Who Are We?

[ghoulstonstreet]

Hello Fellow Ripperologists,
After listening to some of the podcasts available at the link to the left I began to realize what a diverse bunch we are.
Who are We?
Why do we care after over 100 years have passed?
I can answer the first question easily, the second, not so easily.
Personally, I'm over 50 and was keenly interested to learn that several of the podcasters are young enough to be my grown kids. Then again, my grandmother was born right in the middle of the Autumn of Terror. My interest started as a child when I first heard of Jack the Ripper. I was a girl in my teens when the famous "Collar and Cuffs" article referring to Prince Eddy, along with photos, was printed in LIFE magazine. Totally fascinating and shocking. That was the beginning of my addiction, fed 10 years later by the imported BBC series which showed in NYC in the 70s. Haven't lost any interest since.
And you?

[Tom_Wescott]

Hi Ghoul,

Yes, the Casebook has always been a place of very disparate (and sometimes desperate) individuals. I suppose that reflects Ripperology as a whole. I'd say most of us became attracted to the case for roughly the same reasons, but how we approach the material and the discussion of it with other individuals can differ considerably from person to person. Some of the peeps around here appear to have little interest left in the case, but enjoy the boards as a social hangout, which I think is cool. There has also been a staggering number of peeps who have met on the Casebook and become married. And then of course some of the people on here are what Thomas de Quincey would term 'mouthbreathing, chest-slapping ass hats', but they usually don't stick around too long.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[ChrisGeorge]

Hello ghoulstonstreet

Welcome to the site. And thanks for the question. You should get a number of colorful answers, as diverse as the people who study the case, no doubt.

I have been actively involved in Ripperology for ten years, and was one of the founders of Casebook Productions, Inc., who began the American Ripper magazine, Ripper Notes, in 1999 as well as ran the first U.S. JtR Convention in Park Ridge, New Jersey in April 2000. I am now an editor of Ripperologist magazine.

Coming as I do from Liverpool, UK, though now U.S.-based and a U.S. citizen, I lived just up the road from Battlecrease mansion where James and Florence Maybrick lived; I became fascinated with the mystery of the Maybrick Diary when Shirley Harrison's The Diary of Jack the Ripper was published in 1993-- not that I believe it is the real McCoy!

Chris

[Suzi]

Ghoulstonstreet- like the ghoul bit! I've been into it since the early 70's and apart from my occasional wanderings into the Diddles theory, think I know my way around!
Belonging as quite a few of us do (if they're honest!) to the 'Over 50's (although we work like the clappers not to look it!) There is no age bar to the diversity of opinions and theories that abound here - in fact there's some brilliant 'er younger people (sorry peeps!) who post wonderfully here!! Welcome on board and enjoy!!!!

Wonder if we can get to see some of those 'Collar and Cuffs' articles in Life magazine?

Suzi x

Nice post there Tom!

[Robert]

Welcome Ghoul. Yes, it takes all sorts and I am one of that sort.



It should of course be remembered that we are just some of the total number of people interested in the case. There are some very knowledgeable people who don't post online, indeed some who have never used a computer.


I have been here 6 years now...at least I think it's six years.....What place is this? How did I get here?

[ghoulstonstreet]

Ghoulstonstreet- like the ghoul bit! I've been into it since the early 70's and apart from my occasional wanderings into the Diddles theory, think I know my way around!
Belonging as quite a few of us do (if they're honest!) to the 'Over 50's (although we work like the clappers not to look it!) There is no age bar to the diversity of opinions and theories that abound here - in fact there's some brilliant 'er younger people (sorry peeps!) who post wonderfully here!! Welcome on board and enjoy!!!!

Wonder if we can get to see some of those 'Collar and Cuffs' articles in Life magazine?

Suzi x

Nice post there Tom!

Hi Suzi, Nice to meet you. The LIFE magazine issue which I saw back in the late 60s was published at that time in a large splendid format. At the back of the magazine they had a special short article every week with large photos, sort of a "feature' i guess. The one about Prince Eddy shows the famous picture of him sitting with a very tall, white collar, white cuffs and I believe a tartan or kilt, draped with several pieces of fur. He was probably not at all involved but remains to me one of the very most enigmatic of men.
"Diddles" theory? As in Diddles, the cat, the pet belonging to the woman who shared the building where Mary Kelly was killed? What is the Diddles theory?
Also, I see at least 3 ways to Reply to posts. What are the different ones for? Thanks for the help.

[richardnunweek]

Hello,
I have been here around ten years, and its now a part of life, I enjoy the conversation, and love to speculate[ as you proberly know] but its all done with seriousness.
Richard.

[ghoulstonstreet]

GOOL from LiverPOOL??

Hello ghoulstonstreet

Welcome to the site. And thanks for the question. You should get a number of colorful answers, as diverse as the people who study the case, no doubt.

