In this illustrated talk, Sarah Wise - author of The Italian Boy: Murder and Grave Robbery in 1830s London - takes us on a tour of some of London’s lesser-known graveyards, and surveys some of the highly unsentimental folk who profited from other people’s deaths and family bereavements. Some of them even turned to murder.
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Towards the end of 1831, the authorities unearthed a series of crimes at Number 3, Nova Scotia Gardens in East London that appeared to echo the notorious Burke and Hare killings in Edinburgh three years earlier. After a police investigation, three bodysnatchers were put on trial for supplying the anatomy schools of London with suspiciously fresh bodies for dissection. The furore led directly to the passing of controversial legislation which marked the beginning of the end of bodysnatching in Britain. Join us to explore more of this darker side of London's history.
Content Guidance:Please note that this lecture includes references to the history of London's graveyards and the uses and abuses of corpses as part of the history of bodysnatching.
What will we cover?
As above.
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
Identify key graveyard sitesin London
Evaluate the significance of bodysnatching in history and the laws introduced to prohibit it.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This is a one-off lecture and all levels of knowledge are welcome. An interest in the topic and a willingness to engage with the tutor are the only requirements.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Interactive lecture with an opportunity for Q & A.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
No other costs. Bring a pen and paper if you wish to take notes.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Please see the London Walks/History area of the website.
Sarah Wise is an award-winning writer and historian, with an MA in Victorian Studies from Birkbeck, University of London. She teaches social history and literature at the University of California’s London Outreach Center. Her interests are urban history, working-class history, medical history and nineteenth-century literature and reportage. Her most recent book, Inconvenient People: Lunacy, Liberty and the Mad-Doctors in Victorian England, was shortlisted for the Wellcome Book Prize. Her 2004 debut, The Italian Boy: Murder and Grave Robbery in 1830s London, was shortlisted for the 2005 Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction and won the Crime Writers’ Association Golden Dagger. Her follow-up The Blackest Streets: The Life and Death of a Victorian Slum (2008) was shortlisted for the Royal Society of Literature's Ondaatje Prize. She was a contributor to the volume Charles Booth's London Poverty Maps, published by Thames & Hudson/London School of Economics, and appeared on BBC Radio 4's In Our Time to discuss Booth's work https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000wsxf For reviews www.sarahwise.co.uk/reviews.html
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
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https://www.citylit.ac.uk/the-world-of-the-london-bodysnatchers-1800-18323046717The World of the London Bodysnatchers, 1800-1832https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/intro-to-philosophy-1024.jpg1919GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/London history & walks/Courses/Online courses228511771178118417311228511771178<p>In this illustrated talk, Sarah Wise - author of The Italian Boy: Murder and Grave Robbery in 1830s London - takes us on a tour of some of London’s lesser-known graveyards, and surveys some of the highly unsentimental folk who profited from other people’s deaths and family bereavements. Some of them even turned to murder.</p>003046708The World of the London Bodysnatchers, 1800-18321919https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/intro-to-philosophy-1024.jpgInStockEveningWedOnlineAvailable coursesOne-off onlyWeekday2026-06-24T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allJun 2026Culture, history & humanitiesHLW3151919The World of the London Bodysnatchers, 1800-1832151219Sarah Wisethe-world-of-the-london-bodysnatchers-1800-1832/hlw315-2526<p>In this illustrated talk, Sarah Wise - author of The Italian Boy: Murder and Grave Robbery in 1830s London - takes us on a tour of some of London’s lesser-known graveyards, and surveys some of the highly unsentimental folk who profited from other people’s deaths and family bereavements. Some of them even turned to murder.</p>0000-Available|2026-06-24 00:00:00<p>Towards the end of 1831, the authorities unearthed a series of crimes at Number 3, Nova Scotia Gardens in East London that appeared to echo the notorious Burke and Hare killings in Edinburgh three years earlier. After a police investigation, three bodysnatchers were put on trial for supplying the anatomy schools of London with suspiciously fresh bodies for dissection. The furore led directly to the passing of controversial legislation which marked the beginning of the end of bodysnatching in Britain. Join us to explore more of this darker side of London's history.</p><p>Content Guidance:Please note that this lecture includes references to the history of London's graveyards and the uses and abuses of corpses as part of the history of bodysnatching. </p><p></p><p></p><p>In this illustrated talk, Sarah Wise - author of The Italian Boy: Murder and Grave Robbery in 1830s London - takes us on a tour of some of London’s lesser-known graveyards, and surveys some of the highly unsentimental folk who profited from other people’s deaths and family bereavements. Some of them even turned to murder.</p><p>As above.</p><ul><li>Identify key graveyard sitesin London</li><li>Evaluate the significance of bodysnatching in history and the laws introduced to prohibit it.</li></ul><p>This is a one-off lecture and all levels of knowledge are welcome. An interest in the topic and a willingness to engage with the tutor are the only requirements.</p><p>Interactive lecture with an opportunity for Q & A.</p><p>No other costs. Bring a pen and paper if you wish to take notes.</p><p>Please see the London Walks/History area of the website. </p>HistoryLondon history & walksvirtual151912HLW315NONEWed24/06/2619:30 - 21:0019:3021:001 session1One-off onlyEveningWeekdayOnlineOnlineSarah WiseBeginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allAvailable courses2026-06-24T00:00:00+00:00Jun 2026Culture, history & humanities1919The World of the London Bodysnatchers, 1800-1832the-world-of-the-london-bodysnatchers-1800-1832/hlw315-2526<p>In this illustrated talk, Sarah Wise - author of The Italian Boy: Murder and Grave Robbery in 1830s London - takes us on a tour of some of London’s lesser-known graveyards, and surveys some of the highly unsentimental folk who profited from other people’s deaths and family bereavements. Some of them even turned to murder.</p>0000-Available|2026-06-24 00:00:00<p>Towards the end of 1831, the authorities unearthed a series of crimes at Number 3, Nova Scotia Gardens in East London that appeared to echo the notorious Burke and Hare killings in Edinburgh three years earlier. After a police investigation, three bodysnatchers were put on trial for supplying the anatomy schools of London with suspiciously fresh bodies for dissection. The furore led directly to the passing of controversial legislation which marked the beginning of the end of bodysnatching in Britain. Join us to explore more of this darker side of London's history.</p><p>Content Guidance:Please note that this lecture includes references to the history of London's graveyards and the uses and abuses of corpses as part of the history of bodysnatching. </p><p></p><p></p><p>In this illustrated talk, Sarah Wise - author of The Italian Boy: Murder and Grave Robbery in 1830s London - takes us on a tour of some of London’s lesser-known graveyards, and surveys some of the highly unsentimental folk who profited from other people’s deaths and family bereavements. Some of them even turned to murder.</p><p>As above.</p><ul><li>Identify key graveyard sitesin London</li><li>Evaluate the significance of bodysnatching in history and the laws introduced to prohibit it.</li></ul><p>This is a one-off lecture and all levels of knowledge are welcome. An interest in the topic and a willingness to engage with the tutor are the only requirements.</p><p>Interactive lecture with an opportunity for Q &amp; A.</p><p>No other costs. Bring a pen and paper if you wish to take notes.</p><p>Please see the London Walks/History area of the website. </p>HistoryLondon history & walksconfigurable
11841178London history & walkshttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/history/london-history-and-walks1/2/285/1177/1178/11841/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/London history & walks
