Aldgate post office location

[Joshua Rogan]

Does anyone know the location of the post office that was robbed on the weekend of the double event?
The 1887 Goad map shows it on the left corner of Duke Street and Aldgate High Street. But the later OS map has it a couple of doors further up the high street, at no. 2 (Aldgate Chambers according to Goad). Obviously it was relocated sometime between 1887 and 1894, but was this before or after the murders?
Contemporary reports of the break-in say the PO was entered via an adjacent empty warehouse, and there don't seem to be any near the original location so I'm leaning towards the move taking place pre-ripper. Can anyone confirm?

[Wickerman]

Hi Joshua.

Yes, press reports indicate the empty house/warehouse was next door (possibly at 52 Duke St), and that the post office abuts to Aldgate High St. So the Post Office must be a corner premises.

I tend to think this indicates the address of the Post Office was 19/20 Aldgate High St., right on the S/W corner of Duke & Aldgate?

[Elamarna]

Hi Joshua


this was discussed in some detail in Gavin Bromley's article on Mitre Square in Ripperologist #74, and I don't think there was a clear answer.

not read the article in sometime, so may be worth having a look.


Steve

[Wickerman]

Here's part of a report from the Huddersfield Chronicle:

"Careful examination by the police shows that the burglars first entered an empty warehouse in Duke Street, just round the corner, and then got into the Post Office through a trap door in the roof."

The article goes on to say that the police had been concerned for some time that the empty property to the rear was a potential point of access.

"for some time the safety of the office had been suspected by the police and the Post Office authorities, who have noticed the comparative ease by which it could be entered from the back on account of the adjacent premises being unoccupied."

I think this description tends to rule out the alternate location at No.2 Aldgate High St. as there is no premises at the rear of that address in Duke St.
The only location that fits is the corner premises at 19/20 Aldgate High St.

That said, there is an obscure mention of a passage which leads to stairs, whether this passage is internal or external to the premises is not clear.

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

The Post Office address was 19 & 20 Aldgate. Not Aldgate High Street.



Regards,

Simon

[Debra A]

Hi Joshua,
The land tax record for 87 shows 19 & 20 Aldgate mentioned by Simon, occupied by The Postmaster General and Eliza Jones and owned by Lewis Myers. A warehouse and offices over are listed next door at Nos. 15,16,17 and 18 Aldgate.

In 1888 only Eliza Jones is listed as occupier of No 19 and 20 and it is still owned by Lewis Myers but the Post Master isn't mentioned. There's a pencilled in note saying 'taken down' in the occupier section above Eliza's name, the same was added in the 89 entry but crossed out.

Interestingly, 52 Duke St, mentioned by Jon, was also owned by Lewis Myers but is shown as empty in 1888 and 1887.

2 Aldgate High St was listed as a post office in 1888 and was listed next door to some empty vaults. No. 2 is not listed as a post office in 1887 but it is in 1889.

[jerryd]

The London Standard states the premises was entered by an empty warehouse on Duke Street, "just round the corner".

[jerryd]

I see Wickerman said this already. Sorry.

[David Orsam]

See the building labelled 'P.O' on this map.

[Robert]

I can't help feeling that the Red Headed League will make an appearance.

[Wickerman]

See the building labelled 'P.O' on this map.

Yes David, that map identifies the later location - above the 'e' in Aldgate.
The Post Office location at 19/20 Aldgate is on the corner of Duke & Aldgate - above the 2nd 'a' in Aldgate.
I can't get my Photobucket to work to post the Goad map.

[Joshua Rogan]

Wow, thanks everyone!
First off, are Aldgate and High Street two separate addresses, rather than one? I've been assuming they were, but I guess not.

I think the Post Office locations are clear on these two maps, unfortunately I seem to lack the ability to clip and resize them so they can be uploaded.

1887 Goad

http://britishlibrary.georeferencer.com/map/m1XsTlY3wQ1YUmqibO06it/201404171334-XT2Wal/visualize

1894 ORdnance Survey

http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=19&lat=51.5137&lon=-0.0778&layers=163&b=1

The Goad map shows a couple of warehouses near no.2 High Street, and also handy skylights which may have been the means of entry. There seems to be an empty lot at the back, however by 1894 there are a couple of buildings there between Duke St and Hanover Place. If these had just been built in 1888, could they be the empty buildings where the thieves got in?

That's if I understand your post correctly Debs, that the move must have happened sometime in 1888?

[Wickerman]

See if this works...

[Joshua Rogan]

By Jove, I think you've cracked it!

[Wickerman]

The press accounts state that:
- A Warehouse was behind the P.O.
- this warehouse had an address on Duke Street.
- access to the P.O. was gained through a trap door on the roof, not a sky-light.

No.52 Duke St. was directly behind the P.O. it was not a dwelling (D), but a shop (S), and it was empty. So it must have been used for storage - ie; warehouse.
As Debs pointed out, Lewis Myers owned both the P.O. at 19/20 Aldgate, and No. 52 Duke St., behind the P.O. - the empty shop.

The site at No.2 Aldgate High St. has no premises behind it which are on Duke st., so I think the corner premises at 19/20 Aldgate is the Post Office in question that was burgled.