assault in Cambridge Heath Road?

[tnb]

Hi all,

Apologies if this has been raised before but I cannot seem to find it if it has been.

This is from the Star of October, 6th, 1888, discussing Henry Birch's 'sighting':

Mr. Birch then thought he might be a detective, adopting a disguise for some purpose, but the police believe he was the man who assaulted the woman in Cambridge Heath-road'

This is from the Irish Times of September, 4th, 1888. Sorry, it is quite lengthy. The same report, more or less word for word, appeared in other papers of the same date, such as the Manchester Times; almost certainly this was a news agency wire.

'Another desperate assault, which stopped only just short of murder, was committed upon a woman in Whitechapel on Saturday night. The victim was leaving the Foresters' Music Hall, Cambridge Heath road, where she had been spending the evening with a sea captain, when she was accosted by a well-dressed man, who asked her to accompany him. She invited him to her apartments, and he acquiesced, requesting her meantime to walk a short distance with him as he wanted to meet a friend. They had reached a point near to the scene of the murder of the woman Nicholls, when the man violently seized his companion by the throat and dragged her down a court. He was immediately joined by a gang of women and bullies, who stripped the unfortunate woman of her necklace, earrings and broach. Her purse was also taken, and she was brutally assaulted. Upon attempting to shout for aid one of the gang laid a large knife across her throat, remarking "We will serve you as we did the others." She was eventually released. The police have been informed and are prosecuting inquiries into the matter, it being regarded as a probably clue to the previous tragedy'.

Has anyone ever found any more details about this incident, or the woman involved? It smacks of a similar MO to Emma Smith to me, rather than anything 'Ripper' related, but I also wonder whether it may also have been a link in the whole 'Fairy Fay' chain.

All help appreciated, as ever.

[Chris Scott]

Hi Trevor
I've found this word for word account in many places (including the Pall Mall Gazette) but, like you, cannot see any other details
But I will have another look tomorrow:-)
All the best
Chris S

[Roy Corduroy]

Changing clothes at the Milk Stand !

Hi Bond,

Best I can tell, the earlier September articles, which included a gang in the attack on this woman was disproved. It was not a gang attack after all. The updated version is in press reports, the Oct 6 Star the section starting A MAN OF DISGUISES.

Mr. Birch in the '82 business directory.


Little Turner St, was by Commercial Rd and Cannon St. It is now Rampart St.


This is a most interesting bit and I'm glad you brought it up.

Roy

[tnb]

Well found Roy. The apparent discrediting of the 'gang' angle certainly takes this tale down a new and interesting angle - this is certainly a new part of the story to me, and I suspect to a lot of people.

As it happens, I was aware of Little Turner/Rampart Street as it was while researching that very street for the London Job book that I came to look again at Birch's statement, which has always been one of those wildcard oddities that stick in my mind. Always good to see another view of any locations though, so thankyou for the picture. I also have my suspicions that the landlord of the pub that stood on the corner of Little Turner Street and Kinder Street, the Kinder Arms, may have been a juror at Annie Chapman's inquest, but, as Chris will confirm, trying to narrow jurors down with anything approaching certainty is almost impossible.

It appears we have hit a brick wall with regard to any more details about the woman involved, but of course if you are able to find any more Chris (or anyone else) then that would be great.

You are quite right Roy - and as to why no-one has made more of this incident in the past I am not quite sure.

Thanks all,

Trevor.