For More Events on This Day in Scottish History - https://bagtownclans.com/index.php/thisday/march-18/

Welcome back to This Day in Scottish History. I'm your host, Colin MacDonald. Today, we travel back to March 18, 1752—a day when the people of Edinburgh gathered to witness the execution of two women whose crimes shocked the nation: Helen Torrance and Jean Waldie. Their offense? The abduction and murder of a child, an act so disturbing that it foreshadowed the infamous body-snatching trade that would haunt Scotland in the decades to come. And if you’re curious about other fascinating events that happened on this day in history, be sure to check out my blog at bagtownclans.com/thisday. The link will be in the description!

In the mid-18th century, Edinburgh was a city of contrasts. It was a hub of intellectual progress, home to the Scottish Enlightenment and a center for medical advancements. But beneath this veneer of progress, there lurked a dark and growing demand—human cadavers for anatomical study. With medical schools desperate for bodies and legal avenues for acquiring them scarce, an illicit trade in corpses began to take root. Some were willing to go to horrifying lengths to meet that demand.

Helen Torrance and Jean Waldie were two such individuals. Though much about their personal lives has been lost to history, what is known is that they committed a crime so heinous that it sent shivers through the streets of Edinburgh. They lured away a small child, the precise age and identity of whom are uncertain, but whose fate was grimly sealed. Whether they intended from the outset to kill the child or merely saw an opportunity, the result was the same—the child's life was ended, and its body sold to medical students eager to further their studies.

It’s impossible to ignore the parallels between their crime and the notorious resurrectionists who would follow decades later, most infamously William Burke and William Hare. But unlike the later body-snatchers, who typically targeted the already dead or those on society’s margins, Torrance and Waldie’s actions were particularly abhorrent because they deliberately took the life of an innocent. Their crime wasn’t just about profit—it was a cold and calculated murder.

The trial was swift, and the evidence against them overwhelming. Public outrage ensured that justice would be meted out harshly. On March 18, 1752, they were taken to the gallows in Edinburgh, where a massive crowd had gathered to see them hanged. At a time when executions were both a form of justice and a grim spectacle, theirs stood out. It wasn’t just about punishing two criminals—it was a warning.

The authorities wanted to make an example of them, and they succeeded. Their deaths sent a clear message: crimes against the most vulnerable would not be tolerated, and those who sought to profit from the dead—or worse, the murder of the innocent—would face the ultimate punishment. Yet, despite this warning, the illegal trade in human remains persisted for decades. The growing medical field’s need for bodies continued to outstrip supply, paving the way for grave robbers, and eventually, the cold-blooded murders of Burke and Hare in the early 19th century.

Helen Torrance and Jean Waldie’s execution may have been meant to deter such crimes, but their story now serves as a chilling prelude to the era of body-snatching that gripped Scotland. It’s a reminder that even in times of enlightenment and progress, darkness often lurks in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity.

Thank you for joining me today on This Day in Scottish History. If you enjoyed this episode and want to explore more eerie and fascinating moments from Scotland’s past, don’t forget to check out my blog at bagtownclans.com/thisday. Tune in tomorrow for another journey through Scotland’s remarkable past. I'm Colin MacDonald—Haste Ye Back!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bagtown.substack.com