Page 20 - 366242 LP246366 BB Magazine 36pp A4 (August 2022)

ANATOMY:
A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH
Bruce Jamieson
An exhibition entitled “Anatomy: a Matter of Life and Death” is presently on at the National Museum of Scotland. It is a fascinating look at the history of anatomical study, and it put me in mind of several local stories concerning the supply of bodies for anatomical purposes.
On top of the entrance to the Livingston tomb in St Michael’s Kirkyard is a metal, coffin shaped object.
within which a watch of three men was appointed to keep guard for seven nights following an internment, in order to prevent any “nocturnal activities”.
Grave-robbing was a problem throughout Lowland Scotland in the early 19th century. The existing law stated that the only bodies legally available to be dissected by medical students were the corpses of hanged criminals – and there were never enough of those. Other sources of cadavers had to be found and so desperate were the medical schools that few questions were asked when unscrupulous men turned up with the required goods – usually disinterred from recently dug graves.
The first recorded instance of grave- robbing in Linlithgow was in 1818 when two “Resurrectionists” were spotted making their way from St Michael’s Kirkyard across the Peel. They carried with them the recently buried body of Benjamin Jamieson and before they could be apprehended, they loaded it on to a cart at the Duke’s Entry and made off.
In March 1823, another grave-robbing incident took place when a cart travelling along Linlithgow High Street was intercepted and examined. It had been followed from Polmont by a Mr Scott of Gilston Farm who had been herding sheep when he saw two men remove objects from a “midden” at the rear of Parkside Cottages (later called Resurrection Row!) As he watched, the items were loaded onto an open wagon and to Mr Scott’s horror he saw that they were shrouded corpses. He ran for his horse, and, pursuing the cart, rode bare-saddle
to Linlithgow where he alerted the townspeople. A group of Linlithgow locals intervened – as a ballad written at the time reported.
The broadsheet entitled “Seizure Extraordinary”, published by
R. Taylor of Falkirk in 1823.
“Brave Scott! who wins the words of praise,
Pursues the ruffians through their ways,
Nor stops until he overtakes,
And lo! demands he boldly makes,
“Where is your warrant?
My warrant’s here;”
Secures his horse, the Crowd then cheer,
And while they send for legal measures,
Some near espy the Monsters’ treasures:
Three naked corpses: Shocking sight! Indignant feelings burst outright, And, without warrant, judge or jury, Did beat and bruise them in
their fury.”
The robbers were duly apprehended, and the grim contents of the cart fully revealed-as the naked bodies of a child and two women, one of whom was Janet Moir who had been buried in Larbert Churchyard two days previously.
While the robbers were marched off to the Burgh Halls jail, and the cart set ablaze, Mr Scott was carried shoulder high to the West Port where, in a hostelry there he was feted with praise - and alcohol.
The West Port hostelries in the 19th century.
The body of Janet Moir was reinterred in Larbert Churchyard and shortly afterwards the trial of one of the body snatchers took place.
Larbert Old Parish Kirkyard where Janet Moir was reburied.
One of the resurrectionists had such a record of similar nefarious activities
The Mortsafe in St Michael’s Graveyard.
The object is a mortsafe - used to prevent robbers from digging up a newly buried body. When it was placed over a burial, a heavy iron collar was put around it, through which strong spikes were driven into the ground.
It bears the letters LMS, standing for “Linlithgow Mortsafe Society”- an organisation set up in February 1819. The members of this group could hire out the mortsafe to cover a relative’s grave, as long as they took their turn keeping watch over the graveyard
at night. To make their task easier, a watchman’s hut was erected against the south wall of the churchyard
The grave-watchers’ hut in Cadder Churchyard, Bishopriggs.
20 BLACK BITCH ISSUE 92 AUGUST 2022
LOCAL HISTORY ///