Mary Ann Connelly

[Sally]

I came upon this woman in the Whitechapel Infirmary records for 1888:

Name: Mary Ann Connelly
Age: 35
Where Admitted From: 19 George Street
Married or Single: Single
Calling: Prostitute
Cause of Admission: Myalgia
Religion: Roman Catholic
Settlement: 6 months
Date of Discharge: 4.8.88
(admitted 20th July)



I believe this is probably the Mary Ann Connelly associated with Martha Tabram, living, not at Crossinghams, but at Satchell's Lodging House, where she had been living for several months. This probably explains how she knew Martha Tabram.

This Mary Ann Connelly was born in 1854 in Poplar. Her parents, Patrick and Mary, were Irish. She appears from the census to have had no occupation, although she does appear in the infirmary records as a 'Hawker', as well as 'prostitute' on other occasions. She is listed in the 1891 Census as a sick inmate at Bethnal Green workhouse.

Note that on this occasion, she was discharged only two days before Tabram was murdered.

[Wolf Vanderlinden]

Hi Sally.

This is interesting however this information does appear in the new A - Z. Oddly, though, the authors have sort of tacked it on to the old segment without much explanation. The fact that they state that "a" Mary A. Connelly appears in the Whitechapel Infirmary records seem to indicate that they are not sure that this was actually "Pearly Poll" and a reading of "Pearly Poll's" testimony shows differences which suggest that they are right (or that Poll lied to the police).

Wolf.

[Sally]

Hi Wolf

Thanks for your reply. I had missed this in the new A-Z - I guess that's what happens when you spend all your time glued to the archives

I don't know though - I think on balance I'm inclined to think that this Mary Ann Connelly and Pearly Poll are one and the same, in spite of the obvious discrepancies with Pearly Poll's story. Clearly, this woman is not 50; and apparently, she wasn't lodging at Crossingham's either.

But, she was lodging at Satchells, Tabram's last known address; she was a prostitute, and she was released two days before Tabram's death. If she was an alcoholic, I wonder if the first thing she did was when she was discharged from the infirmary was go on a major bender.

I've looked around, and I can't see another Mary Ann Connelly in the record who fits as well. So, in conclusion, I'm inclined to think that she lied to the police - maybe she didn't want to take place in a line up - and maybe that's why she disappeared and had to be found first?

It's certainly intriguing, if nothing else.

Best wishes

Sally

[The Grave Maurice]

Despite its being in the new A-Z, it was clever of you to make what is obviously an independent discovery, Sally.

Could Connelly have been only 35 at the time? I wouldn't have thought so; but, on the other hand, Tabram was only 39, although, in the photo, she looks older. The two women could have been buddies because they were, more or less, the same age.

[Sally]

Hi GM - thanks

It is a considerable age difference between 50 and 35. I thought that perhaps if she was an alcoholic - isn't she described as having a drink reddened face? - she may have looked considerably older than she was. If this is the same woman, then she was probably economical with the truth: she may well have stayed at Crossinghams, but she appears several times in the infirmary register and consistently gives her address as being Satchells lodging house.

It doesn't immediately appear as though this woman could have been Pearly Poll, but then when you look at where she was living, the fact that she was a self-confessed prostitute and the fact that she was discharged very shortly before Tabram's death (after a three week stay in the infirmary) - it starts to look more probable.

I wasn't actually looking for her, incidentally - I was looking for Barnett, who I didn't find. I did see Catherine Eddowes a few times though, calling herself 'Kate Conway'. I hadn't realised she was a Catholic - probably a consequence of not paying enough attention to the A-Z again!

Best regards

Sally

[Jon Guy]

Hi Sally

We may have a small clue in that Mary Ann Connolly (35 years old) was admitted to the Infirmary on 27/4/88 suffering from laryngitis. This may tie in with the fact that our Mary Ann Connolly was reported in the Press as having a noticeably husky voice at her Inquest appearance.

Regards
Jon

[Jon Guy]

Hi Sally

I don't know though - I think on balance I'm inclined to think that this Mary Ann Connelly and Pearly Poll are one and the same, in spite of the obvious discrepancies with Pearly Poll's story. Clearly, this woman is not 50; and apparently, she wasn't lodging at Crossingham's either.

