Sir Ed and his East End informants

[lynn cates]

Hello All. Research opportunity.

I just read in the intro to Sir George Fottrell's diary about an incident late in 1885.

"A year later, Carnarvon provided Salisbury with a vivid insight into an assignment that was 'not only laborious & difficult, but personally very dangerous'. Jenkinson was reportedly 'obliged to take his life in his hands' by meeting informants in the East End of London. . ." (p. 76)

This is astonishing, to say the least.

Does anyone know:

1. Whom were his East End informants?

2. Why the devil does he have informers over there?

Regarding #1, were they the RIC people, of whom he was supposed to have a dozen or so posted around London?

Regarding #2, I have read passim that his activity was located mostly in Soho and the Elephant and Castle district. But the East End? Makes no sense.

If anyone has access to Jenkinson to Cross, 1 August 1885: TNA, HO 144/721/110757 or Carnarvon to Salisbury, 7 January 1886: CP/TNA, PRO 30/6/62 (53) or can snit round and have a go at them, I'd be much obliged.

Cheers.
LC

[Bridewell]

Location. location, location.

Hi Lynn,

This is not something I know anything about. Just a small point which occurs to me though:- the fact that he was 'obliged to meet informants in the East End of London' doesn't necessarily mean they were East End informants, does it? If he and his informants were known in the West End, the East End was perhaps a safer* place for them to meet? Just a thought.

* safer in terms of the likelihood of being recognised

[auspirograph]

Why is it so?

"A year later, Carnarvon provided Salisbury with a vivid insight into an assignment that was 'not only laborious & difficult, but personally very dangerous'. Jenkinson was reportedly 'obliged to take his life in his hands' by meeting informants in the East End of London. . ." (p. 76)

This is astonishing, to say the least.

Why, why is it so astonishing?

Anyone would have thought you had not read my book, which outlines in detail the relevance of this subject to the Whitechapel murders investigation, on which details can be found here:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10148600-jack-the-ripper-and-black-magic

Where it is known that James Monro, Jenkinson's successor, had East End informants and suspects from 1887 well into 1888. He and Anderson had the entire Whitechapel H Division advising on developments in the East End.

The established theory that Jack the Ripper was an East End local does not preclude the fact that Scotland Yard Central Office had also pursued these lines of enquiry during the events to the knowledge of Anderson, Swanson, Littlechild, Warren, Monro, Williamson and Macnaghten.

When all lines of Ripper police enquiries are considered as a whole, and as documented by authors deeply cognisant of Victorian police methods such as Keith Skinner, Stewart Evans and Don Rumbelow, it emerges that the police were also mindful of Victorian East End agitation, as was the Home Office and Salisbury.

Serial killers today are not so lucky thankfully.

[lynn cates]

other places

Hello Colin. Thanks.

". . . the fact that he was 'obliged to meet informants in the East End of London' doesn't necessarily mean they were East End informants, does it?"

Agreed.

"If he and his informants were known in the West End, the East End was perhaps a safer* place for them to meet?"

Perhaps. But surely there were venues elsewhere such that their being recognised would have been difficult?

Cheers.
LC

[lynn cates]

Irish

Hello Spiro. Thanks.

"Why, is it so astonishing?"

Because I'm not sure what was in the East End--regarding the Irish situation. Most of Sir Ed's "Irish" spying involved Soho and the Elephant and Castle district.

And this has nothing to do with Ripper suspects--it was 1885.

Cheers.
LC

[Paddy]

East End informants

I seem to remember that Henry Cox had an informant in 81 Greenfield street.
I will have to read his memoires again, but I am sure this is correct.
When I checked out the address it was a Jewish hostel.
Pat

[Paddy]

Oops

Really got to check the address out as it could have been 81 Fieldgate street.
Will check out and get back it was definitely one or the other !
Apologies!
Pat

[lynn cates]

Jewish clubs

Hello Pat. Thanks.

If it were Jewish, it would more likely be tied to one of the socialist clubs, perhaps?

Cheers.
LC

[lynn cates]

Soho

Hello (again) Pat.

Is the other address in Soho?

Cheers.
LC

[auspirograph]

Hello Spiro. Thanks.

"Why, is it so astonishing?"

Because I'm not sure what was in the East End--regarding the Irish situation. Most of Sir Ed's "Irish" spying involved Soho and the Elephant and Castle district.

And this has nothing to do with Ripper suspects--it was 1885.

Cheers.
LC

Fair enough Lynn, thanks for that... otherwise a fine entry in Sir George Fottrell's diary.