JTR Exhibition in Docklands

[ChrisGeorge]

My bet is that there won't be another Jack the Ripper Exhibition, the chance of creating a credible exhibition of Jack the Ripper history will die with this sad disappointment down in the Docklands.
There's never likely to be a permanent exhibition, Tower Hamlets Council will never allow it but it belongs nowhere else but in Tower Hamlets, and as for the Olympics 2012 do you really think they will want to talk about East End murder? No.
From my point of view, it's much sadder to read the opinions of fellow Jack the Ripper writers and researchers who believe that the omission of the victims life histories and the Annie Chapman picture from this exhibition is acceptable. My eyes have certainly been opened to certain people's opinions on this subject!

Hi Neal

I would say the present exhibition could set a precedent for a permanent museum on the Ripper, something that you could work toward to tell the truth about the murders and the lives of the victims. I would not give up so easily. As I remarked earlier, even though you are disappointed with the Docklands exhibition as it stands, it is a step up from the London Dungeon or Tussaud's garish type exhibit that exploits the murders and the idea of a bloody murderer. The Museum in Docklands show puts the crimes and the time of Jack the Ripper on a scholarly and educational level. I should think that type of display and education for the general public is something that all of us who study the Whitechapel murders should encourage and work toward.

All the best

Chris

[caz]

Hi Nats,

Very well said. I couldn't agree more.

Incidentally, for those who have not been yet, one of the first items on display is the 'phossy' jaw of some poor nameless match worker. It must have been sheer agony.

Love,

Caz
X

[Monty]

The fact is that one of the main reasons I did the research into the victims life histories was not because I wanted to impress Ripperologists (no offence intended), but because I wanted to change the way the general public thought about them. Opportunities to achieve this have been few and far between especially as the press and media have hardly ever shown an interest, but I accept that that was probably due to the fact that I'm not one of the big names on the subject. But I expected a Jack the Ripper exhibition in the 21st Century to be a bit more tuned in to where the subject matter had arrived at today.
From my position, I accepted the award from the conference last year with the belief that perhaps I had helped to finally put the victims research into the mainstream of Jack the Ripper history and didn't really imagine that the current exhibition would ignore that part of the subject matter. I now don't feel that the award is worth anything and 22 years of research has only resulted in this exhibition revealing to the public that the victims were prostitutes who were murdered by Jack the Ripper, which was basically where we were in 1986 when I started out.

And it wasnt if a museum representative was not at that conference.

I, for one, am glad I caught your talk at Wolverhampton. Those that visit the Docklands will miss out.

Monty

[Natalie Severn]

I totally support and appreciate Neal"s research into the lives of the victims.However,I think that further exposition of the deplorable social conditions of the time could also bring to public attention the related issues that caused many thousands of Whitechapel women to go on the streets to avoid starvation.Rampant exploitation of the East End poor by slum landlords such as Lord Salisbury, the Prime Minister at the time of the murders, could have done with being highlightedby the exhibition too.Just as the widespread neglect and poverty of the East End was tackled and brought to public attention by Dickens in his books on the East End a little beforehand.
In the period we discuss-1887/88/89 ,the East End had just begun its fight back against these oppressive conditions .
Neal has done a great service to five of the victims of Jack the Ripper in his book and given them backsome of their human dignity by rescuing them from neglect and obscurity and providing us with a non judgmental, and properly personalised place in history.
But I would also like to see such a history of their lives developed even further and placed in the wider social and economic historical context .
The victims of Jack the Ripper need to be placed alongside the rest of struggling humanity circa 1888.The Match Girls,the Unemployed,the exploited sweat shop workers----who all tried to improve things by their organised activities.Above all let them be placed alongside the nameless thousands of men,women and children who were unable to escape the desperate poverty of Whitechapel in 1888 and died early of defeat and starvation.

[caz]

Morning Neal,

I'm sorry if you were seriously expecting everyone coming away from the Jack the Ripper & the East End exhibition to call it a load of pointless trash on that basis. But I'm afraid if that's the case you rather set yourself up to be sorely disappointed.

Yes, the organisers could have concentrated more on the individual lives of the (relatively tiny number of) prostitutes struggling to survive in the East End, whose paths crossed with the 1888 equivalent of Steve Wright. But that doesn't, in my view, make the whole project a waste of its organisers' time and money if just one person comes away from it with the same hunger you had to learn more about the victims and to educate the public about them. Presumably you didn't need the perfect exhibition to inspire you?

I have no more inside info about the organisers than you have, I'm afraid. But in your shoes I'd probably try the Museum of London main switchboard, if you haven't already, who may be able to supply contact details for the head honcho.

Love,

Caz
X

[Neal Shelden]

Hi Neal,

But how many people have expressed the opinion that the omission is 'acceptable'? All I have seen are comments along the lines of yes, we do appreciate your concerns and of course the exhibition would benefit from having more about the individual victims. I don't recall anyone saying it's perfect as it is and could not be improved. You are just a bit more passionate than most, which is why you are the best person to take such concerns to the people who could actually do something about them.

