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Hullo everyone,
Iam new here, so I would like to introduce myself and if I may ask a few questions.
I was in my youth as interested in JTR’s crimes as I imagine most members of the public are; I knew the names and details of the canonical victims, and I wondered who JTR may have been.
A few years ago I watched Michael Winner, I think; introduce the program about the diary and James Maybrick. I didn’t find the evidence compelling but I found the whole tale of the diary fascinating. So I bought all the diary books and the Ripper a to z.
That was it until recently. Of late I played the PC game Sherlock Holmes vs jack the ripper, the game features 3D representations of the streets and murder scenes and it inflamed my interest again so I bought the 4 books that this sites recommends as the ideal introduction.
Right that’s my JTR history, as it were.
Now my questions, if you would be so kind.
Firstly I have a heck of a job understanding the money values of JTR’s London. I read that a lady would earn a couple of old pence for an ‘assignation’, that a night in a ‘doss’ house would cost four pence, and that during the Tabram enquiries it was discovered that a bayonet could be bought for 2 or 3 pence.* Nowadays a bayonet can be bought for 20 or 30 pounds, I would imagine a night in a crappy Hotel would be 30 or 40 pounds and Iam guessing (I promise) that a street prostitute would cost 20 or 30 pounds for an uncomfortable in a car or against a wall ‘encounter’.
So those guesstimates would make an old penny worth about ten pounds.
However, I read that Francis Coles bought 1 and a half pence worth of lamb/mutton in a cafe. Well that can’t be right can it? Fifteen pounds for dinner? And then I read in Ripper a to z that 2 and a half shillings is worth about 8 modern pounds, well 2 and a half shillings is 30 pence, so lets call it 9 modern pounds for convenience. That means 3 old pence is about 1 modern pound. That fits for the cheap meal, but I cannot imagine a prostitute, doss bed, or bayonet costing a couple of modern pounds.
Iam sorry if I seem to have gone on in a confusing manner, but 1888 currency baffles me.
Second new boy question-What was on the other side of 29 Hanbury Street’s rear fence? Could JTR have escaped that way? I have looked in my books but find no mention of what is over the fence.
Third question- Is there any place where I can see decent pictures or 3D models of the injuries? Reading things like this – “..the incisions were cleanly cut, avoiding the rectum, and dividing the vagina low enough to avoid injury to the cervix uteri” leave me utterly baffled. Being a gentleman I have seen a vagina or two, but how does one divide a vagina?
Fourth question, I understand that the Eddowes apron has disappeared, but what about all the other physical objects? The tin, pawn tickets, combs, muslin, clothing, and what about Lusk’s box, accompanying letter and kidney? Have they all disappeared too?
That’s all folks, thank you for your time, and Iam sorry if I have asked questions that every new member asks.
Toodle-oo
Doris
*
Iam new here, so I would like to introduce myself and if I may ask a few questions.
I was in my youth as interested in JTR’s crimes as I imagine most members of the public are; I knew the names and details of the canonical victims, and I wondered who JTR may have been.
A few years ago I watched Michael Winner, I think; introduce the program about the diary and James Maybrick. I didn’t find the evidence compelling but I found the whole tale of the diary fascinating. So I bought all the diary books and the Ripper a to z.
That was it until recently. Of late I played the PC game Sherlock Holmes vs jack the ripper, the game features 3D representations of the streets and murder scenes and it inflamed my interest again so I bought the 4 books that this sites recommends as the ideal introduction.
Right that’s my JTR history, as it were.
Now my questions, if you would be so kind.
Firstly I have a heck of a job understanding the money values of JTR’s London. I read that a lady would earn a couple of old pence for an ‘assignation’, that a night in a ‘doss’ house would cost four pence, and that during the Tabram enquiries it was discovered that a bayonet could be bought for 2 or 3 pence.* Nowadays a bayonet can be bought for 20 or 30 pounds, I would imagine a night in a crappy Hotel would be 30 or 40 pounds and Iam guessing (I promise) that a street prostitute would cost 20 or 30 pounds for an uncomfortable in a car or against a wall ‘encounter’.
So those guesstimates would make an old penny worth about ten pounds.
However, I read that Francis Coles bought 1 and a half pence worth of lamb/mutton in a cafe. Well that can’t be right can it? Fifteen pounds for dinner? And then I read in Ripper a to z that 2 and a half shillings is worth about 8 modern pounds, well 2 and a half shillings is 30 pence, so lets call it 9 modern pounds for convenience. That means 3 old pence is about 1 modern pound. That fits for the cheap meal, but I cannot imagine a prostitute, doss bed, or bayonet costing a couple of modern pounds.
Iam sorry if I seem to have gone on in a confusing manner, but 1888 currency baffles me.
Second new boy question-What was on the other side of 29 Hanbury Street’s rear fence? Could JTR have escaped that way? I have looked in my books but find no mention of what is over the fence.
Third question- Is there any place where I can see decent pictures or 3D models of the injuries? Reading things like this – “..the incisions were cleanly cut, avoiding the rectum, and dividing the vagina low enough to avoid injury to the cervix uteri” leave me utterly baffled. Being a gentleman I have seen a vagina or two, but how does one divide a vagina?
Fourth question, I understand that the Eddowes apron has disappeared, but what about all the other physical objects? The tin, pawn tickets, combs, muslin, clothing, and what about Lusk’s box, accompanying letter and kidney? Have they all disappeared too?
That’s all folks, thank you for your time, and Iam sorry if I have asked questions that every new member asks.
Toodle-oo
Doris
*
.
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