Ep 265: The Burke and Hare Murders

Blurry Photos

David Flora

Science, Social Sciences, Society & Culture

4.7 • 1.4K Ratings

🗓️ 25 March 2022

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Season 11 of Blurry Photos kicks off with the Burke and Hare murders! A wild story of 19th century body-snatching, the Burke and Hare murders may have helped advance anatomical science, but definitely regressed ethics. William Burke and William Hare, Irishmen living in Scotland, have become two of the most famous serial killers of the 19th century. When the demands of medical science became too much to keep up with naturally, the two Irishmen stepped in to lend a helping hand. Not grave robbers, or "resurrection men" as they were called at the time, the duo skipped the whole burial part to provide anatomists with fresh bodies. It's a macabre tale of science and economics gone awry, with a slightly tipsy storytelling element to boot on this episode of Blurry Photos! Don't forget to watch me stream games on Twitch! Sources Edwards: Owen Dudley Edwards, Burke & Hare, 1983 Roach: Mary Roach, Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers, Norton, 2003 Adams: Norman Adams, Scottish Bodysnatchers: True Accounts, Goblinshead, 2002 Young: Alex F. Young, The Encyclopedia of Scottish Executions, 1750 to 1963, Eric Dobby Publishing, 1998 The History of Burke and Hare and of the Resurrectionist Times (1884). The Public Domain Review. Web. https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/the-history-of-burke-and-hare-and-of-the-resurrectionist-times-1884 Broadsides from The Word on the Street. Web. https://digital.nls.uk/broadsides/ Music Myst on the Moor, Danse Macabre, Moorland, Celtic Impulse, Errigal, Long Road Ahead B, Morgana Rides, Skye Cuillin - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Sí Beag, Sí Mór - Celtic Traditional by MusicLFiles
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/7143-si-beag-si-mor-celtic-traditional
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Traveler by Alexander Nakarada
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4770-traveler
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Nomadic Sunset by Alexander Nakarada
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4767-nomadic-sunset
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Nomadic Dawn by Alexander Nakarada
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4766-nomadic-dawn
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Gjallar by Alexander Nakarada
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4763-gjallar
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Scottland Music 1 by Frank Schröter
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/9073-scottland-music-1
License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode is sponsored by Overcast, an independent podcast app that embraces the open world of podcasting instead of locking it down.
0:08.0	No exclusives, no premium content, no paywalls, just a great podcast app for everyone.
0:14.0	Get it for free in the app store.
0:16.0	Good people all give the air to what I say. For make your very blood run cold and fill you with dread dismay when the truth to you I've told.
0:41.0	The cries of 16 murdered souls does still ring my ears and true myself one voice it rolls which haunts my mind with fares.
0:53.0	Crying william hair I pray beware of the approaching day when earthly joys and earthly care must then be thrown away.
1:04.0	It is for near a long long year you've led a murder in life without either dread nor fear, mits rioting and strife.
1:14.0	Last night as I lay on my bed and sleep and I was sound strange fancies then came in my head which much did make and found.
1:23.0	They thought I wandered on the street and sang in very crows till with a man I'd chance to meet and let him to my house.
1:32.0	When to the house I let him in to him I seemed a brother to give him whiskey did begin when drunk I did him's mother.
1:42.0	I dragged him by the lit white locks while pork was standing by and put him in to a large box did for the doctor bark did fly.
1:54.0	excerpt from a broadside titled hares dream 1829.
2:01.0	Poverty can be a powerful motivator and perhaps the plight of poverty shouldn't be focused so much as the effect of needing money in order to simply survive.
2:14.0	Ever since currency sprang from the mental loins of idiots with power and influence mankind has fallen all over itself to acquire wealth.
2:24.0	And this delirious desire for dineros has led some to desperate decisions and diabolical deeds.
2:33.0	Such was the case for two Irishmen who discovered a rather easy way to make some money in 19th century Scotland.
2:41.0	It was their recognition of local medical schools demand for cadavers that led them to become top notch suppliers enriching themselves more than any trade or honest work could.
2:54.0	But like many a tale of dastardly deviousness their luck eventually ran out and when the ghastly dust finally settled around them their names were catapulted into infamy forever associated with greed, malice and an out of control body snatching industry.
3:17.0	But the close and down the stair button been with Berk in here Berk's the butcher hears the thief knocks the boy that buys the beef.
3:32.0	We're talking about the Berk and hair murders to kick off season 11 of blurry photos.
3:46.0	Hey everyone, welcome to blurry photos season 11. I'm your host David Flora.
3:53.0	Hi.
	...

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