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PC Richard Pearce and the candle in the window......

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  • PC Richard Pearce and the candle in the window......

    Has anyone read Amanda Harvey Purse's book Jack and the Jewry? If not I highly recommend it, if your interested the lives of the bobbies involved in the case (as I am), as apposed to Jack himself.

    In the section of her book covering PC PEARCE, she documents some very interesting information, about Richard living at number 3 Mitre Square with his wife and two small children. That they used to leave a candle burning in their bedroom as a night light for the children, in case they woke up in the night. Amanda I believe suggests that this light might in fact have been used by Jack the Ripper when he murdered EDDOWES. I had never heard this information before, but have no reason to discredit it. I would be interested to hear other forum users views on this.

    The concern I have is that there does appear to be other errors contained in this section, which I feel cannot be over looked if we're to take as fact the candle information.

    Amanda states that PEARCE served in the 94th Regiment of foot, joining up in 1866/67. That when he enlisted the 94th were engaged in fighting in the Crimea (the Crimean War had ended 10 years previously?) at places such as Peshawar, India,Aden and Yeman although it is not known whether Robert travelled with these units? None of these places are on the Crimea and none of them are units either? Although during it's history the 94th did serve in these places. The 94th returned home from India in 1868 and remained there until 1879 when they deployed to South Africa to fight the Zulus. Hence Robert may have served briefly in Peshawar, but could just have easily remained in the UK pending the Regiments return to the UK? I wonder do his serve papers exist, this would easily answer these questions.

    Perhaps there is typo issues here and or the proof reader/author have no military knowledge. As I say only minor things which I suppose could be overlooked if we're focusing only on the Ripper murders, but as this information clearly contains errors how can we be sure that the "Ripper" information is factual as well?

    Please don't let me put you off reading this book it is a most enjoyable read and is full of stuff like the candle in the window, that make you stop reading and think about for a while.
    Last edited by The Station Cat; 02-23-2018, 05:17 AM.

  • #2
    Hey Cat.
    I'm not sure what she means about the candle ( but then I haven't read the book). Pearce's house was a good 20 yards from where Eddowes was found, wasn't it? Is she saying the light from a candle in his window was enough to illuminate the other side of the square? Seems a bit unlikely, and unnecessary, given that there were two lamps about the same distance away which were (presumably) much brigher.
    Or is she suggesting that Pearce was actually Jack and nipped across the square with the candle to do a bit of ripping?

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Joshua Rogan View Post
      Hey Cat.
      I'm not sure what she means about the candle ( but then I haven't read the book). Pearce's house was a good 20 yards from where Eddowes was found, wasn't it? Is she saying the light from a candle in his window was enough to illuminate the other side of the square? Seems a bit unlikely, and unnecessary, given that there were two lamps about the same distance away which were (presumably) much brigher.
      Or is she suggesting that Pearce was actually Jack and nipped across the square with the candle to do a bit of ripping?
      I believe that, she is suggesting the Pearce’s children’s night light assisted the Ripper. Not convinced myself, but would be interested to know if this has been mentioned before in Ripper Lore or something new?

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      • #4
        About the only way I can see it helping Jack is that it would make it easier to see if the curtains twitched, so he'd know it was time to scarper.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Joshua Rogan View Post
          About the only way I can see it helping Jack is that it would make it easier to see if the curtains twitched, so he'd know it was time to scarper.

          I must say Josh I'm inclined to agree with you here.

          I'm all for new facts being brought to light (no pun intended), but this seems a little far fetched and even perhaps somewhat romanticised to me.............

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          • #6
            He wasn't still living there in 1894 by any chance?

            The Kearley and Tonge warehouse burnt down.

            Candles should not be left unattended.

            All the best.

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