Old Hands & Newbies

[Mike Covell]

With our last breaths...

Sod that! I will be rapping on the pearly gates and asking, nay demanding to speak to Jack!!

[mariag]

Autumn of Terror was my first JTR book too, Pippin. A few years later than you,but not many.

I was a confirmed Druittist for many years later but now feel bad for poor old MJD who would have been better off in the long run if he had killed himself a few weeks earlier.

[Dr. John Watson]

I've been hooked ever since Don Rumbelow's book came out in 1975, followed by Knight's Final Solution in 76. Of course, it wasn't the "final solution," the search for which is what makes this case so fascinating.

[Bailey]

Again, depending on your definition of "studying" - I was first drawn in by Michael Caine and company when the mini-series played on TV here, but it was at least a few years later before I read anything, a few years after that before I began to read a lot, and about six months since I joined these forums, during which tme I've probably learned twice as much as in the years before.

Cheers,
B.

[kensei]

I first became interested in the Ripper as part of a lifelong fascination with mysteries of all kinds, criminal cases as well as supernatural/paranormal things. My first Ripper book was a collection of fictional short stories called simply "Ripper!" edited by Gardner Dozois and Susan Casper in 1988, around the time of the Michael Caine movie for the centennial, at which time I was approaching 21. I read one of the early editions of Rumbelow's book after finding it in a public library in about 1992 so I suppose that was my first exposure to the real facts of the case, but I didn't really dive in and join the ranks of Ripperologists until the sensation generated by Patricia Cornwell in 2001. Because of all that, can't quite decide how to judge the number of years I've put in.

[Ryan_Miller]

I'm almost embarassed to say it, but I began studying the case after watching "From Hell". After seeing the movie I was left asking, "Are you serious...Thats what happened?"

About that time I took a keen interest in the case, purchased some books, did a little studying and now about 6 years later I'm posting on these boards with you lovely people!

[Michael A]

I've been studying the case for almost 7 years now, and have been reading this board for about 3 years. Just now I've decided to join up. I don't really remember how I got interested in the case, but since I picked up a couple of books on the subject I was hooked!

[dmann30]

I, too, really began studying after watching "From Hell." I wasn't so much left with the same question as, "there's got to be more to this."
I was vaguely aware of JtR in my teen years, and even started a story about the attacks in my late teens/early twenties, but, like everything else around that time, life got in the way. I found that snippet of a story recently, and decided I needed to do some more research, and what do you know, I found this grand site, and have been studying and purchasing books, and creating more and more run on sentences.
My daughter discovered JtR last night when she saw my newly arrived "Jack the Ripper The Uncensored Facts." I warned her it was gruesome (she's 11) but she really has grabbed hold.

[Supe]

In Ripperologist 92 (May 2008) Jennifer Pegg and I published the results of a six-month survey project among a randomly selected (we used a random-number generator) group of Casebook posters. One of the questions we asked was how long the respondents had been seriously studying Jack the Ripper and the results were as follows:

Less than 5 years 17%
6-10 31%
11-20 23%
21-30 14%
31-40 9%
40-50 3%
50+ 3%

It will be interesting how the final results here compare. We also conducted a self-selecting poll (like this one) at the Wolverhampton Conference that had interestingly different results, the reasons for which we discussed in the article.

Don.

[GRISTLE]

I'm another who gained interest after watching "From Hell". As enjoyable as the movie was, my fascination with the case grew as fact replaced fiction. The movie's conspiracy theories were replaced by sober possibilities and enthralling mystery.

[Jeff Leahy]

Lets be honest. Isn't it time that the 3% who have been studying for over fifty years finally came clean at let the rest of us know who they think did it?

I mean how long does it take to reach a conclusion?

What have they actually been doing all this time?

and the other 3% can stop s******ing, theyre next!

Pirate

PS Sni**ering is not a rude word in the UK, gg ?

damn yanks

[sdreid]

done did it

[Jeff Leahy]

who done?

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=c9zmYX27dHY&fea

[Jane Coram]

I've been at it 45 and I haven't got a bloody clue.

xxxxxxx

[anna]

Hi All,

I've been interested in it for 43 years.

Since being taken to Tussauds in my school holidays to see the "Chamber of Horrors"....mum wanted to go,and I was dragged along,if truth were told.

I was bored and went to lean against a stone doric column,to read my comic.
I went to stretch up,and hit my head on the base of a picture frame which I hadn't noticed.When I looked to see what it contained,it was the "From Hell" letter....which I read.

Next time I caught up with Jack was when there was a TV programme on it,and I remembered the name and having read the letter,read up on it,and here I am.