Deacon William Brodie (1741 - 1788) was a member of Edinburgh Town Council in the late 18th Century. He was a skilled wood-worker and pillar of the community ( the title "Deacon" indicates the headship of the guild of woodworkers, wrights,), however, he spent much of his time and income on gambling. To alleviate this situation, Brodie turned to crime. As the foremost wright of the city, Brodie was asked to work in the homes of many of the richest members of Edinburgh society. Making wax impressions of the keys he gained legitimately through his trade he would return at night to steal items he had noted during his time working there. Together with George Smith, an English locksmith, he was responsible for a number of thefts, even stealing the silver mace from Edinburgh University. It was an attempt on the excise office for Scotland that was to prove the Deacon's undoing, however. The robbery was botched and Brodie himself, hitherto and later brave enough, lost his nerve and bolted, leaving his companions. One of these, Brown, took umbrage at this. He already had sentence of transportation hanging over him so the free pardon and reward offered by the authorities were a temptation he did little to resist. The Town Council approved the large reward for information leading to the arrest of the gang, ironically since Brodie was a member of the council. Brown accepted the reward and named Smith, who in turn named Brodie. Brodie heard of the arrest of his accomplices and fled to Amsterdam. It was there, on a ship bound for The Americas that he was arrested and extradited to stand trial. He was found guilty and sentenced to hanging on October 1, 1788. It was said that he arranged a harness and silver tube which he put down his throat to survive the hanging. Rumours of his being seen in Paris circulated later and gave the story further publicity. Popular myth holds that Deacon Brodie built the first gallows in Edinburgh and was also its first victim. Of this William Roughead in "Classic Crimes" states that after research he was sure that although the Deacon may have had some hand in the design "...it was certainly not of his construction, nor was he the first to benefit by its ingenuity." The story of the double life of Deacon Brodie was the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson's ''The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde''. Stevenson's father had furniture made by Brodie. In 1997 a TV movie of the same name was made starring Billy Connolly.
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Deacon Brodie
Deacon William Brodie (1741 - 1788) was a member of Edinburgh Town Council in the late 18th Century. He was a skilled wood-worker and pillar of the community ( the title "Deacon" indicates the headship of the guild of woodworkers, wrights,), however, he spent much of his time and income on gambling. To alleviate this situation, Brodie turned to crime. As the foremost wright of the city, Brodie was asked to work in the homes of many of the richest members of Edinburgh society. Making wax impressions of the keys he gained legitimately through his trade he would return at night to steal items he had noted during his time working there. Together with George Smith, an English locksmith, he was responsible for a number of thefts, even stealing the silver mace from Edinburgh University. It was an attempt on the excise office for Scotland that was to prove the Deacon's undoing, however. The robbery was botched and Brodie himself, hitherto and later brave enough, lost his nerve and bolted, leaving his companions. One of these, Brown, took umbrage at this. He already had sentence of transportation hanging over him so the free pardon and reward offered by the authorities were a temptation he did little to resist. The Town Council approved the large reward for information leading to the arrest of the gang, ironically since Brodie was a member of the council. Brown accepted the reward and named Smith, who in turn named Brodie. Brodie heard of the arrest of his accomplices and fled to Amsterdam. It was there, on a ship bound for The Americas that he was arrested and extradited to stand trial. He was found guilty and sentenced to hanging on October 1, 1788. It was said that he arranged a harness and silver tube which he put down his throat to survive the hanging. Rumours of his being seen in Paris circulated later and gave the story further publicity. Popular myth holds that Deacon Brodie built the first gallows in Edinburgh and was also its first victim. Of this William Roughead in "Classic Crimes" states that after research he was sure that although the Deacon may have had some hand in the design "...it was certainly not of his construction, nor was he the first to benefit by its ingenuity." The story of the double life of Deacon Brodie was the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson's ''The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde''. Stevenson's father had furniture made by Brodie. In 1997 a TV movie of the same name was made starring Billy Connolly.
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