Sarah Wise’s The Italian Boy: Murder and Grave-Robbery in 1830s London transports readers to a chilling yet fascinating moment in the history of medicine, law, and social inequality. Published in 2004, the book is an exquisitely researched and riveting account of the murder of an Italian street boy in the 1830s, which brought to light the nefarious world of body-snatching in Victorian England. This true-crime narrative explores the intricate intersection of criminal activities, scientific progress, and the urban underclass, revealing the complexities of a society in flux.
The Gruesome Discovery and the Rise of Anatomy
At the heart of The Italian Boy lies the story of 19th-century London’s hunger for corpses to fuel its burgeoning medical schools. The advancement of medical science depended on anatomy, but the legal supply of bodies was far too meager to meet demand. Enter the resurrectionists—grave-robbers who supplied bodies to medical schools. These men, often from the dregs of society, dug up freshly buried bodies in cemeteries and sold them to anatomists, a practice that was both morally and legally dubious.
Wise sets the stage by portraying a London teetering on the edge of modernity, where industrialization was altering both the landscape and the human condition. Poverty, overcrowding, and disease ravaged the city, leading to a massive underclass that existed at the margins of society. It was within this environment that the Italian Boy murder took place—a crime that not only shocked the city but also exposed the grotesque lengths to which people would go to turn a profit in a system rife with exploitation.
The Murder of the Italian Boy
The case of the “Italian boy” begins with the discovery of a young, seemingly impoverished corpse brought to the attention of anatomist Thomas Southwood Smith at the Webb Street School of Anatomy in 1831. The body, however, was not that of a recently deceased person but appeared to have been freshly murdered. This led to an inquiry that quickly unraveled a web of criminality.
The boy’s identity remained a mystery, but rumors soon began circulating that he was an Italian street performer. The suspicion quickly fell on a group of men—John Bishop, Thomas Williams, and James May—who were infamous resurrectionists. These men were charged with kidnapping, murdering, and then selling the boy’s body for dissection. What was uncovered was a grisly trade, not merely of bodies dug up from graves, but of living victims murdered for profit.
The Trial and Public Outcry
Sarah Wise meticulously reconstructs the sensational trial that followed, using court records, newspaper accounts, and letters. The case became a media sensation, as the public was gripped by horror and outrage. The trial was a circus-like event, with huge crowds gathering to witness the proceedings. Wise vividly depicts the atmosphere of the trial and the eventual conviction and execution of Bishop and Williams. Their confessions revealed not only their participation in the Italian boy’s murder but also a string of other murders committed for the same purpose.
The case of the Italian boy was instrumental in forcing the government to confront the ethical issues surrounding the supply of bodies for medical research. It led directly to the passage of the Anatomy Act of 1832, which aimed to regulate the supply of corpses to medical schools, making it legal to use unclaimed bodies from hospitals and workhouses for dissection. This, in turn, largely ended the practice of grave-robbing and murder for medical purposes.
A Portrait of London’s Underbelly
In addition to telling the story of the murder and trial, The Italian Boy is a detailed social history of Victorian London. Wise delves into the lives of the poor and dispossessed, portraying a city where life was cheap, and death was even cheaper. She describes in haunting detail the slums of the East End, where families lived crammed into tiny, unsanitary rooms, and where disease and hunger were constant threats.
What emerges is a vivid portrait of a society in which the urban underclass was both a source of cheap labor and a resource to be exploited even after death. Wise’s depiction of the streets of London—filled with child laborers, vagrants, and beggars—demonstrates the stark divide between the wealthy and the poor, and how that divide fed into the body trade.
The Intersection of Science and Morality
One of the central themes of The Italian Boy is the intersection between scientific progress and morality. Wise explores the ethical dilemmas faced by the medical community, which was desperate for bodies to study but was often complicit in the illegal and immoral methods used to procure them. The anatomists themselves come across as morally ambivalent figures—on the one hand, they were advancing medical knowledge, but on the other, they were often turning a blind eye to the origins of the bodies they dissected.
The book raises important questions about the cost of progress and the human toll of scientific advancement. It also examines the way in which the law was complicit in the exploitation of the poor—both in life and in death.
Legacy and Impact of the Case
The murder of the Italian boy, and the subsequent trial and execution of his murderers, left a lasting impact on British society. It forced the government to address the issue of body-snatching and led to the implementation of the Anatomy Act, which regulated the supply of corpses to medical schools. While this law curbed the worst excesses of the trade, it also highlighted the deep inequalities in Victorian society.
The case also had a significant cultural impact. It became the basis for numerous ballads, pamphlets, and plays, and it continues to be remembered as one of the most notorious crimes of the 19th century. Wise’s book revives this forgotten chapter of history, reminding us of the dark underbelly of Victorian society and the human cost of scientific progress.
Conclusion
The Italian Boy is a masterful blend of true crime and social history. Wise’s meticulous research and vivid storytelling bring to life a world that is both shocking and fascinating. The book not only tells the story of a brutal murder but also provides a window into the broader social and moral issues of the time. For anyone interested in Victorian history, true crime, or the history of medicine, The Italian Boy is an essential read
Review
Sarah Wise’s The Italian Boy has garnered widespread acclaim for its rich historical detail and compelling narrative. Critics have praised Wise’s ability to bring Victorian London to life, capturing both the squalor of the city’s underbelly and the moral dilemmas faced by its medical community. The book has been lauded for its meticulous research and for shedding light on a largely forgotten chapter of history. Some readers have noted that the level of detail can be overwhelming at times, but most agree that the book is a gripping and thought-provoking read.
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About the Author
Sarah Wise is a British author and historian who specializes in the social history of 19th-century London. Her books, which include The Italian Boy, Inconvenient People, and The Blackest Streets, focus on the lives of the poor and marginalized in Victorian society. Wise’s work is known for its meticulous research and for bringing to light forgotten or overlooked aspects of history. She has contributed to various historical journals and frequently appears on television and radio to discuss her work. Wise studied at the University of Sussex and holds an MA in Victorian Studies from Birkbeck College, University of London.
