Analysis of the September 24th Letter

[Rosella]

I don't believe for a minute any of these letters are from Jack but the blacked out name of the slaughterer's workplace is very short and could be Barbers (in Bucks Row.)

Sixteen String Jack (a highwayman) was a favourite character in the Penny Dreadful magazines of the mid 19th century read by young boys. So was Spring heel Jack, who went around terrifying people.

Little Jack Shepherd was a popular musical at the Gaiety theatre in the 1880's, taken from the name of a famous 18th century highwayman, so Jack would be a name that would readily come to the mind of a letter writer.

[GUT]

Found the letter. Page 19.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/education/jacktheripper.pdf

Looking at the name of his workplace, there appears to be a sort of ^ at the top of the first letter where it has not been fully marked out, indicating that the first letter of workplace is a 'tall' letter, possibly an A, L, or lowercase t perhaps?

Or nothing was written there at all, or it was just gibberish.

[Pcdunn]

Found the letter. Page 19.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/education/jacktheripper.pdf

Looking at the name of his workplace, there appears to be a sort of ^ at the top of the first letter where it has not been fully marked out, indicating that the first letter of workplace is a 'tall' letter, possibly an A, L, or lowercase t perhaps?

I noticed that there is a liitle^ at the beginning of the first blacked-out word, as you said. I also noticed at the beginning of the second blacked out area, it is possible to see a bit of a slanted line going up into the blackened area-- maybe the beginning of an "A"?

The content of the letter is strange enough, complete with little scary drawings, but the handwriting seems to alter a bit from the beginning to the end. Two writers, taking turns? Or the same writer getting into a "state" of emotion while doing the letter?

[GUT]

I noticed that there is a liitle^ at the beginning of the first blacked-out word, as you said. I also noticed at the beginning of the second blacked out area, it is possible to see a bit of a slanted line going up into the blackened area-- maybe the beginning of an "A"?

The content of the letter is strange enough, complete with little scary drawings, but the handwriting seems to alter a bit from the beginning to the end. Two writers, taking turns? Or the same writer getting into a "state" of emotion while doing the letter?

Or forgetting to disguise their handwriting from time to time.

[TizerisT]

the blacked out name of the slaughterer's workplace is very short and could be Barbers (in Bucks Row.)

Urgh. I didn't realise barbers were also killing horses back then. Were barbers still doing dental work at this time? The thought of someone slaughtering a horse and then working on a persons teeth is almost as frightening as walking past JtR himself in a dark alley.


According to the book A Dictionary of Victorian London: An A-Z of the Great Metropolis By Lee Jackson (page 43) there were 'almost 20' of these in London. 3 or 4 were in Whitechapel, with 2 in or close to Bermondsey, SW London. The letter was sent from SE london.

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=GEswrOisKB0C&pg=PA43&lpg=PA43&dq=horse+slaughterers+se+london&source=bl&ots=T2Jp232ZIe&sig=4CsZ4QbE50IvE4PNZNfUuqckgdc&hl=en&sa=X&ei=95fgVKiaIoTyUIe8gLAP&ved=0CEEQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=horse%20slaughterers%20se%20london&f=false

I found a Horse slaughterers in Bermondsey existing in 1866/67 here:

http://www.lostindustry.org.uk/EdPack/bermondseybusiness.htm

In terms of the horse slaughterer trade, little known suspect James Hardiman has supposed links outlined here:

http://www.casebook.org/ripper_media/book_reviews/non-fiction/cjmorley/79.html

[Rosella]

Yes, good joke! Barbers was the name of the owner of the horse slaughtering establishment in Buck's Row.

[TizerisT]

Ah, so they didn't trade as a Barbers, but it was owned by a Mr Barber. I got it now.

[Abby Normal]

I would not really trust anything that Ms Cornhole discovered about that letter, or any letters for that matter. Her "Expert" found the word Ha and partial Ripper under the blacked out portion? Yeah right.

I own Letters from Hell and that letter has no resemblance to the Dear Boss/Saucy Jack, From hell, or really any others. Its totally different in tone, handwriting and content.