Sergeant William Thick

[ChrisGeorge]

Hi all

On the Wiki page on Segeant William Thick here on Jack the Ripper Wiki it is stated: "Thick was one of the more colourful members of the investigative team and widely known by the nickname 'Johnny Upright', although whether this referred to his character or posture is uncertain." It would seem to me more likely that, given that he was a person in a position of authority, that the "Upright" was a reflection on his character.

A statement in Jack London's People of the Abyss (Macmillan, 1903), on "Johnny Upright" (Chapter 2), although the author does not give his name outright, would seem to confirm that assessment. For London writes, "A detective of thirty-odd years' continuous service in the East End, known far and wide by a name given him by a convicted felon in the dock, he was just the man to find me an honest landlady, and make her rest easy concerning the strange comings and goings of which I might be guilty [as a writer researching the poor of the East End]." [Emphasis mine.]

Chris

[Robert]

Chris, Thick appears in a Pall Mall Gazette article of Oct 29th 1891, which is too long to post in its entirety, but here's the start of it :

[The Grave Maurice]

The "Upright" thing most likely did refer to Thick's character. However, Walter Dew says in I Caught Crippen:

If the criminals were known to the detectives, the detectives were also known to the criminals. We were all given nicknames, some of them very apt. A sergeant named Thick, who was a holy terror to the local law-breakers, was known as "Johnny Upright", because he was very upright both in his walk and in his methods.

[Monty]

Grave,

I had a discussion with Jake at the Wolves conference regarding the nickname of 'upright'.

He had come across a reference to 'upright', with regards the a Policeman, in a book whose title, and please forgive me, I have forgotten.

Apparently an 'Upright' copper is a Policeman who has been bought by a criminal or criminals, so that a blind eye is turned. Yes, a corrupt PC. Its a mockery of the actual obvious meaning the Dew suggests.

Like I say, the books title escapes me. It was either Leesons, Mayhews or some kind of book like that. I shall mail Jakey and ask.

Monty

[The Grave Maurice]

Fascinating. Thanks, Monty, I'll await the title of the book. I've got a copy of Leeson's and, although I don't remember the reference to "upright" in it, I'll check it again this weekend.

[Jon Guy]

Hello

At the time of Jack London`s visit, William Thick was living at 81 Dempsey St.
He was 56 years old and a Railway Police Inspector. His wife is Hannah, who is 51 years old. The two daughters who meet London could be Rose who was 22 years, but probably Amelia, 19 yrs and Gertrude 14 yrs.

[Roy Corduroy]

Jon, I think maybe Gertrude Bridge was the 'slavey.' See Robert's post

Roy

[The Grave Maurice]

In Leeson's Lost London, he describes an assignment he went on, early in his career, with three CID officers from Leman Street Station, one of whom was a sergeant. Leeson says (p. 34):

By this time I had learned the nicknames of the detectives, the senior was "Tommy Upright," and the two others, "Masher" and "Chinaman." How they came by these names will be the matter for another chapter.

Unfortunately, I can't seem to find any further mention of them. There is nothing in the short passage, however, to indicate that "Tommy Upright" was a bent copper.

[Roy Corduroy]

Fido wrote, on page 214 - “But Arthur Harding, a Bethnal Green villain of the next generation, believed that the name (Johnny Upright) was a sarcastic tribute to his willingness to “fit up a suspect.”

Harding would know about being fitted up, because with two convictions, he was subject to the Prevention of Crime Act of the period and treated as a 'suspected person.’ But the problem here is Harding's criminal career began much later. He was just seven years old when Thick retired in 1893.

[Bob Hinton]

SGT Thicke

I thought his name had an 'E' on the end? He was also involved in the Lipski murder the previous year which, shades of Mary Kelly, involved a woman with her throat cut behind a locked door.

[anna]

Me too,Bob....I've read that version of her surname many times.

As for the term "upright"...as far I can remember,it has always been used to describe someone who is very correct and always upholds the law,someone who it would be difficult to corrupt,as in the article and Walter Dew's description.

Maybe it was used in a "reverse term" way.

[Jon Guy]

Hello

No "e" on the end of Thick.

The Lipski murder was murder by nitric acid poisoning.

Jack London certainly paints a picture of a socially upright person. I don`t think we should attach any importance to the whining of a professional criminal like Harding claiming that the police fitted them up.

Roy - cheers for the correction regarding slavey Gertrude.!!

[Monty]

Lloyds Weekly

Guys,

For info....Thanks to Rob Clack for his help.

[Cap'n Jack]

Worth remembering that Thick appeared as a character witness on behalf of, and in support of, John 'Carthy, Kelly's landlord, on serious criminal charges.

[ChrisGeorge]

Hello all

Interesting to and fro on whether Thick was an honest and "upright" copper, or "upright" was meant ironically and he was in fact a "bent" copper. In any case, returing to my original point, it would seem that the term was being applied to describe his character, for better or worse.

Chris