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Curators think the volume’s corners and spine are bound in the skin of William Corder, an infamous criminal who was convicted of murder in the late 1820s
April 23, 2025 3:26 p.m.
A recently rediscovered book, purportedly bound in human skin, is set to be exhibited at a museum in England, as reported by Laura Foster from BBC News.
During a thorough review of collection records at Moyse’s Hall Museum, curators stumbled upon a listing for a book believed to be bound in the skin of William Corder, a notorious murderer from the late 1820s.
Despite an initial search in the museum’s storage revealing nothing, the book was ultimately located on a shelf, nestled among more conventionally bound texts.
The museum has long possessed another copy of this book since the 1930s. However, staff were unaware of the second volume that had been added to the collection approximately 20 years prior, as reported by Guardian’s Ella Creamer. Now, both editions are showcased side by side for the public.
Corder’s case is well-known across the UK, particularly due to the notorious incident known as the “Red Barn Murder.” In 1827, he was found guilty of murdering his lover, Maria Marten, in a barn located in Polstead, Suffolk.
His execution followed swiftly in 1828 in Bury St. Edmunds, where he met his end in front of a large crowd. Subsequently, a surgeon named George Creed conducted a post-mortem examination, leading to the binding of a book concerning the trial written by journalist Jay Curtis using pieces of Corder’s skin. This particular copy was first displayed at Moyse’s Hall Museum in 1933. Creed also utilized Corder’s skin to provide decorative binding on the corners and spine of an additional book.
The second book was a donation made to the museum over two decades ago by a family connected to Creed. Reportedly, it lacked a robust documentation trail compared to the original, prompting the museum’s curators to opt against its display at that time.
Recent investigations into the bindings of both volumes indicate significant similarities, suggesting that they may indeed share common origins. According to a social media update from the museum, it is hypothesized that leftover materials from the original binding were repurposed for the second book, potentially created as a gesture of friendship; however, this narrative is not conclusively verified.
The technique of binding books in human skin, known as “anthropodermic bibliopegy,” has historical roots stretching back to at least the 16th century, gaining traction during the 19th century, according to the American Bookbinders Museum.
Globally, various museums, including the Smithsonian, grapple with the ethical dimensions of artifacts that involve human remains, such as those bound in skin. Harvard University, for instance, recently decided to remove a binding made from human skin that had been part of its collection for nine decades, citing its “ethically fraught nature.” The binding is currently in temporary storage as the institution researches a more appropriate resolution.
In Australia, the Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney also opted to cease the public display of mummified body fragments for similar ethical concerns.
“For centuries, parts of human bodies in museum collections have been treated as mere objects,” stated senior curator Melanie Pitkin in a recent statement. “We often overlook the fact that they belonged to once-living individuals.”
Dan Clarke, a heritage officer with the West Suffolk Council that manages the museum, mentioned to BBC News that he hasn’t received complaints regarding the display of the original Corder book. However, some audience members have expressed concerns with the museum’s exhibition of mummified cats during a recent witchcraft-themed showcase.
Curators emphasize that these books are not merely sensational relics but “window[s] into the past,” according to Clarke, and are displayed alongside contextual items, such as an 18th-century cage that was intended for holding criminals’ remains.
In efforts to consider viewer sensibilities, the museum has implemented a trigger warning for this gallery, allowing visitors the choice to bypass that section. Clarke stated, “It is crucial to present such remains for educational and scientific purposes. The museum serves as the most suitable venue for these artifacts to be examined thoughtfully and ethically.”
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