Connolly only started lodging at Crossinghams on the 21st Aug. Two days before she appeared at the Inquest.
Immediatley after the murder she did a runner to her sister`s off Drury Lane so it seems reasonable to assume that she was staying at George St prior to the murder, and the reason that Tabram and Connolly were drinking pals.

Regarding her age. I wonder where the 50 year estimate comes from. Was it a newspaper guess made on her appearance?
I understand that the patient`s Infirmary details would be given by the patient on admittance and therefore the age given would be more accurate.

Regards
Jon

[Sally]

Hi Jon - very interesting.

I had seen the entry for laryngitis but not made the connection. I didn't know that Mary Ann Connelly only started lodging at Crossinghams after Tabram was killed. Ah, well, it looks to me as though she may not have wanted to be too involved - probably she was scared after what happened to her friend.

I wondered where the 'about 50' came from - I don't know whether she said that herself or whether it comes from a press report or something? Perhaps somebody else knows?

[Sally]

Mary Ann Connelly in 1886.

Here is Mary Ann Connelly again in 1886. At this time she gave her age as 33, living at Satchells, profession 'charing', and settlement only 6 weeks. She was suffering from tonsilitis.

[Jon Guy]

Well spotted, Sally. Her throat seems to have troubled her over the years.

According to the East London Observer 25th Aug, Connolly complained at the Inquest that her chest was "queer", she said, so the officer interpreted.

I couldn`t find any reference to her age amongst the Police Reports in "Ultimate Sourcebook", which would have been accurate.

[miss marple]

There is only one death of a Mary Ann Connelly in East London up to 1930 and that is of a Mary Ann Connelly in Bethnal Green In Dec 1908, she is 74. There is no one else that fits. It is possible that she was so degraded by drink, illness and poverty that she looked seventy, east end women did aged prematurely. Sally's id seems to fit her there is no one else it could be.
I might send off for the certificate to see the circumstances of the death.
Miss Marple

[Sally]

Hi Miss Marple

That's interesting - perhaps it is the same woman, when we consider that she might have looked about 50 in 1888. I'd be interested to know what the cause of death was for this Mary Ann Connelly identified by you who died in 1908.

Best regards

Sally

[Debra A]

She is listed in the 1891 Census as a sick inmate at Bethnal Green workhouse.

Just as an addition-The Bethnal Green Creed register for 23rd March 1891 shows this Mary A Connelly being admitted- b 1853, a Roman Catholic living a 5 Old Nicholls St. and discharged 1st May 1891

[curious]

Just as an addition-The Bethnal Green Creed register for 23rd March 1891 shows this Mary A Connelly being admitted- b 1853, a Roman Catholic living a 5 Old Nicholls St. and discharged 1st May 1891

Hi,
Since Tom Wescott's book on the Bank Holiday Murders came out, I've looked for Pearly Poll a bit. The Mary A. Connelly mentioned here, appears to be the same one in the 1891 census who lists her place of birth as St. Giles.

That corresponds to this family in 1861. Wonder what Mary Kelly is doing living in this household. (I know, she's too old to be OUR MJK, but another interesting coincidence.)

1861 England Census about Mary A Connelly
Name: Mary A Connelly
Age: 6
Estimated birth year: 1855
Relation: Daughter
Father's Name: Dennis Connelly
Mother's name: Ellin Connelly
Gender: Female
Where born: London, England

Civil Parish: St Giles
Ecclesiastical parish: London
Town: London
County/Island: Middlesex
Country: England

Street address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

View image

Registration district: St Giles
Sub-registration district: St Giles South
ED, institution, or vessel: 5
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 521
Piece: 169
Folio: 47
Page Number: 87
Household Members:
Name Age
Dennis Connelly 47
Ellin Connelly 40
John Connelly 17
Mary A Connelly 6
Cornelius Connelly 1
Dennis Connelly 2/12
Mary Kelly 17

[curious]

Mary Kelly in Dennis Connelly's household

Does anyone else read this to mean that she is married to Connelly's son John?
[QUOTE][/QUOTE