2008 Ripper Conference, Knoxville, TN

[Bailey]

The tension is unbearable... Damn you, Hutchinson, spill it, man! Or I swear by all that is unholy, I shall send Spiny Norman to get you!

B.

[Suzi]

COUGH Frip!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Come on I want to see the Sunday morning pics!!!!! (Thank Gawd nobody can hold a camera steadily enough at the UK Confs on a Sunday mornin'!)

AND get that Flash pan sorted this time!!!

Well done Alan!

Suz x

[Suzi]

The tension is unbearable... Damn you, Hutchinson, spill it, man! Or I swear by all that is unholy, I shall send Spiny Norman to get you!

B.

OR............ even worse......THE CAT!!!!!!!!!!!

[George Hutchinson]

Hi all. Final breakfast of the Conference is out of the way. Tim has already left. Eugenia Parry is about to do a talk, then people are checking out, having lunch, and then we'll be finishing with Alan. I suspect Alan won't be uploading photos of himself giving his talk.

Had great fun with Martin last night. We had a big arguement, but unlike the usual Ripper ones you see, it was all good humoured. He refused to believe that Church Passage was open, and he maintained that my 1961 photos of it were 'wrong'. I then showed him a photo we have in the book of Duke's Place, showing the opening, in 1905 which got a pause in reaction, a realisation, and no retraction of the initial assertion! It was funny because I knew absolutely I was right about this but I couldn't persuade Martin. It was all very good humoured, though. People were taking photos.

Monty - as to the reaction. Funnily enough, the photo of the woman who took it actually drew an audiable gasp long before I showed them the photo itself. I think people might have thought I'd found a life photo of Liz Stride or something.

The photo itself was a slow realisation. I showed a shot of the photo on the page, unrestored. People were making guesses, and all the ones I heard were wrong. Then I showed a shot of the inside today, then the outside today, then a series of then and now shots. When they saw the famous one, the penny dropped. It wasn't a sudden revelation, it was a slow dawning on people more than anything. No amazing uproar, no spontaneous applause, but certainly a vibe of a room of people witnessing a special moment.

What was more fun was the premiere of John's film RIPPERLAND last night. I know he was scared about how Martin would react to his impersonation of him. I can tell you now, his table was in uproar and so was he. He loved it and felt flattered and was very amused and said that John did an extremely good impersonation of him. The film went down really well. The in-jokes were far better understood than I expected. People were laughing all the way through it. It was the take-off of SPE's list of good and bad authors that got the biggest laugh.

Ten minutes before the first talk starts. Not enough time now to go public. Later today, my pretties. Later...

PHILIP

[Monty]

Ripperland

Philip.

Awesome. I cant wait to discuss it and the research behind it, 12 months is a long time you know.

Ripperland has been premiered too? No wonder John has laid low. The best doc ever!

Monty

[Robert]

"The photo itself was a slow realisation. I showed a shot of the photo on the page, unrestored. People were making guesses, and all the ones I heard were wrong. Then I showed a shot of the inside today, then the outside today, then a series of then and now shots. When they saw the famous one, the penny dropped. It wasn't a sudden revelation, it was a slow dawning on people more than anything. No amazing uproar, no spontaneous applause, but certainly a vibe of a room of people witnessing a special moment."

You pinched that technique from Rolf Harris.

"Can you see what it is yet?"

[Suzi]

He heeeeeeeeeee Can't wait to see the reaction to Ripperland!!!!

Just been watching 'Unmasking' again on DVD and got some great stills!!

LOL Suz x
'Fly my beauties,Fly!'

Just HOPE that cat is in some pics!!!

[George Hutchinson]

Some of the delegates have already gone to make long drives home or get flights. Only Alan's talk left now (in a few minutes) and tonight we're going out for a final meal.

OK, another clue.

It's a photo of a place that has never been seen photographically before.

PHILIP

[Monty]

Am I allowed to guess?

[Suzi]

Come ON! You've been camping out in what remains of Woods Buildings haven't you- OR you've made that scale model of Millers Court after all this time!!! Have fun!
Suz x

[Suzi]

Am I allowed to guess?

Go on Mont! x

[Steve S]

.

OK, another clue.

It's a photo of a place that has never been seen photographically before.

PHILIP

And it's a murder site...And the inside & outside still stand.....BOGGLE!
Steve

[John Bennett]

It's a photo of a place that has never been seen photographically before.

PHILIP

Errm, don't tell me, let me guess....

John and Liz Stride serving a delicious skinny-latte in their coffee shop (with a cheese and bacon panini)!

The girls all having a night out in the Brittannia! Together!

Charles Warren's bottom, facsimiled at the Met xmas party 1887!

George Chapman and customer in the basement of the White Hart ("something for the weekend, sir?")

[Monty]

Suzi,

Oh I cant do that, we must let Philip play. Besides, he would kill me.

Steve,

Long time no post. How are you? I do believe there is an extreme Leicester connection to this find.

Monty

[John Bennett]

I can't bear the tension any more - it has to be....

Albert Cadosche sitting in the outside privy of No.27 Hanbury Street. Reading a newspaper! And smoking a pipe!

Time for a lie down.