The Whitehall Mystery

[Harry D]

Hi Harry
The only one of the so called 'torso' victims (87-89) to be identified was Elizabeth Jackson. Elizabeth was a 25 year old homeless, 7 months pregnant, former prostitute who had been deserted by the father of her child was sleeping rough in the embankment and Battersea Park area. Her parents were both paupers living in the Chelsea workhouse, she had originally been in service but quit to hang around pubs and frequent the lodging houses around Turks Row. I would put her in a similar class to Catherine (Rose) Mylett, Frances Coles and Mary Jane Kelly, a lower class prostitute by choice over working.

Hello, Debra.

Thanks for the info. That doesn't do a lot for my theory then. I'm sure I read that one of the victims was branded with a prostitute tattoo. Did I imagine this?

[Debra A]

Hello, Debra.

Thanks for the info. That doesn't do a lot for my theory then. I'm sure I read that one of the victims was branded with a prostitute tattoo. Did I imagine this?

There was a victim who had a 'bracelet' tattoo as far as I recall too. I think it was one of the Tottenham cases. Although some link all the various London dismemberment cases from 1873 right up until the early 1900s there was no contemporary linking by police or doctors. The four cases Rainham 87, Whitehall 88. Elizabeth Jackson 89 and Pinchin St 89 are the only ones I recall being linked as a possible series- by Dr Hebbert and also Macnaghten mentions the similarities of these 4 specific cases too.

[John G]

The 1884 Tottenham Torso, The Girl with the Rose Tattoo, had well-manicured nails and this, and other factors, lead Dr Lloyd to conclude she was a gentlewoman. Again, the killer demonstrated his macabre sense of humour: The body parts were left in an area more or less constantly watched by the police, during a shift change.

Regarding the tattoo, according to Trow, the only women in the 1880s who had tattoos were the exotic and avant-garde. At the upper end were society beauties such as Jenny Jerome; at the lower end would be higher class prostitutes. (Trow, 2011)

Evidence suggests that most of the Torso victims were of a higher class than the Whitechapel victims. For instance, the Scotland Yard victim was described as well-nourished. It also appears that the killer had significant skill. For instance, the coroner made these comments about the Rainham victim:"Not only has the cutting-up been performed on an exceedingly skilful manner, but the operation had been carried out on that part of the spine offering the least resistance to separating and that would only be done by a person having a very intimate knowledge of anatomy."

The first victim was discovered in 1873, and Trow argues all the victims are linked by the degree of skill demonstrated and the tools used for the dismemberment, I.e knife and very fine saw.

[Debra A]

Hi John,

In the case of the Rainham victim, the doctors who examined the body also noted garter marks below the knee- something they believed indicated that the victim was of a lower class as higher class women generally wore their garters above the knee.

I have seen it reported in newspapers that the presence of slim ankles and neat calves somehow indicated a victim of a better class!

The Whitehall torso was found along with a dress frame which was probably to form a bustle, a style of dress that had recently become fashionable again in the later 1880s-a more wearable version of an earlier look. I wonder if that indicated a woman of a higher class, someone able to afford fashionable clothes at least?

[John G]

Hi John,

In the case of the Rainham victim, the doctors who examined the body also noted garter marks below the knee- something they believed indicated that the victim was of a lower class as higher class women generally wore their garters above the knee.

I have seen it reported in newspapers that the presence of slim ankles and neat calves somehow indicated a victim of a better class!

The Whitehall torso was found along with a dress frame which was probably to form a bustle, a style of dress that had recently become fashionable again in the later 1880s-a more wearable version of an earlier look. I wonder if that indicated a woman of a higher class, someone able to afford fashionable clothes at least?

Hi Debra,

Thanks, I wasn't aware of the dress frame found with the Whitehall Torso. The liver, spleen and kidneys were normal; this might also indicate a higher class women as there were obviously no signs of alcoholism, unlike many working-class women of the period.

The Pinchin Street Torso was of someone whose nails were well kept and the hands didn't indicate hard manual work. Interestingly, the right little finger had indications that the victim did a lot of writing, because of a small circular hardening. Of course, these factors might also indicate a higher class women.

And, as I've noted before, the killer's macabre sense of humour was apparent. The victim was left between two drunks who were sleeping off a hangover. Moreover, the railway arches where the victim was found was possibly the same arches that Schwartz said he ran to. She may also have been killed on the anniversary of Annie's murder.

[Scott Nelson]

I have seen it reported in newspapers that the presence of slim ankles and neat calves somehow indicated a victim of a better class!

What do neat calves look like?

[GUT]

What do neat calves look like?

Small black go Mooooooooo a lot.

[Debra A]

Hi Debra,

Thanks, I wasn't aware of the dress frame found with the Whitehall Torso. The liver, spleen and kidneys were normal; this might also indicate a higher class women as there were obviously no signs of alcoholism, unlike many working-class women of the period.

