document—Publication of both Confessions 12:22
35 34 - Ch.34 Burke’s Confession before the Sheriff—A Record of the Murders—The Method—Complicity of the Women and the Doctors—Murderers, but not Body-Snatchers 22:38
36 35 - Ch.35 The “Courant” Confession of Burke—Details of the Crimes—Burke’s Account of his Life—The Criminals and Dr. Knox 26:02
37 36 - Ch.36 The Fate of Hare—Mrs. Hare in Glasgow—Rescue from the Mob—Her Escape to Ireland and Subsequent Career—Helen M‘Dougal—Burke’s Wife in Ireland 15:07
38 37 - Ch.37 Dr. Knox’s Connection with Burke and Hare—His Egotism—Knox’s Criticism of Liston and his Assistants—Hanging Knox’s Effigy—Popular Tumults—Demand that he should be put on Trial 15:14
39 38 - Ch.38 Inquiry into Dr. Knox’s Relations with Burke and Hare—Report of Committee 10:54
40 39 - Ch.39 English Newspapers on the West Port Tragedies—The “Sun,” and its Idea of the Popular Feeling—Gray and his Wife 13:18
41 40 - Ch.40 The Relations of the Doctors and the Body-Snatchers—Need for a Change in the Law—A Curious Case in London—Introduction and Withdrawal of the Anatomy Bill 12:41
42 41 - Ch.41 “Burking” in London—Apprehension of Bishop, Williams, and May—Their Trial, Confession, and Execution—Re-introduction and Passing of the Anatomy Act 14:55
43 42 - Ch.42 The Passing of the Anatomy Act—Its Terms and Provisions 18:52
44 43 - Ch.43 Conclusion—Review of the Effects Produced by the Resurrectionist Movement—The Houses in Portsburgh—The Popular Idea of the Method of Burke and Hare—Origin of the Words “Burker” and “Burking” 15:10
45 44 APPENDIX - The Case Against Torrence and Waldie 9:32
46 45 APPENDIX - Interview with Burke in Prison 10:05
47 46 APPENDIX - Confession of Bishop and Williams, the London “Burkers” 15:41
48 47 APPENDIX - Song and Ballads 20:47