The Diary of a Resurrectionist, 1811-1812: To Which Are Added an Account of the Resurrection Men in London and a Short History of the Passing of the Anatomy ActBailey, James Blake
History
The Diary of a Resurrectionist, 1811-1812: To Which Are Added an Account of the Resurrection Men in London and a Short History of the Passing of the Anatomy Act
Bailey, James Blake
Body snatching
[58] The burial-ground for the parishes of St. Olave and St. John,
Southwark; it was taken by the "Greenwich Railway Company": part of the
approach to the "Flemish" now forms the approach to London Bridge Station.
[59] This is, of course, not the St. Pancras Church in the Euston Road,
but the old parish church situated on the north side of the road leading
from King's Cross to Kentish Town.
[60] See page 124.
[61] Failed to get a body.
[62] Bodies unsold.
[63] Probably a burial-ground attached to a meeting-house.
[64] The diary is torn at the margin in this place: the word "left" is
probably correct, but who "the man" was cannot be determined.
[65] St. Olave's.
[66] Probably from information given to the police by the other party who
"had got the adult."
[67] The police court in Union Street, Southwark; it was removed in 1845.
[68] _i.e._ had spoiled them for anatomical purposes; very likely to be
done out of spite, as on the previous day they had "row'd with Ben,"
_i.e._ Crouch; see page 49.
[69] Evidently for debt.
[70] Millard was superintendent of the dissecting-room at St. Thomas'; he
was an avaricious man, and lost this situation through dealing in bodies.
His plan was to take them in at the hospital from the resurrection-men,
and then to sell them at an advanced price in Edinburgh unknown to the men
who supplied him, and to the teachers at the hospital. Millard was popular
with the pupils, and, after his dismissal, they persuaded him to take an
eating-house in the neighbourhood of St. Thomas'. As there was money to be
made in the "resurrection" traffic, he did not abandon his connection with
the body-snatchers. This came to be known, and created a strong prejudice
against him; so much so that his legitimate business fell off to such an
extent as to make it necessary for him to relinquish it altogether. Then
he took entirely to the resurrection business, and was sentenced to three
months' imprisonment for taking a body from the burial-ground attached to
the London Hospital. He appealed against the sentence, and found bail.
Then he brought an action against the magistrate at Lambeth for false
imprisonment; this was set aside, and Millard was sent back to Cold Bath
Fields to complete his sentence. He tried hard to get Sir Astley Cooper to
solicit a pardon for him, but without avail. This so preyed on his mind
that he threatened Sir Astley with bodily injury. Ultimately Millard quite
lost his reason, and died in gaol. In 1825 his widow published a pamphlet
entitled, "An Account of the circumstances attending the imprisonment and
death of the late William Millard, formerly superintendent of the Theatre
of Anatomy of St. Thomas' Hospital, Southwark." The pamphlet states that
Millard had notice to leave St. Thomas' because it was found that he was
supplying Mr. Grainger with bodies, and that Sir Astley Cooper was
determined to put an end to the school which Grainger had established. The
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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