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A narrow escape from burkers and their dogs.

Date 29 December 1969
Track ID 4314
Part 1

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1969.195.A2

Original Tape ID

SA1969.195

Summary

A narrow escape from burkers and their dogs.

Alec Stewart and his cousin were hawking pot lids and basins around Inverkeithing. They were trying to find a night's lodging, when the burkers' coach appeared behind them. They ran into a farm steading and hid in a half-dismantled stack. There were two men and four dogs. Knowing that the dogs would soon find them, Alec reached out and cut the tail off one of the dogs. It ran away howling, and the burkers followed, thinking the dog had the scent. The farmer gave them a place to sleep for the night, and took the dog's tail to give to the police, but Alec never returned to that house.

Item Notes

Burkers were murderers who killed to sell the bodies to anatomists. The name is from the notorious Burke (of Burke and Hare), who was hanged in 1829.

Recording Location

County - Perthshire

Parish - Blairgowrie

Village/Place - Blairgowrie

Language

English

Genre

Story

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good