Why weren't there any killings in October 1888?

[Eastender]

Hi Richard,
I totally agree with no:5. I think MJK was his 'prize'. Every killing up to that he was improving his skills. I think he had to learn how to quickly dispatch his human 'animal' as he had only worked on newly dead beasts. Only then could he bleed them and gut them like a dead deer.

[DVV]

Hi,
Many explanations are possible why he did not strike in october.
1] The double event was to be his last venture, but something /someone triggered Millers court.
2] After the double event, there was two much police presense, and more public awareness.
3] He was out of the area, either by profession, or private matters.
4]He was unwell, mayby as a result of rapidly increasing insanity.
5] The Millers court murder/victim was premeditated for that very date.
I am sure there are more reasons, but the most likely should be present above.
Regards Richard.

Hi Richard,
fully agree with 1, 2, 5.

Amitiés,
David

[DVV]

Hi David,
His health trip is one of the many nonsensical propositions about the WM which we accept without blinking.

Certainly so.
Hence my complete lack of comprehension.
I'm confused.

Amitiés,
David

[richardnunweek]

Hi,
Many explanations are possible why he did not strike in october.
1] The double event was to be his last venture, but something /someone triggered Millers court.
2] After the double event, there was two much police presense, and more public awareness.
3] He was out of the area, either by profession, or private matters.
4]He was unwell, mayby as a result of rapidly increasing insanity.
5] The Millers court murder/victim was premeditated for that very date.
I am sure there are more reasons, but the most likely should be present above.
Regards Richard.

[Eastender]

Hi Crystal,
The post is specifically the hanging ,drawing and butchery of game meats. It involves taking the freshly killed animals, gutting them, cutting them as required for the table and preservation.In some cases cooking them too. Its very 'in house' to the oldest of British Establishments and has not changed since the 1760s.The Victorians loved game and it would have been a skill in great demand then.

Im not talking about an average servant, but one with very specific skills. Someone in my family does this job, and whilst they might be employed by a large establishment in town most of the year, they are required to attend various hunts in season, get loaned out to other households, and generally come and go as they please during this period. Not many people have this skill any more, but it would have been far more common in Victorian London.

Hi Eastender-can you elaborate on the kind of specialist posts you had in mind? I think your idea is interesting.

[The Grave Maurice]

OK, I get you. While there was no shortage of slaughtermen and butchers in the East End who would have had the same skills, the nice thing about your theory is that it accounts for the lack of murders in October. You might well be on to something. And, like you, I think we can discount "The Most Dangerous Game" angle.

[Eastender]

Hi maurice,
You have a very good point. To be clear Im not talking about an average servant, but one with very specific skills. Someone in my family does this job, and whilst they might be employed by a large establishment in town most of the year, they are required to attend various hunts in season, get loaned out to other households, and generally come and go as they please during this period. Not many people have this skill any more, but it would have been far more common in Victorian London. This is what has made me wonder if Jack began to ape his betters and 'hunt' in his own back yard, or even if he was hunting women for a wager by a group of rich thrill seekers bored with normal hunting...but this is just too horrible to think about. Sorry if this dosent make sense but as yet it is just a collection of thoughts and dosent flow very well.

[The Grave Maurice]

Hi Eastender,

Weren't domestic servants in the LVP divided into, for want of better terms, the "inside" and "outside" variety? A servant who was involved in the hunts and tending the grounds would probably stay on the estate year-round. Would that type of servant likely be brought into town for the London season? And, in any event, how would any type of servant be able to wander around the East End in the middle of the night without his absence being noted either by his employers or the other servants?

[Simon Wood]

Hi David,

My post which you quoted was in reply to Michael and not about Anderson.

Do you not find it hard to believe that in the month prior to the Special Commission, a man so deeply mired in lies and deceit on behalf of his country as Anderson would be content to put his feet up in Switzerland?

His health trip is one of the many nonsensical propositions about the WM which we accept without blinking.

Hi Sam,

Yes, I found that reference in my travels. I also found a new 500-inmate workhouse being built near Newcastle in 1833 described as a "large Hotel d'Industrie". There is an hotel so named currently in Paris, but not in the 1880s, so I am wondering if the phrase may have another meaning.

Regards,

Simon

[Sam Flynn]

I can find no Hotel d’Industrie at 31 Rue Dunkerque in Baedeker or other Paris guides of the time.

Not quite Rue de Dunkerque, Simon, but the Hotel d'Industrie does appear to have existed somewhere near the Champs Elysee:



From the New York Times, September 1858.

[Eastender]

Hello Roy,
No, by in service I meant domestic,servants.

Hi Michael,

Some time back, Wolf Vanderlinden posted that, according to author Andrew Cook, the following was cabled to the British Ambassador in France:

"Private and Most secret. Home Office have information that plot to assassinate Mr. Balfour and others is being prepared by the notorious J. P. Walsh who is living under assumed name in Paris at the Hotel d’Industrie 31 Rue Dunkerque. He should be followed. Home Office have agent in Paris who will call at Embassy place himself at Your Excellency’s disposal. Further particulars by next messenger."

I think this was before Anderson's trip. Also, I would like to see the provenance for this telegram as I can find no Hotel d’Industrie at 31 Rue Dunkerque in Baedeker or other Paris guides of the time.

Regards,

Simon

Simon you're a peach, thanks for that. I believe what piques at least your and my curiosity about certain events and timings is the most obvious supposition that some high ranking officers on the Ripper cases were also working large cases in other areas simultaneously...some might even say more important ones.

We have a plethora of Fenian Fighters in the ranks...thats for sure.

Thanks Simon, hope you had a great Easter.

[Roy Corduroy]

I wondered if JTR was in service. Many of my East End family were at the time [...] I also wondered if his killing spree might roughly follow the Game season...

Hi Eastender,

Welcome to the discussion. Good to hear from someone whose family is from the area. Away hunting? Haven't thought of that, but we're always ready for new ideas. By in service do you mean the military?

Roy

[Mascara & Paranoia]

I thought one reason for the gap would be the increased presence on the streets of police and patrolling pairs from the vigilance committee. Hence the Mary Kelly murder taking place indoors. He waited until he could do it under cover.

That was my feeling about it. I don't accept that Mary Kelly was killed by someone else, because its unlikely that a first time killer would do as much mutilating, or anyone doing a copycat killing.

Exactly my thoughts too. Though I'm not sure he necessarily set out to kill anyone indoors, I think he was just lucky that Mary Kelly had her own little gaff.