Tamworth Herald 26th July 1890

[Mr Lucky]

Wilfred Pickles was born in Halifax, Yorkshire in 1904, so it's probably his mum who wrote the letter (unless anything else turns up to suggest otherwise). Wilfred was the uncle of Judge James Pickles, who as a Judge, would have known ALL the 'rumours' concerning the Whitechapel murders and not just the ones Wilfred told him. During the 1970's Wilfred starred along with professional Londoner Irene Handl in "For the love of Ada", some of Irene Handl ancestors may have lived in or visited London and therefore probably knew that the Ripper had been/not been arrested at some point, so a likely connection there. Another startling fact - Halifax Town reached the fifth round of the F.A. Cup in 1932-33, only twenty odd years after TLSOMOL was published, and I'm supposed to believe that's just a coincidence?

[Phil Carter]

Tamworth (Tamworth Herald)

Hello all,

For those of you unfamiliar with Tamworth.. see here..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamworth,_Staffordshire

also, I was surprised to see a Tamworth in Canada..

(Tamworth is a small community in Lennox and Addington County, Ontario, Canada. Tamworth is located due North of Napanee, Ontario and Northeast of Belleville, Ontario, near Kingston, Ontario, and is on Beaver Lake.)

source: wikipedia.

and another one in New Hampshire, USA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamworth,_New_Hampshire

As far as the newspaper itself is concerned, it was founded in 1868 as a broadsheet. More of it's history can be fopund here..

http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/2007/news/a-little-herald-history/

and here...

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

Phil

[Monty]

Ah, stopped.

Stooped was funnier.

Monty

[robhouse]

In case anyone is interested, I have looked into the Annie Thompson diary in the Canadian archives in Ottowa. There is nothing there about Jack the Ripper. Annie Thompson's diary is from a much earlier period (1860s).

I had a researcher do this for me (as I couldn't get to Canada myself).

Here is what he wrote:

"Please find attached a sample of what is on the microfilm for John Thompson and Annie Affleck's letters.

The reel is not in chronological order per se and there did not appear to be an entire diary but scattered papers, news clippings and seemingly random correspondence. There was not much in the time frame you were looking for as many records were older or newer. Unfortunately some of the records were barely legible.

The closest thing I could find that was relevant was the mention of Charles Tupper, but nothing on the Parisian or their voyage. Most records are newspaper clippings of John Thompson's death and are dated after 1890. I looked through them anyway in hopes of finding something mentioned in hindsight but to no avail.

Annie Affleck's diary is dated well before the time period in question and is not extensive (page 9).

The other boxes I requested dealt mostly with John Thompson's Father, John Sparrow Thompson unfortunately."


So I am just posting this to let it be known that this "lead" has been followed up, and there is nothing there.

Rob House

[Abby Normal]

In case anyone is interested, I have looked into the Annie Thompson diary in the Canadian archives in Ottowa. There is nothing there about Jack the Ripper. Annie Thompson's diary is from a much earlier period (1860s).

I had a researcher do this for me (as I couldn't get to Canada myself).

Here is what he wrote:

"Please find attached a sample of what is on the microfilm for John Thompson and Annie Affleck's letters.

The reel is not in chronological order per se and there did not appear to be an entire diary but scattered papers, news clippings and seemingly random correspondence. There was not much in the time frame you were looking for as many records were older or newer. Unfortunately some of the records were barely legible.

The closest thing I could find that was relevant was the mention of Charles Tupper, but nothing on the Parisian or their voyage. Most records are newspaper clippings of John Thompson's death and are dated after 1890. I looked through them anyway in hopes of finding something mentioned in hindsight but to no avail.

Annie Affleck's diary is dated well before the time period in question and is not extensive (page 9).

The other boxes I requested dealt mostly with John Thompson's Father, John Sparrow Thompson unfortunately."


So I am just posting this to let it be known that this "lead" has been followed up, and there is nothing there.

Rob House

Hi Rob
Thanks for posting this. and good to see you on CB!

BTW I just recently reread your book on koz and let me just say it as an excellent piece of work. One of the best "suspect" books on the ripper that's for sure.


you working on anything else?

[robhouse]

Hi,

Thanks for your compliments on my book. No, I am not working on anything Ripper related. I occasionally dabble in following up a thread or two but that is all.

Cheers.

Rob House