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The Missing Gypsie

Ghosts Home >> Haunted >> The Missing Gypsie >> Edinburgh

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Edinburgh

Until the Anatomy Act of 1832 that aspect in the teaching of medicine at Edinburgh University was much hindered by a lack of bodies. A charter of 1505 allowed for one body annually to be used for dissection. Thus body snatching became a necessity. Although no surgeon would openly admit to being involved in the practice, none could do without it. On 20 May 1711 the College of Surgeons protested against body snatching. On 24 January 1721 a clause was added to prevent apprentices from violating graves. The Edinburgh people did not take these pronouncements seriously nor believed that they were expected to take them seriously. Body snatching continued unabated. One of the worst cases took place in February 1678. Four gypsies, a father and three sons were hanged together for killing another gypsy called Faa.

To the city fathers of Edinburgh gypsies were nothing more than wild beasts of prey. The four were therefore speedily hanged, hastily cut down and buried together - their clothes still on (it was not thought worthwhile to strip them of their rags) in a shallow hole in Greyfriars Churchyard.

Next morning the grave lay open and the body of the youngest aged sixteen was missing. It was remembered that he had been the last to be hanged, the first cut down and the last to be buried. Perhaps he had revived, thrown aside the covering of soil and fled.

Others believed that the body had been removed by some surgeon and his servant for the anatomy class. The body, as with so many, was never found.