Burke and Hare: Invention of the body snatchers

• Simon Pegg and Andy Serkis play the murderous pair in a new film released this weekend

Although graverobbing was so common in Edinburgh at the time that churches had to employ nightwatchmen, experts believe – contrary to popular belief – that Burke and Hare murdered all bar one of the people whose bodies they sold. Dr Gordon Findlater, director of anatomy at the University of Edinburgh, says: "I absolutely believe they were not graverobbers nor were they body snatchers as many presume – there is no evidence for it – they were just opportunistic murderers."

Tourism experts predict a renewed interest in the real history of Burke and Hare after the release of the film, which stars Simon Pegg, Andy Serkis and Isla Fisher. And a documentary about the true story of the killers has been made by Scottish actor David Hayman, who also appears in the new film.

According to Dr Findlater, Burke and Hare's murderous spree, which lasted for 12 months between 1827 and 1828, was inspired by a realisation that corpses could be turned into cash. In the first instance, in November 1827, a man – believed to be a young soldier – died while staying at the lodging house run by William Hare. "The lodger owed Hare rent money, so he talked Burke into helping him take the corpse to the anatomy school, where a man named Dr Robert Knox bought it from them for his medical students to dissect."

At the time Edinburgh University was struggling to provide enough cadavers for surgical students, who were only granted one body per year for dissection.

Such was the desperation for corpses that the university began paying up to 10 for a well-kept corpse – with few questions asked.

Emma Black, from the Surgeon's Hall Museum, says: "There were hundreds of medical students at the University of Edinburgh, and a serious shortage of bodies for them to do research on. Some may even understand why Dr Knox kept taking them – he was a flamboyant man who was very passionate about what he taught."

Tempted by the prospect of easy money, Burke and Hare began to prey on the unfortunate down-and-outs who lived in the slums to the west of the Grassmarket. At first, their crimes went undetected as they killed drunks and travellers who would not be missed. And they perfected a way of killing which left a clean corpse. Their method involved luring victims back to their lodging house at Tanners Close, in the West Port area of the city, and plying them with alcohol.

Dr Findlater says: "They suffocated their victims, a technique which became known as 'burking', where one would sit on the person while the other held their nose and mouth. This left no marks, which meant no suspicion would be raised when they were taken to the university.

"It also meant that when it came to the trial, Knox was able to say he did not know where the bodies came from and that he had never suspected they had been murdered – but he must have realised what was going on.

Burke and Hare's first mistake was killing a prostitute named Mary Patterson, who was very good looking, so people definitely noticed when she wasn't around.

"They went on to kill an even better-known young man named Daft Jamie, and several of Knox's students recognised him – and rather unusually Knox commenced a dissection on the face.

"Their last known murder – the one which eventually got them caught – was of a lady called Mary Docherty, whose body was discovered under a bed by two lodgers, Jamie and Ann Gray, who noticed a hand coming out from under it."

Although it was widely accepted that Hare was as much involved in the murders as Burke, he managed to get away with it by testifying against his partner-in-crime. Burke was taken to Calton Hill jail to await his fate.

On 28 January, 1829, he was executed near Libberton's Wynd, in front of a mob who cried out in unison for the executioner to "Burke him". The execution spot is still marked today with a golden plaque, situated on the Royal Mile across from the High Court. The following day, Burke's body was put on show to the public at the Surgeon's Hall and a newspaper from that date reported that more than 21,000 angry people passed through to see it.

Both the Surgeon's Hall Museum and the Anatomy Museum at Edinburgh University contain Burke and Hare artefacts. The skeleton of William Burke is held at the Anatomy Museum, and shows a cut across his scalp, from when his body was sent for dissection after the hanging. His death mask is also on display, showing how the skin around his neck was crumpled by the noose.

Dr Findlater says: "Normally when someone was hanged the rope would be tied in such a way that the neck would break on release. But in Burke's case, the push up of the skin indicates that he died slowly – he was strangled to death – I believe it was done on purpose."

The Surgeon's Hall has on display a pocket-book made from his skin, and a lifelike model of Dr Knox, wearing a purple velvet suit which is said to be typical of his flamboyant nature."

Tourism experts are expecting a flood of new visitors to Edinburgh when Burke and Hare is released – and the organisers of walking tours which focus on the darker aspects of the city – are expecting extra visitors this Autumn.

Stuart Nicoll, co-founder of West Port Tours, says: "I would imagine the interest in our tour will increase once the film has come out as ours is so specific. We had the director John Landis out on a tour when he was in Edinburgh for the filming.

"I think the thing that appeals to a lot of people is that we give them a bit of history about the city in general – as well as the fun, gory bits. The story of Burke and Hare is so appealing because whether people like it or not their dark side is attracted to it."

A Visit Scotland spokesperson says: "Tourism is Scotland's most important industry and film tourism has an important role to play, as we know that 20 per cent of visitors say that seeing Scotland in movies or on TV has inspired them to book their trip. The new Burke and Hare movie is sure to spark interest in Scotland, whether people are film fans, or simply interested in the story."

According to the UK Film Council, film tourism accounts for around 10 per cent of the total value of tourism to the British economy, bringing in around 1.8 billion a year, and a visitor experience survey showed that one in five people intended to visit a place because they saw it on TV or in a movie.

• Burke And Hare (15) is in cinemas on Friday.

• The Search for Burke and Hare presented by David Hayman will air on STV on Wednesday at 9pm.