Cache-Control: public, max-age=1024000 The Resurrection Men: Buyers and Bodies

Resurrection Man: the Diary of Joseph Naples

The Buyers

Henry Cline

Henry Cline (1750-1827) was the principal surgeon at St Thomas' Hospital from 1784 until 1811 when resigned the position due to his being at this stage an examiner at the College of Surgeons. Although he was no longer St Thomas' surgeon he clearly still needed a ready supply of corpses - presumably he was still teaching anatomy at the Hospital.

DateBodiesMoney
Saturday 30th November 18113 adults
Monday 13th January 18121 large child
Monday 27th January 18121 adult
Saturday 28th March 18121 large child£4 4 0
Monday 5th October 18122 adults and 1 child£12 1 6
Wednesday 25th November 18123 adults

John Taunton

John Taunton (1769-1821) was an anatomist and surgeon of Hatton Garden. He was founder and first Surgeon of the City of London Truss Society, which treated hernia patients by the use of trusses.

At the time of this diary he was a demonstrator at St Thomas' Hospital and was principal leturer to the London Anatomical Society, which explains his ongoing need for bodies to dissect.

DateBodiesMoney
Thursday 28th November 18111 adult
Saturday 21st December 18111 adult
Monday 16th March 18121 child
Saturday 21st March 18121 large child£4 4 0
Thursday 26th March 18121 large child£4 4 0

Algernon Frampton

Algernon Frampton (1766-1842) was a physician at the London Hospital from 1800 until 1841.

In the entry for 16th March 1812 there is a note that “Mr. Frampton called at 7 in the evening” - presumably to discuss his future requirements.

DateBodiesMoney
Friday 6th December 18111 adult
Monday 16th March 18121 large child
Saturday 21st March 18121 large child£3 13 6
Thursday 26th March 18121 large child£3 13 6
Tuesday 25th August 18122 adults (1 male, 1 female)
Thursday 27th August 1812[Paid a ‘remainder’ of] £2 8 0
Tuesday 1st September 18122 adults (1 male, 1 female).
Monday 23rd November 18121 adult

James Wilson

James Wilson (1765-1821) was a teacher of anatomy at the Great Windmill Street School (originally the house of physician William Hunter (1718-1783) where Hunter gave anatomy lessons). Wilson took over from Hunter on his death.

DateBodiesMoney
Friday 6th December 18113 adults
Wednesday 11th December 18112 adults
Saturday 4th January 18121 adult
Sunday 5th January 18123 adults
Tuesday 7th January 18122 adults
Wednesday 8th January 1812[Payment for the above]£ 8 8 0
Monday 27th January 18122 adults
Saturday 14th March 18123 adults
Sunday 15th March 18121 adult
Sunday 16th August 18121 adult male
Sunday 30th August 18121 adult
Monday 31st August 18121 child£ 1 10 0
Tuesday 1st September 18121 child
Wednesday 2nd September 18121 child£ 2 0 0
Monday 12th October 18122 adult; 1 child
Monday 16th November 18122 adults
Monday 23rd November 18123 adults
Wednesday 2nd December 18124 adults
Thursday 3rd December 18122 adults

Joseph Constantine Carpue

Joseph Carpue (1764-1846) was a popular lecturer in anatomy working first at the Duke of York's Hospital and later privately at his Anatomical School in Dean Street.

DateBodiesMoney
Friday 6th December 18111 adult
Monday 23rd December 18111 adult
Saturday 4th January 18121 adult
Monday 13th January 18121 fœtus
Saturday 25th January 18121 adult
Monday 12th October 18121 adult
Tuesday 24th November 18121 adult

Joshua Brookes

Joshua Brookes (1761-1833)

Joshua Brookes, who studied medicine under John Hunter, taught anatomy privately from his home in Great Marlborough Street. He was also an ardent naturalist and the top two floors of his home were filled with anatomical and zoological specimens.

The three entries in August/September 1812 use the spelling ‘Brooks’ but it is most probably the same man.

DateBodiesMoney
Saturday 7th December 18112 adults
Wednesday 11th December 18112 adults
Saturday 14th December 18112 adults
Monday 23rd December 18111 adult
Saturday 4th January 18121 adult
Tuesday 7th January 18122 adults
Wednesday 8th January 18122 adults; 1 child£ 9 9 0
Monday 13th January 18122 adults
Saturday 14th March 18122 adults
Tuesday 11th August 18121 adult (with Yellow Jaundice)
Friday 14th August 18121 adult
Monday 12th September 18122 adults; 1 child

Sir Charles Bell

Charles Bell (1774-1842) was a Scottish surgeon who trained at Edinburgh University. In 1804 he moved to London and set up a private anatomy. In 1812 he took over the School of Anatomy in Great Windmill Street.

DateBodiesMoney
Wednesday 11th December 18111 adult
Monday 23rd December 18111 adult
Monday 13th January 18121 adult; 1 child

Edinburgh

Edinburgh medical school...

DateBodiesMoney
Saturday 14th December 18114 adults
Saturday 21st December 18112 adults
Saturday 28th December 18113 adults
Saturday 4th January 18121 adult
Wednesday 15th January 18122 adults; 1 child
Saturday 14th March 18125 adults
Friday 20th November 18124 adults
Saturday 28th November 18123 children
Saturday 5th December 181212 adults

The Country

DateBodiesMoney
Saturday 11th January 18122 adults
Friday 24th January 18123 adults
Saturday 22nd February 18127 adults

Other Players

William Millard

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 publication is of a very abusive character; the surgeon of the gaol, Mr. Wakley, of the Lancet, and the authorities at the hospital, all come in for severe censure. The whole tone of the pamphlet is so exaggerated that it is impossible to tell whether there is any truth in Mrs. Millard’s grievances.

Dishonourable Mentions

Israel Chapman, a Jew, who was a rival in the resurrection trade

Michael Mordecai, who kept an old curiosity-shop in New Alley, and was a noted receiver

The name Harper appears three times in the diary. He seems to be the keeper of a burial ground but we don't know which one.

(Mr) Vickers appears four times as a place where they meet so he was probably the landlord of a public house.