Occupants of 29 Hanbury Street

[Joshua Rogan]

I thought I'd compile a list of all the occupants of 29 Hanbury Street at the time of Annie Chapman's murder. As usual, any corrections, comments or extra info appreciated.

Cellar: workshop used by Mrs Amelia Richardson (official tenant, subletting the rest of the building) for making packing cases.

Ground floor front room: used as a shop selling catsmeat run by Mrs Hardiman

Ground floor rear room: living space for Mrs Hardiman and her son.

First floor front: Mrs Richardson and her grandson.*

First floor rear: Mr Walker, maker of tennis shoes, and his son.

Second floor front: Mr Robert Thompson, a carman, with his wife and daughter

Second floor rear: Two unmarried sisters. **

Third floor front: John Davis, finder of Annie's body, with his wife & family.

Third floor rear: Mrs Sarah Cox, an old lady, kept out of charity (i.e. rent-free, presumably)


* I've got the grandson's name as Thomas Richardson, which makes sense to me, but just found a reference in Lloyds Weekly 9th Sept which names him differently;
"Meantime Mrs. Richardson, an old lady sleeping on the first floor front, was aroused by her grandson, Charles Cooksley, who looked out of one of the back windows and screamed that there was a dead body in the corner."

** I've always pictured the unmarried sisters (on no evidence whatsoever) as middle aged spinsters, but Lloyds (again) contains the following reference;
"Two girls, who also live in the house, were talking in the passage until half-past 12 with young men, and it is believed that they were the last occupants of the house to retire to rest."
Are these the sisters, or perhaps the daughters of Davis and/or Thompson? Surely not two ladies bringing men there for immoral purposes...?

[Michael W Richards]

I thought I'd compile a list of all the occupants of 29 Hanbury Street at the time of Annie Chapman's murder. As usual, any corrections, comments or extra info appreciated.

Cellar: workshop used by Mrs Amelia Richardson (official tenant, subletting the rest of the building) for making packing cases.

Ground floor front room: used as a shop selling catsmeat run by Mrs Hardiman

Ground floor rear room: living space for Mrs Hardiman and her son.

First floor front: Mrs Richardson and her grandson.*

First floor rear: Mr Walker, maker of tennis shoes, and his son.

Second floor front: Mr Robert Thompson, a carman, with his wife and daughter

Second floor rear: Two unmarried sisters. **

Third floor front: John Davis, finder of Annie's body, with his wife & family.

Third floor rear: Mrs Sarah Cox, an old lady, kept out of charity (i.e. rent-free, presumably)


* I've got the grandson's name as Thomas Richardson, which makes sense to me, but just found a reference in Lloyds Weekly 9th Sept which names him differently;
"Meantime Mrs. Richardson, an old lady sleeping on the first floor front, was aroused by her grandson, Charles Cooksley, who looked out of one of the back windows and screamed that there was a dead body in the corner."

** I've always pictured the unmarried sisters (on no evidence whatsoever) as middle aged spinsters, but Lloyds (again) contains the following reference;
"Two girls, who also live in the house, were talking in the passage until half-past 12 with young men, and it is believed that they were the last occupants of the house to retire to rest."
Are these the sisters, or perhaps the daughters of Davis and/or Thompson? Surely not two ladies bringing men there for immoral purposes...?

Josh,

I recall reading that there were 17 people living in that dwelling at the time of the murder, the number above doesn't seem to match that.

Was your info from the census?

[Joshua Rogan]

Josh,

I recall reading that there were 17 people living in that dwelling at the time of the murder, the number above doesn't seem to match that.

Was your info from the census?

Hi Mike,
I just pieced the details together from various press reports.

It might not be quite 17 occupants, but it can't be far off. Let's see....I make it 14 including Davis and his wife, plus their unspecified number of children. Three kids doesn't sound unreasonable, but it would be nice to confirm it.

[jerryd]

Hi Mike,
I just pieced the details together from various press reports.

It might not be quite 17 occupants, but it can't be far off. Let's see....I make it 14 including Davis and his wife, plus their unspecified number of children. Three kids doesn't sound unreasonable, but it would be nice to confirm it.

Hi Joshua and Michael,

Davis had four children but looking at their ages I bet at least 2 of them were out of the house (due to their ages) in 1888, leaving 2. Unconfirmed at this point, of course. Also, William Hardiman was living in the house with his mother, Harriet. James Hardiman was a regular, but not sure he was counted as an occupant for Hanbury Street in 1888. He was actually living close by, in Heneage Street at the time but shows up in the 1891 census at 29, Hanbury Street.

[Joshua Rogan]

Cheers Jerry! I don't suppose you have any names for the Davis clan? I was going to say offspring there, but I suppose "family" could technically refer to his mother-in-law, great uncle Fred or even grandchildren if his kids were old enough.

If William was living with his mother Harriet, what relation was James Hardiman?

[jerryd]

Cheers Jerry! I don't suppose you have any names for the Davis clan? I was going to say offspring there, but I suppose "family" could technically refer to his mother-in-law, great uncle Fred or even grandchildren if his kids were old enough.

If William was living with his mother Harriet, what relation was James Hardiman?

