Visited the tavern that inspired Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde The Double Life of Deacon Brodie William “Deacon” Brodie (1741–1788) was one of Edinburgh’s most fascinating and infamous characters — a man who lived a true double life long before Robert Louis Stevenson ever imagined Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. ✨ Respectable by Day \t•\tBrodie was a highly respected cabinetmaker, locksmith, and city councilor (a “Deacon of the Wrights,” which meant master craftsman). \t•\tHe worked in wealthy Edinburgh home