Mary Jane Kelly was Jack The Ripper

[The Bounder]

I know this is complete balderdash of course, but a relative who grew up in the area of the killings in the 1920's was adamant that 'everyone knew Mary Jane Kelly was the ripper', I've tried to research this suggestion as an interesting aside for a piece I've previously written and published on the net, but can't find anything on the suggestions origins. Can anybody tell me where this story might have started? Are there any contemporary news articles which voiced this theory, where did it start? Who first suggest this obviously crazy theory? Has anyone seriously suggest it before in any tomes I've missed?

I look forward to you replies.

[fodsaks]

Wow... Never heard that one before.

Maybe it comes as a result of the theory that Mary Kelly was not actually the Miller's Court body, crossed with the other theory that Jack the Ripper was a woman.
Put the two together and Hey Presto, new theory: Jack The Ripper WAS Mary Kelly.

I guess it's no more ridiculous than the Lewis Carol idea.

[Bob Hinton]

Oh really...

Funnily enough I planned a trilogy of novels some years ago where MJK was the killer together with the person who egged her on. The title was "Jack and Jill" and the first chapter opened with this little ditty.

"Jack and Jill went up the hill
To do a bit of slaughter,
Jack slipped up and was nearly caught
Leaving Jill alone with her daughter”

The first volume was about the murders and the other two was about MJK and her daughter moving into the 20th century.

[richardnunweek]

Hi,
Intresting oral history, I actually sent a long article to the News of the world back in the 1970s, in which Kelly and Barnett were the murderous duo, ie, kelly leading the unsuspecting victims to a prearranged spot where Barnett would be waiting, and then on November 9th her own death was faked .
Pure tonque-in-cheek, and I received a rejection note[ much to my annoyance].
Around a year later I received a letter from a author and broadcaster [ who I had been writing to] stating that '' Great minds think alike'', and a book had been published' The Michelmas girls', with a very similar theme as mine, infact he sent me a copy.
Thats history now, but that suggestion would make a fascinating angle in some fog bound victorian scene , a sequel of ''From Hell'' perhaps...
Regards Richard.

[claire]

Oh, God, please no. What with this and the quasi-intellectualism of the Fenian Mary research, I'm starting to feel like I want to drown myself in a still of gin. The 'great minds think alike' line you got, Richard, gave me right fits, I must say

[Hatchett]

Hi Everyone,

I seem to remember that there was a fiction novel written by someone who's name eludes me at the moment. But the theme was that Mary Kelly and the one time old Ripper favourite Pedachenko were the killers. It ended with Mary and Pendercheck butchering an unknown waif and stary in MIllars court and then disappearing in to the masses.

It was very atmospheric. A good book if you can suspend credibility.

If I can track it down I will let you have the title and aurthor.

Best wishes.

[Hatchett]

Hi Again,

I have just had a thought. Maybe Mary Kelly wasnt a woman at all. Maybe he was a transvestite called Marty Jim Kelly, and along with his partner Joesphine Barnett he went on a rage of revenge on the sex that he could not attain.

Best wishes.

[Stephen Thomas]

I have just had a thought. Maybe Mary Kelly wasnt a woman at all. Maybe he was a transvestite called Marty Jim Kelly, and along with his partner Joesphine Barnett he went on a rage of revenge on the sex that he could not attain.

Hey, that's the best theory I've seen in years

[lynn cates]

it's as if . . .

Hello Claire. Why "quasi"?

Cheers.
LC

[YankeeSergeant]

Kelly?

That's a new one! Given her nature when in her cups, she'd have been caught before she got topped. Though as a scenario for fiction it works she gets into a real knock down drag out row with Barnett and blurts out, "I'll swing for you like the others!" and he does her in to avoid that.

[Hatchett]

Hi All,

Just expanding this theory, what could have happened is that as Marty Jim Kelly was walking the streets she could have seen Polly Nicholls wearing a shawl that Marty had presumed lost some months ago. Realising that Polly had stolen it, Marty then attacked her and throttled her in the struggle.

Trying to get the shawl off she realised that it had been sewn on for the winter. She then took out her gutting knife and in trying to snip the threads inadvertantly disembowelled poor Polly.

This could have woken deep and disturbed passions inside Marty, who then went on a rampage, sheilded and protected by his partner Josephine Barnett, an East London Cross Dresser.

The reign of Marty the Ripper had begun.

The rest is history.

Best wishes.

[Canopy]

I'm laughing but, in fairness, the OP did state that the idea was crazy and that their interest was in finding the source of the crazy theory (rather than believing it themselves).

I wish you luck in your research The Bounder - do let us know if you manage to find out where this theory came from as, I for one, would like to know the history behind such statements.

All the best,

C.

[Hatchett]

Hi,

Yes, Bounder a theory is a theory. I in no way meant to ridicule your ideas.

Best of luck with your research.

Best wishes.

[TomTomKent]

It is probably important to look at the history of popular theories even if they seem silly to us. How and why people came to certain conclusions can offer us insight into the culture of the time. If you uncover any evidence of how this entered folk history please post it here, as its fascinating, and no less worthy of the discussion of how and why the royal conspiracy or dark magician theories struck nerves at different times.

[belinda]

Did he say what her motive was?

It's hard to think of a motive for her to want to kill especially in that way.