Gathorne Hardy

[Chris]

A couple of snippets from The Diary of Gathorne Hardy, Lord Cranbrook, 1866-1892: Political Selections (ed. Nancy E. Johnson, Clarendon Press, 1981), partly relating to Queen Victoria's concern about the murders. Cranbrook was Lord President of the Council at the time of the murders.

Wedy. Sep. 12.
There was some rather ghastly talk about murders which the Queen remembered at dinner & I had to add reminiscences. She had asked me to telegraph about these awful affairs in Whitechapel but no satisfactory reply came from the H.O. nor do the papers afford any news of the criminal. The police are naturally blamed & the Queen asked a good deal about them, when talking to Ponsonby & me after dinner ...

Tuesday Oct. 2.
... More murders at Whitechapel, strange and horrible. The newspapers reek with blood.
[p. 716]

Saty: Nov: 10.
Another Whitechapel murder of even greater horror, & no trace though the time for commission limited.

Sun: Nov. 11.
... We had a very interesting & long Cabinet. Reward & Sir C. Warren's resignation on not being allowed to write in magazines on his official work, & declining subordination to the H.O. No choice but to accept. Too late for reward now & the facts are against but something in the first instance was due to popular feeling.
[p. 718]

Sunday Nov. 18. At home.
The Queen saw me before it [a council meeting the day before] ... Dissatisfied with Matthews "never thought him fit for the place". The nondiscovery of [Whitechapel] murderer troubled her.
[p. 719]

[Robert]

"Saty: Nov: 10.
Another Whitechapel murder of even greater horror, & no trace though the time for commission limited."

Chris, this is very strange! Kelly's murder and mutilation was the only one which might merit the description "leisurely."

[Chris]

Chris, this is very strange! Kelly's murder and mutilation was the only one which might merit the description "leisurely."

Yes, that's what I thought. Or did Gathorne Hardy know something that we don't ... ?

[richardnunweek]

Hi Chris/Robert,
Does that imply that the kelly murderer had limited time? would that suggest that the body was discovered shortly after the T.O.D., or am I not tuned into this mentally...
I sincerley hope it means 'limited,' for it would rule out a 4am murder, and pace great emphesis on 9am +.
Richard.

[perrymason]

Hi Chris/Robert,
Does that imply that the kelly murderer had limited time? would that suggest that the body was discovered shortly after the T.O.D., or am I not tuned into this mentally...
I sincerley hope it means 'limited,' for it would rule out a 4am murder, and pace great emphesis on 9am +.
Richard.

I think the "time" that is being referred to Richard might be time to investigate further for clues, things relevant to the "commission" of the crime....and on the 10th they were still investigating and gathering data...and issuing Pardons.

They didnt know enough by the 10th to say anything more.

Cheers Richard

[richardnunweek]

Hello Michael.
Now I understand, I failed to grasp that interpretation, for a moment I had hope.
Regards Richard.

[perrymason]

Hello Michael.
Now I understand, I failed to grasp that interpretation, for a moment I had hope.
Regards Richard.

Dont discard that hope Richard,....I may not be correct. It just seemed to me to have that as a likely interpretation.

Cheers Mate

[Chris]

It does seem that Gathorne Hardy relied for information at least partly on the newspapers. Looking at the coverage in the Times of 10 November, there is a statement in the editorial comment that "All had apparently been done with frightful celerity and completeness". It's not clear why it was thought the murder had been committed quickly, but evidently the reports of Kelly having been seen on Friday morning were already circulating: "It is also stated that she was seen yesterday morning. But as to this there is some conflict of evidence ..."

[Uncle Jack]

Perhaps Gathorne Hardy was the Ripper....