PublishedPen & Sword Books, October 2016 |
ISBN9781783463428 |
FormatSoftcover, 176 pages |
Dimensions23.4cm × 15.6cm |
In this chilling history of the bodysnatching trade, the stories of Britain's lesser known Resurrection Men are told. Here are the stories of the men who robbed graves during the winter months of 1742 - 1832, selling fresh cadavers to anatomists up and down the country all in aid of medical advancement.
The murders of Burke and Hare often dominate the macabre tales of bodysnatching, but the stories of Henry Gillies, William Patrick and Joseph Grainger are all just as gruesome. Stories involving medical students and anatomists are retold as we discover the cases that have become hidden in history. Anatomy schools, short of fresh cadavers for dissection would pay high prices for corpses, asking no questions about their origins. This resulted in the criminal underworld of the 'Sack 'em up Men' or bodysnatchers, which spread fear and horror throughout the United Kingdom. It's time to discover these lesser known stories about Britain's often forgotten history. AUTHOR: After graduating with a BA (Hons) History, Suzie Lennox worked at North Yorkshire County Record Office and is a former archivist. She completed her MscEcon in 2011 and ran her own genealogy business, specialising in pre-1837 research. Based in Yorkshire, she enjoys digging up macabre tales of our ancestors and discovering the darker side of British history. You can follow her on Twitter (at) DiggingUp1800 or discover more bodysnatching stories on her blog Britain's Forgotten Bodysnatchers. 8 page plate section
