Respected tradesman by day and thief by night, William Brodie, commonly known by the honorific Deacon Brodie, is one of Edinburgh’s most enduring legends. Like most folklore, the story of Deacon Brodie has been distilled to point we only see William Brodie as a cautionary tale of duality. We forget that Brodie was as successful as any commoner in Edinburgh society with the appendant friends and enemies persons of standing collect. Lost in the lore are the portions of Brodie’s history that are incongruous or underexamined. Do we dare not examine Deacon Brodie with the same fervor as other crooks because of the scale of his crimes, or do we fear we will find an element of our own nature lurking within Brodie’s double life?

This website’s goal is to bring to light those questions about Deacon Brodie that have never been answered and provide resources for those looking into 18th century Scottish history. Always a work in progress, this website will add content as time allows. So come back often to see what’s new and discover with us:

We’ve attempted to present as many source documents on the Deacon Brodie website as possible. This includes public domain books and searchable book previews of Brodie related books; letters and documents by Deacon Brodie; an interactive timeline that frames the events of Deacon Brodie’s life with world events; people who touch on Deacon Brodie’s story; and articles (coming soon) about 18th century life, research techniques, and interpretations about Brodie’s life. These resources are not only valuable for those interested in discovering the real story of Deacon Brodie, but 18th-century armchair historians, Scotland enthusiasts, and genealogists. Click on the links in this paragraph or on the sliding menu above to find out items that interest you the most.