Progress can be unstoppable at times, and not even death can prevent the desire for knowledge. A dark trade has long existed to provide fuel for the fires of research, a trade which is viewed by many as the most despicable occupation of all.
The resurrection men of Yorkshire came from all walks of life, and employed a myriad of macabre methods to raise their defenseless prey from beneath the consecrated ground. This was a trade which offered great reward, but was definitely not for the faint of heart.
Throughout this journey into the dark past of Yorkshire, we meet an infamous celebrity who made an unexpected reappearance, a traveling minstrel who was to become the talk of many towns, a child whose death was just the beginning of a tragic tale, and a holy man who helped a community but earned his own illicit rewards in return.
Also to be raised from the dead are a number of explosive events, all of which lit a fire beneath the local communities and led the people of Yorkshire to the streets in violent protest. A medical school reduced to ashes, a gang of professionals moonlighting in the darkest occupation, and a scandal which would engulf a city many years after the threat of the body snatchers had been all but ended.
Spanning over almost three centuries, this grim compendium of tales casts a shadow over the beauty of Yorkshire, a dark veil which reaches out in all directions, threatening the peace of the dearly departed across the length and breadth of the nations largest county.
MY REVIEW
This was a really informative book and the author has used some great examples to show the habits and crimes of the resurrectionists – there were a lot more than just Burke and Hare at it!
I read this book over a few days and loved the layout that the author had used for the book. It was really easy to read the different sections and it allowed me to easily be able to dip in and out of the book without losing track.
Most people who have some knowledge of what the resurrectionists did will be aware of Burke and Hare and it was a great way to introduce the book detailing their crimes and then using that to expand on what went on in Yorkshire too, as quite often books show this almost being more of a practice confined to Edinburgh and the surrounding area only but it was much more widespread.
It was good to read how the legislation was introduced and developed over time too to stop this heinous practice, it must have been an awfully traumatic time for any families who had recently lost loved ones, not only did they have their grief to contend with, they also had the worry and fear that their bodies would be removed.
It is 4 stars from me, I loved being able to find out more about the history of the resurrectionists – highly recommended!
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