Madame Tussauds JTR letter

[curious4]

Thanks Phil - you captured the spirit of the "old" Madam Tussauds much better than I could - it was really scary! Donīt have much of a visual memory but the feeling of the place has stayed with me.

[Phil H]

I have found a general picture of the Chamber of Horrors as it was c 1960 in the guide book, I'll try to scan it in and post it.

Phil

[Lurker]

For anybody still vexed by the pronunciation of Tussaudīs, Everymanīs English Pronouncing Dictionary by that SuperGuru of English (and International) Phonetics, Prof Daniel Jones, revised by that other SuperGuru Prof A C Gimson (13th Ed., 1967) records the pronunciation of Tussaud as [ītu:s∂u] (thatīs TOO-soe for laymen and Americans), and that of Tussaudīs as [t∂īso:dz] (ter-SAWds, with variants tu-SAWds and tu-SOEs in brackets, in that order -- but always with the stress on the second syllable). By the way, the dictionary is non-prescriptive, i.e. it records the existing pronunciation as it is (or was), not as someone imagines it should be. It is interesting to note that some forty-odd years later the stress seems to have shifted, judging by pronunciations suggested here.

[ChainzCooper]

Where is the Jack the Ripper exhibit in London? I think its called 'The Dungeon' or something like that. If anyone could post a link that would be great.
Jordan

[The Grave Maurice]

Jordan,

Your easily-answered questions are beginning to grate on my nerves. What's the problem? Don't you have access to Google in North Carolina?

[ChainzCooper]

Sorry I was trying to start a conversation. If that gets on your nerves then you don't have to respond
Jordan

[Phil H]

Jordan asked:

Where is the Jack the Ripper exhibit in London? I think its called 'The Dungeon' or something like that. If anyone could post a link that would be great.

There is an exhibition near London Bridge Station (Tooley St, I think) on the south bank, called "The London Dungeon". Essentially it features various horrors, from the Great Plague (1665) Black Death (1348) persecution of witches etc (1 May 1973), hanging drawing and quartering, execution and JtR.

I haven't been for 15 years or more since I moved away from London.

The mannequins are cruder than Madam Tussauds and covered in much gore and filth. the whole display is mounted under Victorian railways arches (like an enormous vaulted cellar under the station, which is gloomy and deliberately kept very dirty.

I have a JtR mug and bookmark from my last visit, somewhere.

Madam Tussauds also has an exhibit covering the JtR murders in the Chamber of Horrors on their site in Marylebone Rd, near Baker St tube station.

Hope this helps, and as always, if you have more questions, don't hesitate to come back.

Phil

[caz]

For anybody still vexed by the pronunciation of Tussaudīs, Everymanīs English Pronouncing Dictionary by that SuperGuru of English (and International) Phonetics, Prof Daniel Jones, revised by that other SuperGuru Prof A C Gimson (13th Ed., 1967) records the pronunciation of Tussaud as [ītu:s∂u] (thatīs TOO-soe for laymen and Americans), and that of Tussaudīs as [t∂īso:dz] (ter-SAWds, with variants tu-SAWds and tu-SOEs in brackets, in that order -- but always with the stress on the second syllable). By the way, the dictionary is non-prescriptive, i.e. it records the existing pronunciation as it is (or was), not as someone imagines it should be. It is interesting to note that some forty-odd years later the stress seems to have shifted, judging by pronunciations suggested here.

Morning Lurker,

In my experience Londoners still tend to say: "ter-SAWds" - stress on the second syllable, as in the 60s.

If a Brit said "Mad-AAM Too-SOW" they'd probably raise a titter.

Love,

Caz
X

[Suzi]

Ooooh eh!!! Yep I mostly hear it as Two-Swords...but reckon the French pronunciation is To-Sew.....Somewhere....... I've got a wonderful circa 1960's book on the To-Sews,their history and their legacy- with pics!! Gawd knows where it is though- may have to disappear into 'that room' where things sort of get put.........and have a little (large) rummage!!

Suz x

[Graham]

My dad took me around the Chamber of Horrors when I was a sprog, and I still have nightmares...especially over Caryl Chessman and Bruno Hauptmann.
Not nice. The A6 Case was still in the future, so no Hanratty.

By the way, does anyone remember that weird episode when someone took a photo from inside a moving tube-train, and on the print was an image of the Hauptmann exhibit at Tussaud's? I saw something about this on the box recently, where it was still being pushed as 'supernatural'....

Graham

[Suzi]

Hi Graham
Yep I was taken as a sprog too in the early 60's aaagh age!!. My Mum had a potential attack of the vapours at the thought and after some persuasion I convinced my Dad he wanted to accompany me.
It was scary I recall- could explain a lot about the Suzi of today...but in the dim and distant memory I remember the stairs going down and the anti-ci-pation was worse than the real thing- although there was a very definate 'atmosphere' once you were down there.
MUST try to find that Tussauds book!

Suz x

[Suzi]

GOT IT!!!!!!!!!! and scarily it's 1984!!!!


There are loads of great pics- may have to save them and put them onto my facebook page there's too many to put here I reckon- think I picked up the book from ebay an age ago.

Suz

[Suzi]

Do love this one though of Mary Pearcey 'shown with the piece of toffee sucked by the baby before she killed it'!!!!!!!!!!


Suz x

[Pablito]

pronounced madam 'two - swords' i think

[ChainzCooper]

Jordan asked:

Where is the Jack the Ripper exhibit in London? I think its called 'The Dungeon' or something like that. If anyone could post a link that would be great.

There is an exhibition near London Bridge Station (Tooley St, I think) on the south bank, called "The London Dungeon". Essentially it features various horrors, from the Great Plague (1665) Black Death (1348) persecution of witches etc (1 May 1973), hanging drawing and quartering, execution and JtR.

I haven't been for 15 years or more since I moved away from London.

The mannequins are cruder than Madam Tussauds and covered in much gore and filth. the whole display is mounted under Victorian railways arches (like an enormous vaulted cellar under the station, which is gloomy and deliberately kept very dirty.

I have a JtR mug and bookmark from my last visit, somewhere.

Madam Tussauds also has an exhibit covering the JtR murders in the Chamber of Horrors on their site in Marylebone Rd, near Baker St tube station.

Hope this helps, and as always, if you have more questions, don't hesitate to come back.

Phil

Thanks a lot Phil. I've been to London before but it was when I was really young and obviously didn't go to the Horrors exhibit.
What happened on May 1, 1973?
Jordan