These are the remains of Mary Bateman, aka “The Yorkshire Witch”. In the early 19th century, she was tried and executed for the murder of Rebecca Perigo who ill-fatedly ate mary’s pudding (not a euphemism). Despite proclaiming her innocence to poison in the pudding and claiming to be be pregnant, (it turned out she wasn’t) Mary was hanged alongside two men in 1809. In a gruesome finale, her body was put on public display where strips of skin were sold off as evil warding magic charms. What was left of her is now on display at Thackray Museum in Leeds… Perhaps she will rise again to reclaim her stolen strips of flesh and to serve bad pudding to those who posses them.
