What is This Schism All About?

[barnflatwyngarde]

Tiptoeing my way randomly through the internet looking for little hidden nuggets re the Whitechapel murders, I came upon a blog that to my mind is one of the strangest I have ever come across in any field.

The title at the top of the blog is "Shaming Stephen Ryder, Dan Norder, Tom Wescott & the Ripperologist Thugs".

It claims to be written by "a group of seven anonymous people & their informants, putting a stop to Stephen Ryder's 'Jack the Ripper Casebook Website' thugs, their associates and other shameless lunatics that are frequently found on the Jack the Ripper websites on the internet."

The lengthy blog seems to be attacking several prominent researchers of the Whitechapel murders, although it is difficult to make sense of the many derogatory comments and insults.
The blog is dated 2006, and doesn't seem to have been updated since then.

What I would like to know is what was it all about?

Was it a schism among posters of the Casebook, or is it sour grapes from some people who were banned from posting on the casebook?
Or is it in fact a parody?

I won't post a link to the blog itself, as I don't think that some of the comments made on the blog are at best insulting and quite possibly worse.

Apologies if this is dredging up old heartache.

[erobitha]

I do not know of half the names mentioned on there but it seems like it is a sarcastic parody. Some of the articles suggest the author has (at the very least) disdain for the people he / she is lampooning.

Someone seemed annoyed / motivated enough to do this 15 years ago.

[Wickerman]

I know them all, Stephen is one of thee most easy going, placid people you could ever want to meet.
Dan was very practical with his outlook on the case, Tom a very inquisitive member who prefers to do his own research as opposed to the day-to-day exchange of opinions on the forum.
Considering this is the first I have ever heard of such a thing, their endeavour can't have been very successful.

[barnflatwyngarde]

I know them all, Stephen is one of thee most easy going, placid people you could ever want to meet.
Dan was very practical with his outlook on the case, Tom a very inquisitive member who prefers to do his own research as opposed to the day-to-day exchange of opinions on the forum.
Considering this is the first I have ever heard of such a thing, their endeavour can't have been very successful.

Thanks Wick, I've heard of all of these people, mainly via Casebook and Ripperologist.
Tom Wescott's two books are great, and I've nothing but respect for all three of these folks.
The blog itself is a weird and not very nice thing.
I was just curious as to the anger that made someone put such bile and rudeness out there.
But then again, I'm an old hippie, there are so many things that I just don't understand any more.

[barnflatwyngarde]

It strikes me that without the actual link to the blog, it is pretty difficult to make sense of my original post.

So, here it is, make of it what you will.

Is it a piss take?

http://exposing-ryder-norder-and-wes...1_archive.html

[rjpalmer]

Hi Barnflatwyngarde,

I recall the episode. It was a very ugly and rather childish row that is best forgotten; no one came out of it looking particularly well or good.

Ms. Trenouth was/is an eccentric woman who had some decidedly strange theories about the case (she wrote a book called 'The Epiphany of the Whitechapel Murders') and, as a result, she became the butt of a relentless stream of jokes, posted by several people, but one fellow was particularly anxious to humiliate her and her ideas.

This was her attempt at 'getting even,' I suppose.

Stephen Ryder didn't have anything to do with any of it. He was just an innocent bystander--the quiet and inoffensive guy who just happened to own the message boards.

[barnflatwyngarde]

Hi Barnflatwyngarde,

I recall the episode. It was a very ugly and rather childish row that is best forgotten; no one came out of it looking particularly well or good.

Ms. Trenouth was/is an eccentric woman who had some decidedly strange theories about the case (she wrote a book called 'The Epiphany of the Whitechapel Murders') and, as a result, she became the butt of a relentless stream of jokes, posted by several people, but one fellow was particularly anxious to humiliate her and her ideas.

This was her attempt at 'getting even,' I suppose.

Stephen Ryder didn't have anything to do with any of it. He was just an innocent bystander--the quiet and inoffensive guy who just happened to own the message boards.

Thanks for this RJ.
When I came upon the blog, I began to hate my eyeballs for reading it.
It just seemed to me to be a particularly vicious thing, and while tempers can fray, and insults can fly on these boards, it is a million miles away from the stuff that was on that blog.
Stay safe.

[Magpie]

Hi Barnflatwyngarde,

I recall the episode. It was a very ugly and rather childish row that is best forgotten; no one came out of it looking particularly well or good.

Ms. Trenouth was/is an eccentric woman who had some decidedly strange theories about the case (she wrote a book called 'The Epiphany of the Whitechapel Murders') and, as a result, she became the butt of a relentless stream of jokes, posted by several people, but one fellow was particularly anxious to humiliate her and her ideas.

This was her attempt at 'getting even,' I suppose.

Stephen Ryder didn't have anything to do with any of it. He was just an innocent bystander--the quiet and inoffensive guy who just happened to own the message boards.

It was Felicity who ran that particular blog, although Karen and she teamed up for a while before having a nasty schism of their own.

[Ally]

Felicity Jane Lowde. Google her. It should tell you all you need to know.

[barnflatwyngarde]

Felicity Jane Lowde. Google her. It should tell you all you need to know.

Thanks Ally, I will do.

[Michael W Richards]

I just posted a thought on a current thread about MJK's real Identity potentially being tied up with the national security issues of that day....and after just reading what Ally suggested, I now regret it.

There have been a few people over the years here who had specific storylines to promote and little love for those who didnt find them compelling, and some people who became mean spirited during a spar or two. Im sure the folks who were mentioned have heard it all already.

[Ally]

LOL, I have recently been scrolling through memory lane, looking for specific posts from bygone years, and being reminded of the insanity and the inanity. It kind of says something that when I think "psychotic stalker" her name isn't actually the first name that springs to mind. I mean when ysomeone's been arrested for actually cyberstalking and they are *not* the first on my list of "frakking nutbars from bygone days" that.... really says something.

[Michael W Richards]

LOL, I have recently been scrolling through memory lane, looking for specific posts from bygone years, and being reminded of the insanity and the inanity. It kind of says something that when I think "psychotic stalker" her name isn't actually the first name that springs to mind. I mean when ysomeone's been arrested for actually cyberstalking and they are *not* the first on my list of "frakking nutbars from bygone days" that.... really says something.

The combination of a very interesting subject and the anonymity available with an online forum often brings out the "deep thinkers".

[Rosemary]

It's been years since I've posted. Mostly because I don't have the extensive and expansive background y'all do. My ethno-history background is limited to movement of tri-ethnic groups from the Carolinas after the Louisiana purchase.

but I would dearly love to be classified as a 'shameless lunatic.' I'll take 'fracking nutbar' too. Merci

[DJA]

Hi Rosemary

Glad you have found some thyme