I have been actively involved in Ripperology for ten years, and was one of the founders of Casebook Productions, Inc., who began the American Ripper magazine, Ripper Notes, in 1999 as well as ran the first U.S. JtR Convention in Park Ridge, New Jersey in April 2000. I am now an editor of Ripperologist magazine.

Coming as I do from Liverpool, UK, though now U.S.-based and a U.S. citizen, I lived just up the road from Battlecrease mansion where James and Florence Maybrick lived; I became fascinated with the mystery of the Maybrick Diary when Shirley Harrison's The Diary of Jack the Ripper was published in 1993-- not that I believe it is the real McCoy!

Chris

HI, Very pleased to meet you. And as I came of age in the 60s you will know what I mean when i say that our age group has always felt very priviledged to meet anybody from the Beatle city. This is very, very interesting that you grew up down the road from the Maybrick house. I've read books about that case and also the Diary. What is this area like? What economic group lived there then and what about now? What relation, geographically and other wise, does this area have to the various Beatle homesteads? I am just interested in Liverpool. My grandfather traveled there with other family members to be street musicians before the First World War. Makes me sound really old, doesn't it? (I'm not!).

[ghoulstonstreet]

Hi Ghoul,

Yes, the Casebook has always been a place of very disparate (and sometimes desperate) individuals. I suppose that reflects Ripperology as a whole. I'd say most of us became attracted to the case for roughly the same reasons, but how we approach the material and the discussion of it with other individuals can differ considerably from person to person. Some of the peeps around here appear to have little interest left in the case, but enjoy the boards as a social hangout, which I think is cool. There has also been a staggering number of peeps who have met on the Casebook and become married. And then of course some of the people on here are what Thomas de Quincey would term 'mouthbreathing, chest-slapping ass hats', but they usually don't stick around too long.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

Thanks for your reply. I know what you mean about the asswipes. I hope I don't have to wade through too much backbiting junk. I will only be posting polite requests and comments. My interest is the subject at hand, plus Victorian London and maybe some spin offs from that. Thanks again.

[Supe]

ghoulstonstreet,

You would doubtless be interested in a series of articles that appeared in Ripperologist magazine by Jennifer Pegg (Shelden) and Don Souden. They conducted three separate surveys of Ripperologists that may answer many of questions about just who Ripperologists are--and why they are Ripperologists.

The relevant issues are: Ripperologist 80 (June 2007); Ripperologist 85 (November 2007) and Ripperologist 91 (May 2008). Those back issues are available.

Supe.

[Monty]

Im Monty....enough said.


Monty

[Phil Carter]

Hello Ghoulstonstreet,

Welcome!
I'm Phil, have had the interest in this subject since childhood through elderly relatives, and admit to being an "old fart" after 40 odd years of reading and researching.
Most of the people on here are pleasant, most are dedicated and most, myself included, have other interests! Younger, more brilliant members are coming along all the time, so whatever you do, don't feel frightened off by the prospect of coming into discussion with not so well known or even well known names...after all, we are all trying to fill in the gaps. Evereyone has to start somewhere!

And some of the lighter "one-liners" can be particularly funny. That reminds me what a serious yet mostly "normal" bunch we all are.

Welcome.


best wishes

Phil

[rain]

Hi Suzi, Nice to meet you. The LIFE magazine issue which I saw back in the late 60s was published at that time in a large splendid format. At the back of the magazine they had a special short article every week with large photos, sort of a "feature' i guess. The one about Prince Eddy shows the famous picture of him sitting with a very tall, white collar, white cuffs and I believe a tartan or kilt, draped with several pieces of fur. He was probably not at all involved but remains to me one of the very most enigmatic of men.
"Diddles" theory? As in Diddles, the cat, the pet belonging to the woman who shared the building where Mary Kelly was killed? What is the Diddles theory?
Also, I see at least 3 ways to Reply to posts. What are the different ones for? Thanks for the help.

if you hit the quote button you get the previous post in your reply- you can delete some if you like- if you hit the reply you can post your reply with no quote.

I hope this makes sense..

[babybird67]

Monty Monty Monty

Im Monty....enough said.


Monty

when are you ever going to learn to let other people get a word in edgeways!

[perrymason]

ghoulstonstreet,

You would doubtless be interested in a series of articles that appeared in Ripperologist magazine by Jennifer Pegg (Shelden) and Don Souden. They conducted three separate surveys of Ripperologists that may answer many of questions about just who Ripperologists are--and why they are Ripperologists.

The relevant issues are: Ripperologist 80 (June 2007); Ripperologist 85 (November 2007) and Ripperologist 91 (May 2008). Those back issues are available.

Supe.

I was a part of one of those surveys, and I still feel mostly the same way that I did when I filled out the questionnaire.

I think the cases as Simon Wood once said, "are more confused today than they were 100 years ago"....and my interest is in re-examining the premises we all have at one time accepted without any proof. Like the existence of a Canonical Group of only 5....no more, no less.

All the best