‘The Diary of a Resurrectionist’
Remember those “Resurrection Men” I mentioned yesterday? Some of them kept diaries.
Full Text available from the Internet Archive
What follows is a fairly typical week, taken from December, 1811. Note that a ‘small’ refers to the cadaver of a child. Adults were paid for by surgeons and anatomists on an individual basis, with rare medical conditions fetching a premium. Children were paid for by the inch.
Sunday 8th. At home all night.
Monday 9th. At night went out and got 4 at Bethnall Green
Tuesday 10th. Intoxsicated all day : at night went out & got 5 Bunhill Row. Jack all most buried.
Wednesday 11th. Tom & Bill and me removed 5 from St. Bartholw., 2 Wilson, 2 Brookes, 1 Bell ; in the evening got 1 Harps, went to St. Thomas’, at home all night.
Thursday 12th. I went up to Brookes and Wilson, afterwards me Bill and Daniel went to Bethnall Green, got 2 ; Jack, Ben went got 2 large & 1 small back St. Luke’s, came home, afterwards met again & went to Bunhill row got 6, 1 of them with ———- named Mary Rolph, aged 46, Died 5th Dec. 1811.
Friday 13th. At Home all day & night.
Saturday 14th. Went to Bartholomew tookd. two Brookes : Packd 4 and sent them to Edinborough, came Home to Benn., settled £14 6s. 2 1/2d. each man, came home, got up at 2 me Jack & Bill went to Bunhill Row and got 3. Ben & Daniel staid at home.
- February 23 2012 | 20 Notes - Read More →
