Edinburgh’s Old Town has seen its fair share of dark history, but few tales are as chilling as that of Burke and Hare—two Irishmen who turned murder into a business. Between 1827 and 1828, they killed at least 16 people to sell fresh corpses to Dr. Robert Knox, an anatomy lecturer at the University of Edinburgh. Their crimes exposed a dark side of medical science and led to major legal reforms.
The Business of Death
In the early 19th century, medical schools faced a severe shortage of cadavers for anatomical study. The demand for bodies led to the rise of body snatching, where grave robbers, known as “Resurrectionists,” would dig up fresh corpses and sell them to surgeons. But Burke and Hare took this gruesome trade one step further—they created corpses instead of stealing them.
A watchtower designed to protect against grave robbers in a cemetery
The Murderous Partnership
William Burke and William Hare were both Irish immigrants who settled in Edinburgh. Hare ran a lodging house on Tanner’s Close, off the West Port, where most of their crimes took place. The scheme began when an elderly lodger died of natural causes, and rather than bury him, they sold the body to Dr. Knox at Surgeons’ Square. Realising the financial potential, they decided to eliminate the middleman—death itself.
Over the next 10 months, they lured in victims—often poor, vulnerable, or intoxicated—before suffocating them using a method later called “Burking.” This technique left no visible marks, making the corpses appear as though they had died naturally.
The Victims
Their victims included beggars, prostitutes, and travellers who wouldn’t be missed. One of their most well-known victims was “Daft Jamie” Wilson, a well-known local with a learning disability, and Mary Docherty, whose murder led to their downfall.
The Downfall
In October 1828, Burke and Hare’s luck ran out when suspicious neighbours discovered Mary Docherty’s body hidden in Burke’s home. Burke and his mistress, Helen McDougal, were arrested, while Hare turned King’s Evidence—testifying against Burke in exchange for immunity.
At Burke’s trial in December 1828, the evidence was overwhelming. He was found guilty and sentenced to death. On January 28, 1829, he was hanged before a crowd of over 25,000 people at Edinburgh’s Lawnmarket. In a final irony, his body was dissected at the University of Edinburgh, and his skeleton remains within the University medical.
Hare was never seen again after his release, though rumors persist about his fate. Dr. Knox, though never prosecuted, saw his reputation destroyed.
Legacy: The Anatomy Act of 1832
The horrors of Burke and Hare led to the Anatomy Act of 1832, which regulated the use of cadavers for medical study, effectively ending the illegal trade in bodies.
Edinburgh’s Dark Past Lives On
Today, you can visit sites tied to this infamous case:
Tanner’s Close (marked by a plaque, where Hare’s lodging house once stood)
Surgeons’ Hall Museum (where Burke’s death mask is displayed)
The West Port area, once home to Edinburgh’s most feared criminals
Burke and Hare’s story is a chilling reminder of how desperation, greed, and the demand for scientific progress collided in the most macabre way possible. Their crimes remain one of Edinburgh’s most terrifying true stories—proof that, sometimes, truth is stranger than fiction.
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