A contender for the knife?

[Carol]

Why do we always assume that JtR carried only one knife?

Hi Bridewell,
I've never thought of that. It seems to me you have some thoughts about this that need airing!
Carol

[lynn cates]

knife

Hello Carol. Thanks. Should be interesting.

I believe there was a press clipping about a bone knife found in Hampstead pond. It was reported to have dark stains on it. Wonder what became of the story and the knife?

Cheers.
LC

[Carol]

Whether it is, or isn't, a contender, the book sounds fascinating, Carol.

Hi Celesta,
It really is a wonderful book for anyone interested in social history. My only complaint is that no clothes are included. That really would have put the icing on the cake for me!
Carol

[Trevor Marriott]

I can't imagine her using her face to defend herself Trevor. Wouldn't you expect the hands to be cut and other evidence of a struggle?



Greg

If the killer had hold of her from behind and was trying to cut her throat I would imagine that she was trying to prevent this and therefore moving her head about frantically.

[Carol]

I think you should consider that some of the injuries to the face of Eddowes were as a result of her trying to prevent the killer from cutting her throat they are cuts not specific wounds that is in my opinion how the portion of her ear became detached.

Hello Trevor,
I hadn't realised that her facial injuries could be 'defence' injuries (at least some of them). I must have missed that when I read about her. I'd just assumed from what I have read on Casebook and in books that the victims were at least unconscious before the murderer cut their throats. This makes the murders even more horrifying (if that were possible). Those poor women.
Carol

[Carol]

Hello Carol. It very well may be.

Is there information regarding its width? According to the inquest information, it seems that Polly and Annie were killed by long, thin knives.

A hunting or butcher's knife might work but, as observed at inquest, it would have to be well ground down.

Cheers.
LC

Hello Lynn,
No information is given about the width but there is an illustration of the knife (about two-thirds of the actual size), so I should be able to work out the width. I'll have a look after tea this evening. Should be able to let you know tomorrow.
Carol

[GregBaron]

Throat then face...

I think you should consider that some of the injuries to the face of Eddowes were as a result of her trying to prevent the killer from cutting her throat they are cuts not specific wounds that is in my opinion how the portion of her ear became detached.

I can't imagine her using her face to defend herself Trevor. Wouldn't you expect the hands to be cut and other evidence of a struggle?



Greg

[Trevor Marriott]

Certainly it's possible that Jack carried more than one knife but carrying a whole range of them might be cumbersome and not many people other than fiction writers and fantasists believe in the old Gladstone bag full of horrible instruments story.

Given the injuries inflicted on some of the victims - in particular the cuts on Eddowes' face, for instance - it would seem the knife was fairly thin and easily manouverable. Just as an uneducated guess!

Cheers,
Adam.

I think you should consider that some of the injuries to the face of Eddowes were as a result of her trying to prevent the killer from cutting her throat they are cuts not specific wounds that is in my opinion how the portion of her ear became detached.

[Adam Went]

Certainly it's possible that Jack carried more than one knife but carrying a whole range of them might be cumbersome and not many people other than fiction writers and fantasists believe in the old Gladstone bag full of horrible instruments story.

Given the injuries inflicted on some of the victims - in particular the cuts on Eddowes' face, for instance - it would seem the knife was fairly thin and easily manouverable. Just as an uneducated guess!

Cheers,
Adam.

[Bridewell]

Why do we always assume that JtR carried only one knife?

[Celesta]

Whether it is, or isn't, a contender, the book sounds fascinating, Carol.

[lynn cates]

getting the point

Hello Carol. It very well may be.

Is there information regarding its width? According to the inquest information, it seems that Polly and Annie were killed by long, thin knives.

A hunting or butcher's knife might work but, as observed at inquest, it would have to be well ground down.

Cheers.
LC

[Carol]

Hi everyone,

Last summer when we were in England on holiday I found a really great book in an Oxfam charity book shop, published in 1991. It's called 'The Victorian Catalogue of Household goods' and describes itself as 'A Complete Compendium of over five thousand items to Furnish and Decorate the Victorian Home'. It is a facsimile of a trade catalogue published by the firm of Silber & Flemming of London and Paris. The author of the Introduction to the book is Dorothy Bosomworth and it was published by the New York firm of Portland House. The catalogue was first published in 1883 and this edition facsimile dates from "the late 1880s (the exact date is not given in the original)".

The firm of Silber & Flemming was founded in London in 1856. They were manufacturers, importers, warehousemen and agents. The catalogue was "comparable to Littlewoods' or Universal Stores' current mail-order catalogues". Their London premises were situated at 60 Wood Street in the City.

I quote from the Introduction now - "Who, then, were their customers? Without surviving company records, it is impossible to form a detailed impression, but we can assume that they consisted both of retailers, such as department stores, furnishing shops and ironmongers, china, silver and glass specialists, and of corporate clients"

On page 79 I came across the following: "Hunting Knife, very superior quality, with 7½-inch blade and 4-inch horn handle, diamond cut. This Knife is so constructed that the blade can be folded into the handle, where it is locked by a spring, leaving exposed 4 inches of the blade, which is protected by a best solid leather sheath".

Could this be a contender for the knife that Jack the Ripper used?

Carol