The Pinchin Street Torso was of someone whose nails were well kept and the hands didn't indicate hard manual work. Interestingly, the right little finger had indications that the victim did a lot of writing, because of a small circular hardening. Of course, these factors might also indicate a higher class women.

And, as I've noted before, the killer's macabre sense of humour was apparent. The victim was left between two drunks who were sleeping off a hangover. Moreover, the railway arches where the victim was found was possibly the same arches that Schwartz said he ran to. She may also have been killed on the anniversary of Annie's murder.

Thanks, John. Some interesting things to think about in your post.
The papers did claim that Elizabeth Jackson's hands were of 'genteel' appearance too, despite her nails being bitten to the quick-and it was true that she hadn't done any work for quite a while.

I was under the impression that the Mornington Crescent remains (the first Tottenham one in 83) were buried straight away as they were immediately recognised as being legitimate anatomical specimens. In the second Tottenham case (which would be the lady with the half bracelet tattoo) the inquest verdict was death was caused during, or as a result of the procuring of an abortion.
I haven't got Mei Trow's book so don't know if he covers this or not.

[Harry D]

Looks like today's earlier posts have been lost.

If it can be established that the Torso victims were courtesans rather than lowing class working girls like the C5, then I propose that this wasn't the work of a lone serial killer but a prostitution ring who were dumping the remains after the girls had outlived their usefulness. They couldn't risk the prostitutes being traced back to them or their clientele, hence the majority of them were unidentifiable.

[Debra A]

Looks like today's earlier posts have been lost.

If it can be established that the Torso victims were courtesans rather than lowing class working girls like the C5, then I propose that this wasn't the work of a lone serial killer but a prostitution ring who were dumping the remains after the girls had outlived their usefulness. They couldn't risk the prostitutes being traced back to them or their clientele, hence the majority of them were unidentifiable.

Between 87 and 89, one of the four torso cases was definitely of the 'unfortunate' class (Elizabeth Jackson), one other was probably the same if the observations made by the doctors are to be believed (Rainham).
Whitehall could be different, Pinchin Street is debatable, she was an older woman and the nightdress found with her was a badly home-made garment.

If the two Tottenham cases were really a discarded medical specimen and an abortion case then they can be ruled out of any sort of series linked to a prostitution ring.

The 1873 cases were way back in time and it isn't as if there weren't any other dismemberment cases in between years, it was just that they were males or children or dumped inland or in cellars or up chimneys. It was a common form of disposing of bodies.

[John G]

I haven't got Trow's book with me at the moment but he believes the cases are linked by the level of skill demonstrated and the tools that were used. I believe dismemberment cases are incredibly rare, and in the vast majority of cases the intention is to cover up a homicide. There is no evidence, as far as I'm aware, that dismemberment was used to cover up failed abortions. In fact, in such cases why would there be a need to go to so much trouble to disguise the identity of the victim? And, in the Tottenham case , it makes no sense anyway: why take the risk of dumping the remains in an area almost constantly watched by the police?

[Debra A]

I haven't got Trow's book with me at the moment but he believes the cases are linked by the level of skill demonstrated and the tools that were used. I believe dismemberment cases are incredibly rare, and in the vast majority of cases the intention is to cover up a homicide. There is no evidence, as far as I'm aware, that dismemberment was used to cover up failed abortions.

That was the actual inquest verdict, John.
Hebbert linked the four cases 87 to 89 by the disarticulation of the joints specifically and I believe that was mentioned in the second Tottenham case. The Mornington Crescent victim was thought dissimilar as it wasn't just a dis articulation skill demonstrated, the arm and both feet had been removed exactly how it was taught in medical schools using anatomical specimens.

In the Whitehall case this was discussed in relation to the arm found in the Thames in Sept. The arm was removed with some skill, supposedly that of a butcher or slaughterer who are accustomed to opening up joints but not that of an anatomist or medical student who would have been taught to remove an arm leaving flaps of skin to wrap around the removal site.

[Debra A]

There is no evidence, as far as I'm aware, that dismemberment was used to cover up failed abortions. In fact, in such cases why would there be a need to go to so much trouble to disguise the identity of the victim? And, in the Tottenham case , it makes no sense anyway: why take the risk of dumping the remains in an area almost constantly watched by the police?

Dr Nancy Guildford.

[Debra A]

What do neat calves look like?

I have no idea. Just posting crap as usual. Mei Trow will know.

[John G]

Dr Nancy Guildford.

Hello Debra,

Was that a murder case? I'll check Trow's book tomorrow for the Tottenham case, but I seem to recall that the opinion was that she'd been murdered. Trevor Marriott has just provided an update to his latest book, which includes some fascinating insights from a forensic pathologist, including an opinion on the dismemberment cases.