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I recently bought a 1902 Coronation medal to PC W Boswell H Division.
Although William didn't join the Metropolitan Police until 1900 and only served until 1907 (which included a period in Stoke Newington N Division), I have unearthed that he does have several Ripperesk connections.......
The first one being that on the 1901 census he is listed as being resident at Lemen Street Police Station, so would certainly have known if only by sight PC Ernest Thompson, of Ripper fame (and is highly likely to have been involved in his funeral in some capacity)........ too tenuous of a link for you?
Then how about this?
In 1902 he married a girl called Lousia Thersea Ritzler. (One assumes he would have been courting her for some time?) Lousia was born in Whitechapel in 1878 and lived with her parents and siblings at 5 Ellen Place, St George in the East. Ellen place was a little court, whose entrance came out onto Ellen Street and looked directly up Berner Street. Number 5 would have been right in the middle of Ellen Place, so their front door would have had an unrestricted view up Berner Street. They were certainly living there as early as 1881, so would have been well aware of the Lipski case of Batty Street fame. Their still in Ellen Place in April 1888, one of Lousia's sisters is listed as going to the infants school on Berner Street (right opposite Stride's murder scene), so it's a fair bet to say that Lousia must have gone there too? There can be no shadow of a doubt that the Ritzler family adults (if not Lousia herself), would have been aware of Jack's work on the night of the 30th September in Berner Street and indeed Jack in general. Perhaps they were even questioned by the police? One would assume that they'd have used Mathew Packers shop as well? By 1891 the Ritzler's have moved to 39 Batty Street and there they remain until at least the 1911 census, with William. So would have been aware of the Pinchin Street torso and the murder of Francis Coles. Not to mention the Sidney Street siege.
Ok so he wasn't a Bobby on the beat at the time of Jack, but his wife's connection to the area at the time, to me is just as interesting and alluring.
Although William didn't join the Metropolitan Police until 1900 and only served until 1907 (which included a period in Stoke Newington N Division), I have unearthed that he does have several Ripperesk connections.......
The first one being that on the 1901 census he is listed as being resident at Lemen Street Police Station, so would certainly have known if only by sight PC Ernest Thompson, of Ripper fame (and is highly likely to have been involved in his funeral in some capacity)........ too tenuous of a link for you?
Then how about this?
In 1902 he married a girl called Lousia Thersea Ritzler. (One assumes he would have been courting her for some time?) Lousia was born in Whitechapel in 1878 and lived with her parents and siblings at 5 Ellen Place, St George in the East. Ellen place was a little court, whose entrance came out onto Ellen Street and looked directly up Berner Street. Number 5 would have been right in the middle of Ellen Place, so their front door would have had an unrestricted view up Berner Street. They were certainly living there as early as 1881, so would have been well aware of the Lipski case of Batty Street fame. Their still in Ellen Place in April 1888, one of Lousia's sisters is listed as going to the infants school on Berner Street (right opposite Stride's murder scene), so it's a fair bet to say that Lousia must have gone there too? There can be no shadow of a doubt that the Ritzler family adults (if not Lousia herself), would have been aware of Jack's work on the night of the 30th September in Berner Street and indeed Jack in general. Perhaps they were even questioned by the police? One would assume that they'd have used Mathew Packers shop as well? By 1891 the Ritzler's have moved to 39 Batty Street and there they remain until at least the 1911 census, with William. So would have been aware of the Pinchin Street torso and the murder of Francis Coles. Not to mention the Sidney Street siege.
Ok so he wasn't a Bobby on the beat at the time of Jack, but his wife's connection to the area at the time, to me is just as interesting and alluring.