Tamworth Herald 26th July 1890

[robhouse]

I haven't traced them coming in but I have a record of Sir John and Lady Thompson departing 14th Aug 1890 on the Parisian from Liverpool bound for Quebec.

Interesting. And who were Sir John and Lady Thompson? And more importantly, were they from Halifax?

RH

EDIT: OK, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_S...David_Thompson

[robhouse]

Robert,

I think you are onto something here... indeed seems pretty good evidence that Sir John Thompson's wife indeed accompanied him to London, and they were from Halifax (I think)... is this correct?

And his wife was Annie E Thompson:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Annie_E_Thompson_by_William_James_Topley.jpg

RH

EDIT: although it seems that in 1890 they would have been living in Ottowa(?) Still, it seems possible that she would be referred to as a "lady from this city" and she might have written to "friends" living in Halifax. Highly plausible.

[robhouse]

Jeff and Robert,

Sorry I am just catching up on this Tupper/ Thompson business... Thompson's "papers" are in the National Archive in Ottowa. I wonder if that would include letters.

And here I am once again wondering if there are any Canadian Ripperologists.

RH

[Cogidubnus]

I can only think of Michael, The Grave Maurice and isn't Wickerman Jon in Canada (or is he in the States?)

Dave

[Robert]

Hi Rob

Yes, they seem to have lived in Ottawa in 1890, however Annie is described as born in Halifax, which might account for the reference :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annie_Thompson

http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/affleck_annie_emma_14E.html?revision_id=5262

Re Canadian Ripperologists, Magpie is in Canada, and of course Wolf V.

[robhouse]

Sir John was born in Halifax also.

Are any of these Ripperologists anywhere near Ottowa? Probably barking up a dead end anyway, but it couldnt hurt to check it out.


RH

[robhouse]

Voila:

"[Annie Affleck Thompson’s papers are in vol.283 of the Sir John Thompson papers at NA, MG 26, D. His letters to her are vols.288–91, and her diary is in vol.293. Contemporary biographical accounts appear in Types of Canadian women . . . , ed. H. J. Morgan (Toronto, 1903) and in the Toronto Evening Telegram obituary of 11 April 1913. [I. M. Marjoribanks Hamilton-Gordon, Marchioness of] Aberdeen [and Temair], The Canadian journal of Lady Aberdeen, 1893–1898, ed. and intro. J. T. Saywell (Toronto, 1960), and Waite, Man from Halifax, both have a good deal of information about Lady Thompson. Sandra Gwyn, The private capital: ambition and love in the age of Macdonald and Laurier (Toronto, 1984), offers insights but is not as well researched as Heather Robertson, More than a rose: prime ministers, wives and other women (Toronto, 1991). p.b.w.]"

http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio.php?id_nbr=7168

RH

[Robert]

Hi Rob

We'd need Annie's diary, or any letters she received from friends in Halifax (i.e. a letter answering her letter about JTR). I don't suppose Annie's letter has been preserved, though it may have been - depends who she was writing to.

[robhouse]

Hi Rob

We'd need Annie's diary, or any letters she received from friends in Halifax (i.e. a letter answering her letter about JTR). I don't suppose Annie's letter has been preserved, though it may have been - depends who she was writing to.

Agreed... the diary might be interesting...

[Mr Lucky]

In any case, it is clear that a rumor was going around in July 1890 that a Ripper suspect had been arrested. Do we agree on that at least?

No, the rumour was that a man named 'Jack the Ripper' had been arrested, not a 'Jack the Ripper' suspect. It's only a subtle difference but it is an important distinction.-

'For about two years past there has been a man whose name has never been ascertained, but who has been termed "Jack the Ripper," living in the neighbourhood of Upper Holloway.'

There is nothing to connect this man with the killer, other than people have given him the "Jack the Ripper" nickname.

And if so, do we agree that this is most likely the same story that was told to the Halifax lady?

Yes, in some form or other. Likely the story had then become garbled further in her letter to Halifax.

[Phil Carter]

Yes, in some form or other. Likely the story had then become garbled further in her letter to Halifax.

Hello Rob,

To answer your question, As above. I agree with Mr. Lucky. Most probably in some form or the other (as of this moment) but I won'r say for def.



Phil

[Monty]

Yes, it has stooped.

Monty

[Mayerling]

Hi Rob and RH,

Interesting that (unless other information pops up) the lady from Halifax may be Lady Anne Thompson. There was a large biography published in the 1980s about Thompson, who had a mere 2 years in power as Prime Minister (1892-94). He (and his wife) were quite fat, and Sir John died comparatively young at Windsor Castle in December 1894 after a ceremony naming him to the Privy Council. However, he was Attorney General under Sir John MacDonald, and was considered the most able man in the MacDonald Government in the late 1880s. Born a Protestant, he loved Anne so much he converted to Catholicism (her religion) to marry her - which was a mark against him in Canada at that time. MacDonald and Lord Aberdeen would have wanted him to have succeeded the Prime Minister (who died in 1891), but the religious issue was (at the time) too hot. Instead MacDonald was succeeded by Sir John Abbott (the great grandfather of Christopher Plummer). Abbott's resignation in 1892 enabled Thompson to come into office. In that book on ranking the Canadian Prime Ministers that I mentioned in an earlier post on this thread, Thompson did pretty well as Prime Minister in his 2 years, and is regarded as the "great might-have-been" who could have kept the Tories in power instead of their slow decline (until the Liberals under Sir Wilfred Laurier beat them in the 1896 election against Sir Charles Tupper, and held onto power until 1911). However, my copy of that book is from 1999. Many Canadians were appalled that Thompson (who most have forgotten) ranked higher than John Diefenbacker (Prime Minister in the late 1950s and early 1960s). A more recent poll put Thompson lower down the list.

Jeff

[Robert]

Thanks Jeff. THE Christopher Plummer of 'Murder by Decree' fame? These coincidences are amazing.

[Mayerling]

Hi Robert,

Yes, THE Christopher Plummer of "Murder By Decree". Also Plummer's actress daughter Amanda Plummer is a descendant. Now I saw her on stage in PYGMALION with Peter O'Toole in the 1980s. O'Toole played a crazy earl in THE RULING CLASS, who ends up dressing in late 1880s fashion, and thinks he is Jack the Ripper (earlier he thought he was Jesus Christ, but his relatives "cured him" of that delusion).

Talk about coincidences.

Jeff