Murder & homicide · 1828 · Georgian

The Burke and Hare Murders

In 1828 William Burke and William Hare murdered at least sixteen people in Edinburgh and sold the bodies to an anatomist for dissection. Hare turned king's evidence; Burke was hanged in January 1829 and publicly dissected. The case led directly to the Anatomy Act 1832.

This summary is written in our own words from published historical sources. Map locations are approximate. Every case in the archive is at least ten years old.