The mysterious Mr. Michaelmas

[Harry Poland]

Can anybody help?

I'm trying to find out more about the mysterious Charles Michaelmas.

There is a reference to him in the Old Bailey Archives, having been sentenced to 9 months hard labour,on 28th June 1886, for wounding Jane Payne. The details of the case were not reported as "The particulars of this case are unfit for publication" (This usually means that there was a strong sexual element to the crime).

http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?id=def1-729-18860628&div=t18860628-729#highlight

There is no Charles Michaelmas in any birth, marriage, death or census report.

If anybody could shed some light on this individual and what exactly he was guilty of I'd be very thankful

[Phil Carter]

Can anybody help?

I'm trying to find out more about the mysterious Charles Michaelmas.

There is a reference to him in the Old Bailey Archives, having been sentenced to 9 months hard labour,on 28th June 1886, for wounding Jane Payne. The details of the case were not reported as "The particulars of this case are unfit for publication" (This usually means that there was a strong sexual element to the crime).

http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?id=def1-729-18860628&div=t18860628-729#highlight

There is no Charles Michaelmas in any birth, marriage, death or census report.

If anybody could shed some light on this individual and what exactly he was guilty of I'd be very thankful

Hello Harry,

Maybe, I can help.

I have distant past relations with the last name of Christmas...believe it or not! From what I have been told, the gentleman used variations of his name because of the "Christmas" connections.

Have a look in the census under that name..you might get lucky.

It's more probable however that the name is spelled differently or noted as a different spelling.

Best of luck!


Phil

[Chris]

If anybody could shed some light on this individual and what exactly he was guilty of I'd be very thankful

The Illustrated Police News of 26 June had a report on the crime:

[Harry Poland]

Guys, thanks!!!

Phil: I've found a Charles W Christmas living in Lambeth in 1881, he could be my man.

Chris: This is great. Where do you get the Police News reports from?

Cheers
HP

[Chris]

Chris: This is great. Where do you get the Police News reports from?

The Illustrated Police News is available in the 19th Century British Library Newspapers database - which can be accessed through many local libraries in the UK - and also through www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk.

I was intrigued by Inspector Ferret, and surprised to find that he was involved in a (vaguely) Ripper-related incident:



That is from Graham Robb, Strangers: Homosexual Love in the 19th Century, p. 104 (2004). There is a partial preview at Google Books - http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=CzmgiIVWZ0AC - which unfortunately doesn't include the note giving the source.

[Robert]

Michaelmas is in the Middlesex 1886 criminal register. Nine calendar months for unlawful wounding.

[Scott Nelson]

Inspector Ferret (sic) being, MET Inspector Arthur Ferrett, who brought David Cohen to the Whitechapel Workhouse Infirmary in December 1888. Interestingly, Cohen died in the asylum the month of that report.

[Robert]

Hamblar had to endure some catty remarks from Saunders :

http://www.casebook.org/press_reports/times/18891015.html

[Stephen Thomas]

Hamblar had to endure some catty remarks from Saunders :



http://www.casebook.org/press_report.../18891015.html

Yes, Robert

A true master of understatement there.