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Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast

68: Scotland's Serial Killing Duo Burke & Hare w/ Lisa Rosner - A True Crime History Podcast

Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast

Erik Rivenes

True Crime, Education, History

4.72.9K Ratings

🗓️ 18 July 2017

⏱️ 83 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In 1828 two friends named William Burke and William Hare killed sixteen people in Edinburgh, Scotland and sold their bodies to an anatomist named Dr. Robert Knox. Dr. Lisa Rosner, author of "The Anatomy Murders", tells the story of this notorious duo of serial killers and the nefarious business of body selling in early 19th century Scotland. The author's website: http://burkeandhare.com/anatomymurders.htm Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Most Notorious on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MostNotorious1 Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

This episode is brought to you by Royal London, the UK's largest mutual, life, pensions and investment company.

0:08.0

What even is a mutual anywhere? Well, Royal London is customer owned.

0:12.0

It has been since 1861. They work to support customers and wider society, to help build financial resilience,

0:19.0

while investing responsibly, to help build a future worth returning into.

0:23.0

It really is Efron's business. Learn more at RoyalLondon.com slash mutuality.

1:00.0

Welcome everyone to the Most Notorious Podcast. My name is Eric Rivenis and happy to have you here.

1:23.0

Every few episodes we tackle an iconic true crime subject. One that transcends the normal and has infiltrated popular culture.

1:34.0

We're covering one today, the infamous murdering duo of Scotland serial killers, Burke and Hare.

1:43.0

My guest today is Dr. Lisa Rosner, professor of history at Stockton College in New Jersey.

1:49.0

She's written a fascinating book called The Anatomy Murders, being the true and spectacular history of Edinburgh's

1:57.0

notorious Burke and Hare and of the man of science who abetted them in the commission of their most heinous crimes.

2:06.0

That is a mouthful of a title.

2:09.0

It is absolutely. And I can't take credit for it. I'm not really very good at titles.

2:14.0

That's something that the wonderful people at the University of Pennsylvania press came up with.

2:19.0

And I love it because it's got the punchy first part, which tells you most of what you need to know.

2:26.0

These were murders that had to do with an enemy. That's the key feature.

2:30.0

And it also gets in Burke and Hare and, although it doesn't name him, Dr. Robert Knox,

2:36.0

who was in fact the scientist who bought the bodies.

2:41.0

Scott and early 19th century feel too, of course.

2:45.0

Right. Right. When people had more time and could read, you know, read every evening because that was what you did to pass the time

2:54.0

and cold winter evenings and Edinburgh and elsewhere.

2:57.0

Exactly. What will thank you for your time today?

...

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