The Golden Age of Antipodean Ripperology

[Chris]

I am authorised to post a photo showing research in progress during the Golden Age of Antipodean Ripperology in the 1970s. (I posted it previously on a Macnaghten thread, but it didn't survive the crossfire.)

[sdreid]

So was this pic taken in Antarctica?

[Johnr]

Antartica? Nah! Melbourne 1974.....

Goodday SReid,
Close. Melbourne is not too far from Antartica.
That photo was published in the AUSTRALASIAN POST in 1974.
The Display layout was devised by the rather poost-boozy, befuddled young chap in the photo.
It was to publicise an Australia wide search for an elusive document en titled: 'The East end Murderer: I Knew Him'.By a Lionel Druitt, Drewett, or Drewery. Published by a Mr Fell in Dandenong in 1890.
Although a friend of mine nearly fell off the toilet seat in Darwin when he opened the page and saw my ugly fizz.
Unfortunately, I learned rather early on, most viewers or readers are Skimmers; people were coming up to me on the beach and saying:"Hows The Boston Strangler search going?".
Of course, I never DID track down that missing document, but if I ever do....
I reckon my name would be up in lights in every city in the World!! (or so I thought in 1970's Antipodea). JOHN RUFFELS.

[Pinkerton]

Definitely taken in the 1970's! Those are some groovy clothes that cat is wearing.

[John Savage]

Hi Chris and John

Thanks for posting, you have now put a face to a name that I first became familiar with nearly a quarter of a century ago in Skinner and Howells, "The Ripper Legacy".

All things come to those who wait!

Rgds
John

[Johnr]

So Looooong Ago....

Thanks for the patience John,
And that's what we all become later in life; not patient, but Patients.

Yes, Pinkerton. Thanks,
Batik shirt from Bali, flared jeans and hand-made shoes...A Seiko Surf watch and.....even a Phantom Skull Ring from the Phantom Comics Mail Order Shop!!!

Another brilliant scheme I thought up to publicise my Dandenong Document Search was to publish my interest in the very first Australia-wide Postman's magazine!
Now if you watch Agatha Christie mysteries, you know if anyone,anywhere knows what's going on in their neighbourhood, its the Postman.
(G.K. Chesterton even made one the Invisible murderer).
Unfortunately, I was not successful in tracking the document down.
Ah well! I was Star For A Day: two National Tonight Live type T.V. shows; A.B.C. Radio P.M. programme; The Australian newspaper interview;
(one of my co-workers even accused me of being a "Publicity Ghoul"!!
So, you see, I'd finally MADE it!
But I never ever did find 'The Boston Strangler'. JOHN RUFFELS.