Love,

Caz
X

I would have thought Caz that suggesting in any way that this exhibition is good is suggesting that the omission is acceptable.
Do you have a name for anyone above the level of the curators Hoffbrand and Werner to whom I should write, if so, I shall without fail.

[Neal Shelden]

The fact is that one of the main reasons I did the research into the victims life histories was not because I wanted to impress Ripperologists (no offence intended), but because I wanted to change the way the general public thought about them. Opportunities to achieve this have been few and far between especially as the press and media have hardly ever shown an interest, but I accept that that was probably due to the fact that I'm not one of the big names on the subject. But I expected a Jack the Ripper exhibition in the 21st Century to be a bit more tuned in to where the subject matter had arrived at today.
From my position, I accepted the award from the conference last year with the belief that perhaps I had helped to finally put the victims research into the mainstream of Jack the Ripper history and didn't really imagine that the current exhibition would ignore that part of the subject matter. I now don't feel that the award is worth anything and 22 years of research has only resulted in this exhibition revealing to the public that the victims were prostitutes who were murdered by Jack the Ripper, which was basically where we were in 1986 when I started out.

You're an angry man, Neal Shelden

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[caz]

From my point of view, it's much sadder to read the opinions of fellow Jack the Ripper writers and researchers who believe that the omission of the victims life histories and the Annie Chapman picture from this exhibition is acceptable. My eyes have certainly been opened to certain people's opinions on this subject!

Hi Neal,

But how many people have expressed the opinion that the omission is 'acceptable'? All I have seen are comments along the lines of yes, we do appreciate your concerns and of course the exhibition would benefit from having more about the individual victims. I don't recall anyone saying it's perfect as it is and could not be improved. You are just a bit more passionate than most, which is why you are the best person to take such concerns to the people who could actually do something about them.

Love,

Caz
X

[steje73]

Yeah, we don't want any negative connotations to the serial mutilator. That WOULD put him in a bad light.

[Robert]

I wouldn't want JTR associated with a drugsfest such as the 2012 Olympics.

[Tom_Wescott]

You're an angry man, Neal Shelden

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Neal Shelden]

My bet is that there won't be another Jack the Ripper Exhibition, the chance of creating a credible exhibition of Jack the Ripper history will die with this sad disappointment down in the Docklands.
There's never likely to be a permanent exhibition, Tower Hamlets Council will never allow it but it belongs nowhere else but in Tower Hamlets, and as for the Olympics 2012 do you really think they will want to talk about East End murder? No.
From my point of view, it's much sadder to read the opinions of fellow Jack the Ripper writers and researchers who believe that the omission of the victims life histories and the Annie Chapman picture from this exhibition is acceptable. My eyes have certainly been opened to certain people's opinions on this subject!

Hello Chris

Just a quick thought, but there is no national crime museum.

Perhaps because it is thought "tacky" by many historians..I dont Know.

Want we all know as a matter of FACT is that JtR sells..in its various forms.

As the 2012 olympics approaches..justifying histrory in the eastend has never been so relivant..

Of course theres more than just JtR..Lee Valley..first flight..Totenham outrage, Robinhood?..well lots.

But lets face it Jack The Ripper is the biggest and best..

Lets hope that this is the start...wish someone had bought the Ten bells pub when they had a chance?

My veiw, for what its worth, is that the docklands exhibision is a step in the right direction...

Could it have been better?

Find me a Ripperologist who would not have done so

Make it so...

[Jeff Leahy]

Hi Spiro

Thanks for your fine words about the Docklands exhibit, which sight unseen, I also believe to be a beneficial thing, even with its shortcomings.

Am I the only person who thinks that there should be a permanent exhibit on Jack the Ripper in the East End?

I suggest that we urge the Docklands to do exactly that, have a permanent exhibit on the Whitechapel murders. Thoughts, anyone?

All the best

Chris

Hello Chris

Just a quick thought, but there is no national crime museum.

Perhaps because it is thought "tacky" by many historians..I dont Know.

Want we all know as a matter of FACT is that JtR sells..in its various forms.

As the 2012 olympics approaches..justifying histrory in the eastend has never been so relivant..

Of course theres more than just JtR..Lee Valley..first flight..Totenham outrage, Robinhood?..well lots.

But lets face it Jack The Ripper is the biggest and best..

Lets hope that this is the start...wish someone had bought the Ten bells pub when they had a chance?

My veiw, for what its worth, is that the docklands exhibision is a step in the right direction...

Could it have been better?

Find me a Ripperologist who would not have done so

Make it so...

[werewolf]

been there really good especially the dear boss letters to see them up close was really special tho they had a moronic board at the end where people had thier quotes............ ie lots of stuff i saw about free tibet what the fuk has that to do with it . some left wing pansy no doubt

[George Hutchinson]

How much have you gathered, DA? Opinion is rather split and actually quite polarised at present. Some have been and loved it, some have been and didn't, some haven't been and object to what they know, some haven't been and can't wait to see it.

I belong to the third camp at present, but I WILL get to it within the next month so I can see for myself.

PHILIP