Burke and Hare
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1952.24.B6 (B14)
Original Tape ID
Summary
This song is the last words of William Burke who came over from Ireland to find work, and fell in with William Hare.
The last verse goes: "At the back door we sold them to the doctors," and something about "Hare turned King's evidence, and swore my life away."
Hamish Henderson talks about the public outcry. John Strachan recalls the talk about the Burke and Hare scandal, then he recalls another fragment about the first victim.
Item Notes
Text transcribed in School of Scottish Studies. 3 verses plus 3 quotes from other verses. A few more fragments are recalled in conversation on a later track on the same tape (SA1952.024).
See:
Greig-Duncan vol. 3, pp. 27-3
Item Subject/Person
Burke, William
Recording Location
County - Aberdeenshire
Parish - Fyvie
Village/Place - Crichie Farm (South Crichie)
Item Location
County - Midlothian
Parish - Edinburgh
Village/Place - Edinburgh
Language
Scots
Genre
Collection
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Good