Philip Sugden

[Prosector]

I am sure that many members will be as sorry as I was to read of the death of Philip Sugden (Obituary Daily Telegraph, 17th May). To my mind his book, The Complete History of Jack the Ripper, is the best one yet written. His meticulous researching of the source material and his balanced analyses of the possible suspects is a model for other Ripperologists. His final conclusion was that "... in all honesty I cannot find a convincing case against any of them. And there is every possibility that the man the Victorians called 'the master murderer of the age' was in reality a complete nobody whose name never found it into the police file ... some sad social cripple who lived out his days in obscurity, his true identity now known only to the dead."

I totally agree with his verdict except that I believe that his name will emerge from obscurity with the help of modern tools such as computerised searches and the increasing availability in the public domain of records of all sorts. No-one who lived in Victorian Britain did not leave an imprint of some sort.

Prosector

[Hatchett]

Yes, Rest in Peace, Philip. Your book was a job well done.

[Abby Normal]

I am sure that many members will be as sorry as I was to read of the death of Philip Sugden (Obituary Daily Telegraph, 17th May). To my mind his book, The Complete History of Jack the Ripper, is the best one yet written. His meticulous researching of the source material and his balanced analyses of the possible suspects is a model for other Ripperologists. His final conclusion was that "... in all honesty I cannot find a convincing case against any of them. And there is every possibility that the man the Victorians called 'the master murderer of the age' was in reality a complete nobody whose name never found it into the police file ... some sad social cripple who lived out his days in obscurity, his true identity now known only to the dead."

I totally agree with his verdict except that I believe that his name will emerge from obscurity with the help of modern tools such as computerised searches and the increasing availability in the public domain of records of all sorts. No-one who lived in Victorian Britain did not leave an imprint of some sort.

Prosector

hi Prosector
I agree, however, if(I still think there is a chance, though small) the identity of jack the ripper is ever discovered I think it will probably come from a descendent and/or someone who discovers something(ie-knife, confession, trophys etc) in an attic somewhere.

By the way, will you be revealing your suspect/theory some time soon? you had a number of us intrigued with your medical knowledge and hints of a suspect with ties to the medical profession?

[Prosector]

Hi Abby

Yes, I hope so. I think I have a very credible (new) suspect who I stumbled across by accident (family history research), long before I had any particular knowledge or interest in JTR beyond the average. Five years of research have done nothing except reinforce that belief which hinges on the identity of Mary Jane Kelly. I have written a book which is with a number of publishers at the moment so you will, I hope, forgive me until I know when and whether it has found a home.

If all else fails I will reveal my conclusions on this website. I have greatly enjoyed the cut and thrust of debate with the many astute and learned Casebook participants and even the occasional roughing up from the less well behaved members that one learns to endure. My only possible regret is that, if I am correct, it might lessen the point of Casebook - although I doubt it somehow!

Prosector

[Abby Normal]

Hi Abby

Yes, I hope so. I think I have a very credible (new) suspect who I stumbled across by accident (family history research), long before I had any particular knowledge or interest in JTR beyond the average. Five years of research have done nothing except reinforce that belief which hinges on the identity of Mary Jane Kelly. I have written a book which is with a number of publishers at the moment so you will, I hope, forgive me until I know when and whether it has found a home.

If all else fails I will reveal my conclusions on this website. I have greatly enjoyed the cut and thrust of debate with the many astute and learned Casebook participants and even the occasional roughing up from the less well behaved members that one learns to endure. My only possible regret is that, if I am correct, it might lessen the point of Casebook - although I doubt it somehow!

Prosector

Awesome! Can't wait and good luck.

[Michael W Richards]

Hi Abby

Yes, I hope so. I think I have a very credible (new) suspect who I stumbled across by accident (family history research), long before I had any particular knowledge or interest in JTR beyond the average. Five years of research have done nothing except reinforce that belief which hinges on the identity of Mary Jane Kelly. I have written a book which is with a number of publishers at the moment so you will, I hope, forgive me until I know when and whether it has found a home.

If all else fails I will reveal my conclusions on this website. I have greatly enjoyed the cut and thrust of debate with the many astute and learned Casebook participants and even the occasional roughing up from the less well behaved members that one learns to endure. My only possible regret is that, if I am correct, it might lessen the point of Casebook - although I doubt it somehow!
Prosector

Hi Prosector,

If I interpret the line in bold above correctly, perhaps its because many might be reluctant to study these crimes without a Ripper.

I think the resources here will still be of great value for the current members seeking a single killer or the future members who will come to study the phenomenon of Ripperology.

Cheers

[Prosector]

Hi Michael

I agree - that line was a bit tongue in cheek. In reality it is a fantastic resource for anyone researching the late Victorian period quite apart from JTR and, even if my thesis was widely accepted, there's always going to be an element of doubt as 100% proof will be impossible to come by.

Prosector

[ChrisGeorge]

Link to the Daily Telegraph obituary posted on line on May 16 --

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/10836835/Philip-Sugden-obituary.html