A new exhibition at the Royal Pump Rooms celebrates the famous early forensic work of Leamingtonian Sir Bernard Spilsbury.
The show - called Post mortem: Sir Bernard Spilsbury and forensic science - has a wide selection of fascinating artefacts, including items from the Crippen trial.
| Μύ |  | Finger print on the Post Mortem poster
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Spilsbury was born in Leamington in 1877 and went on to work on many famous criminal cases. His interest in crime led to him being recognised as the greatest medical detective of all time and one of the founders of modern forensic medicine.
Spilsbury's evidence was the deciding factor in some of the most sensational trials of the early 20th century, the most infamous of which was the Crippen trial in 1910.
This was the first time a microscope had been used in court, allowing jurors to examine slides of scar tissue that proved a murdered body to be that of Dr Crippen's wife.
In his career Spilsbury carried out over 25,000 post mortems and he kept index card details of each one. The exhibition allows visitors a rare view of some of these cards and their details.
| Μύ |  | The scene of a modern post mortem
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The exhibition also includes the original evidence from some of the trials that Spilsbury worked on, including the 'Blazing car murder'. The show also has a scrap book about the trial of Dr Crippen that was compiled by Charles Belcher, the Scotland Yard inspector who investigated the case.
Bringing the details more up-to-date, the exhibition also looks at the more recent development of forensic science with modern scene of crime material.
This exhibition promises to provide an extraordinary insight into history, medicine and crime and is a worthy tribute to one of Leamington's more unusual historical characters.
Show details
Post mortem: Sir Bernard Spilsbury and forensic science is on at the Royal Pump Rooms Art Gallery and Museum in Leamington on 1 February - 30 March 2003.
Opening Times
Monday: closed
Tuesday: 10.30am - 5.00pm
Wednesday: 10.30am - 5.00pm
Thursday: 1.30pm - 8.00pm
Friday: 10.30am - 5.00pm
Saturday: 10.30am - 5.00pm
Sunday: 11.00am - 4.00pm
Admission is free
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