Dr Ruth Richardson was born and grew up in Notting Hill, London. She was educated at Holland Park School, the City Literary Institute, and the University of Sussex. After leaving school she worked as a librarian in various specialist libraries and studied art and literature at evening classes. As a mature student at university she came upon the Anatomy Act while studying Mary Shelly s Frankenstein. This book is the result of a decade of further research. Ruth Richardson now works for the Institute of Historical Research, London.