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The image shows the home of John Craig Hodgson, a solicitors clerk and part of a gang of Resurrectionists. These body snatchers stole recently interred bodies from graves and sold them to medical men for anatomical investigation.
On the 1st June 1831 the body of Thomas Rothery, scalded to death at Bateson's Mill, Wortley, was taken from the graveyard of Wortley Parish Church. The body was later discovered hidden at Hodgson's home, pictured here. The cottage was located in Mill Lane, running from North Street to Crimbles Street behind the Golden Cross Inn. Here Hodgson regularly stored bodies until he could find customers who he charged approximately ?12 per subject. Hodgson was found guilty after a four hour trial at the Leeds Borough Session on Park Row. After the verdict was given Hodgson admitted the crime and was sentenced to six weeks in York Castle and fined. He later studied medicine in Edingburgh before working in London as a Legal Advisor where he ultimately lost his position for not possessing a certificate or diploma.
Hodgson was born in 1811 the son of the landlord of the Regent Inn, Kirkgate. He died of ill health in 1868 leaving behind two daughters.
Visible above the cottages in the image is the clock tower and roof of the Midland Bank. The former bank building still stands today at number 195 North Street. It is known as Northwood House and is Grade II listed. The site of the Resurrection Cottage is now home to a bathroom centre. | License: | http://www.leodis.net/article.aspx?id=12 | Rights holder: | Leeds Central Library | Subjects: | Resurrection Cottage listed North Street Midland Bank Elmwood Street | Source: | Leodis - A photographic archive of Leeds | Identifier: | http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?id=20... | Go to resource |
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