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Exploring the Blackheath Connection with Local Historian

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  • Exploring the Blackheath Connection with Local Historian

    Today Andy Spallek,who is over from America to do further research on Montague Druitt,and myself, met with Mr Neil Rhind,MBE.
    Mr Rhind is Past Chairman of The Blackheath Society and Vice President of Greenwich Historical Society.He has written several historical books and given numbers of lectures one of which was entitled, "Jack the Ripper- The Blackheath Connection" and in which he considers the possibility of Montague Druitt as a JtR suspect.
    A few years ago Mr Rhind kindly sent me the transcript of this lecture which had taken place on the anniversary of the centenary of the Whitechapel murders, 21st November 1988 and was for the University of London Extra Mural Studies course.It makes compelling reading and provides some very instructive material on Druitt"s background ,his life at Blackheath and some interesting speculation about his friends and neighbours at the time.
    It was a great pleasure to meet Mr Rhind and have him escort us around Blackheath as well as have lunch with both him and Andy at the Hare and Billet ,a pub a minute or two from 9 Eliot"s Place, and which was there when Druitt was a teacher at the school.
    I am posting a few pictures ofsome of the places we visited -I know Andy will post more when he returns to the States next week.
    Last edited by Natalie Severn; 08-01-2008, 12:27 AM.

  • #2
    The first photo shows Andy and Neil inside the pavilion of Blackheath Cricket Club [Blackheath Cricket Football and Lawn Tennis Company]---almost unchanged since Druitt"s time.

    The second is of a house Neil showed us which belonged to Valentine,proprietor of Eliot Place and where he stayed with his mother when Druitt was a teacher at his school-Druitt and Lacey being the housemasters in residence at Eliot Place.

    Finally the only remaining section of Eliot Place-the house with the pointed roof-the other buildings were there at the time but not part of the school.
    Attached Files

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    • #3
      - the cricket pitch itself and me in front of the score board.
      Attached Files

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      • #4
        see Druitt"s name on the score card-this was in the pavilion too!
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        • #5
          Originally posted by Natalie Severn View Post
          - the cricket pitch itself and me in front of the score board.
          I note that the visit of the Revd Spallek had a remarkable effect, Nats...

          Click image for larger version

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          Kind regards, Sam Flynn

          "Suche Nullen" (Nietzsche, Götzendämmerung, 1888)

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          • #6
            Very funny - I know we can always be sure Sam will spot the howler!

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Natalie Severn View Post
              Very funny - I know we can always be sure Sam will spot the howler!
              Glad to be of service, Nats. I shan't interrupt your interesting thread with any more trivia, I promise.

              PS: Halo or not, you look lovely in that photo
              Kind regards, Sam Flynn

              "Suche Nullen" (Nietzsche, Götzendämmerung, 1888)

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              • #8
                Well thankyou Sam---it was a lovely day thats for sure!

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                • #9
                  Well done Natalie,
                  Great photos. Interesting to see what all three of you look like.
                  The photos of the cricket field and Reverend Valentine's house were interesting too.
                  I hope Andy has discovered some interesting things in his travels.
                  Neil Rhind does sterling work. As do you all. And I appreciate those who generously share.
                  History is not a proprietorial business: it's bigger than all of us.
                  Sam's comment was funny too.
                  JOHN RUFFELS.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Johnr View Post
                    Well done Natalie,
                    Great photos. Interesting to see what all three of you look like.
                    The photos of the cricket field and Reverend Valentine's house were interesting too.
                    I hope Andy has discovered some interesting things in his travels.
                    Neil Rhind does sterling work. As do you all. And I appreciate those who generously share.
                    History is not a proprietorial business: it's bigger than all of us.
                    Sam's comment was funny too.
                    JOHN RUFFELS.
                    I totally agree and I thank Natalie for the photos !
                    I think it's really amazing to find Druitt's name on the score card (no, I'm not crazy...) : it just shows that we're all linked in a way, even if time goes by (well, I'm a dreamer actually... but I'm not the only one...)
                    Well, I stop singing, I'm serious : I see everybody here works a lot. I like that and my "investigation" (if I may say so) is only beginning but I hope I could be useful too !
                    I like your sentence John (history is not a proprietorial business : it's bigger than all of us). Great sentence ! Exactly what I think.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Johnr View Post

                      History is not a proprietorial business: it's bigger than all of us.
                      Sam's comment was funny too.
                      JOHN RUFFELS.
                      Thank you, John. Absolutely, I believe this.

                      Best,

                      Cel
                      "What our ancestors would really be thinking, if they were alive today, is: "Why is it so dark in here?"" From Pyramids by Sir Terry Pratchett, a British National Treasure.

                      __________________________________

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                      • #12
                        Hi Natalie,

                        Once again, you have been out into the trenches and we are the beneficiaries. How amazing to see the list of players with MJD's name on there, as well as the pub and the buildings. Thank you.


                        Cel
                        "What our ancestors would really be thinking, if they were alive today, is: "Why is it so dark in here?"" From Pyramids by Sir Terry Pratchett, a British National Treasure.

                        __________________________________

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Roma View Post
                          I totally agree and I thank Natalie for the photos !
                          I think it's really amazing to find Druitt's name on the score card (no, I'm not crazy...) : it just shows that we're all linked in a way, even if time goes by (well, I'm a dreamer actually... but I'm not the only one...)
                          Well, I stop singing, I'm serious : I see everybody here works a lot. I like that and my "investigation" (if I may say so) is only beginning but I hope I could be useful too !
                          I like your sentence John (history is not a proprietorial business : it's bigger than all of us). Great sentence ! Exactly what I think.

                          Hi Roma, If I haven't already welcomed you, then welcome!

                          Best, Cel
                          "What our ancestors would really be thinking, if they were alive today, is: "Why is it so dark in here?"" From Pyramids by Sir Terry Pratchett, a British National Treasure.

                          __________________________________

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                          • #14
                            Thanks for those, Mr Templar - I mean, Nats.

                            So Monty was listed as J Druitt.

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                            • #15
                              Thankyou Celesta, Roma, John, and Robert.....and ofcourse Sam!
                              It was a fabulous day and Neil Rhind showed us some great places---we saw Lonsdale"s house just minutes from Eliot place , for example, he lived there in 1888 at the same time as Druitt-and who Andy thinks knew the Druitt family in Wimborne .Right next door to his house is where the German playwright, Frank Wedekind,also in london in 1888 and who,coincidently, wrote the very first play about "Jack the Ripper" . Pabst based his famous silent film on Wedekind"s work , with the wonderful Louise Brooks as Lulu.
                              I felt very privileged to have been shown around Blackheath by Neil Rhind because noone could have been more knowledgeable about both Blackheath and the Druitt connection.....although Andy ofcourse is also an expert on Druitt himself .
                              John,I am sure Andy will share his exciting findings from Winchester School and the debating transcripts.
                              Glad you"ve enjoyed this so far

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