Joshua,

As far as names, I looked here. http://www.casebook.org/witnesses/w/John_Davis.html

William and James Hardiman were brothers. Rob Hills wrote a nice dissertation here called Cat's Cradle. His suspect is James Hardiman and he has some very valid reasons to suspect him. He also suspects Hardiman had an accomplice by the name of George Morris, the Kearly and Tonge Night Watchman.

Interestingly enough, Mrs Hardiman allegedly received a letter from an unknown writer in Mile End that explained to her his ideas about the Buck's Row murder, not the Chapman murder (She confirmed receipt of the letter to a news reporter). Specifically the letter stated that Polly Nicholls was made tipsy, murdered and then carried to the murder spot. Another letter also arrived shortly after the double event that was addressed to Jack the Ripper (IIRC) and stated the writer was a colleague of his. Something to that effect, anyways. The letter was addressed to 29, Hanbury Street.

[jerryd]

Actually the link I posted states John Davis was living with his wife and three sons. The daughter is the only one not mentioned living there at the time. Whether that information is accurate or not, I don't know.

[Joshua Rogan]

Actually the link I posted states John Davis was living with his wife and three sons. The daughter is the only one not mentioned living there at the time. Whether that information is accurate or not, I don't know.

So it does; wife Mary Ann, and sons James, Benjamin and David. That makes seventeen!
Why the heck didn't I think to look there? Who knew this site was such a treasure trove of information...I will have to look everyone else up before asking any more questions.

Also I will have to check out that dissertation. Funny it should mention Morris as an accomplice. I found a single reference to Morris being helped in the warehouse that night by his son, who I have my suspicions about, and he would seem like a more natural age fit to hang out with James H.

[Elamarna]

great bit of work attempting to put all the names together.

Steve

[Joshua Rogan]

great bit of work attempting to put all the names together.

Thanks Steve. It's hardly ground-breaking research, but I thought it might be useful (for me, if for no-one else) to know who was where.
I initially put it together jotting down bits of info from press reports as and when I came across them, usually whilst looking for something else. I will go through it again thoroughly when I get the chance, as it seems some of the reports I used weren't the most accurate.

[Joshua Rogan]

Actually the link I posted states John Davis was living with his wife and three sons. The daughter is the only one not mentioned living there at the time. Whether that information is accurate or not, I don't know.

Mmm, checking his inquest testimony, he does say himself that he lived with his wife and three sons, so probably accurate.

[Elamarna]

Thanks Steve. It's hardly ground-breaking research, but I thought it might be useful (for me, if for no-one else) to know who was where.
I initially put it together jotting down bits of info from press reports as and when I came across them, usually whilst looking for something else. I will go through it again thoroughly when I get the chance, as it seems some of the reports I used weren't the most accurate.

Joshua,

True it might not be ground breaking or research that shouts out look at me, nevertheless it is very useful. So often these details are scattered over many books, posts or press articles to put them together is a great idea and a useful tool if you complete it to your satisfaction.


Steve

[Jon Guy]

Hi JR

Some extra details I have:

Ground floor rear room: living space for Mrs Hardiman and her son.

Amelia Richardson used this back, ground floor room for prayer meetings.
There was a meeting held in that room the night before the murder.
Mrs Richardson`s grandson and Mrs Hardiman`s son were going to sleep in that room Friday night but were creeped out by something and decided not to do so.

First floor rear: Mr Walker, maker of tennis shoes, and his son.

James Walker 65yrs old, and his son, 31 year old, Alfred.

Third floor rear: Mrs Sarah Cox, an old lady, kept out of charity (i.e. rent-free, presumably)

Name was actually Wilcox.

[Joshua Rogan]

Amelia Richardson used this back, ground floor room for prayer meetings.
There was a meeting held in that room the night before the murder.
Mrs Richardson`s grandson and Mrs Hardiman`s son were going to sleep in that room Friday night but were creeped out by something and decided not to do so.

Thanks Jon!
I've not read about anyone being freaked out about the back room, do you know the source? The only thing I've read (so far) is that it was locked up at 9:30pm and still locked the next morning.
Mrs Richardson by her own words only rented "half the house" so didn't sublet to the other tenants - bedrom, basement workshop and yard, and the ground floor rear room which was used as a kitchen. Her Friday prayer meetings were held either in that room or the bedroom, depending on which paper you believe.

James Walker 65yrs old, and his son, 31 year old, Alfred.

Walker's son was said to be weak-minded but harmless.

Name was actually Wilcox.

That could have been my fault....I may have been listening to the radio whilst typing.

[Jon Guy]

Thanks Jon!
I've not read about anyone being freaked out about the back room, do you know the source? The only thing I've read (so far) is that it was locked up at 9:30pm and still locked the next morning.
Mrs Richardson by her own words only rented "half the house" so didn't sublet to the other tenants - bedrom, basement workshop and yard, and the ground floor rear room which was used as a kitchen. Her Friday prayer meetings were held either in that room or the bedroom, depending on which paper you believe.




Walker's son was said to be weak-minded but harmless.



That could have been my fault....I may have been listening to the radio whilst typing.

Hi JR

Mrs. Richardson, who superintends a packing-case business carried on at the back of the premises, says that, strangely enough her grandson, Charles Cooksey, was to have slept in the back room on Friday night; but he told her he did not like to, remarking, "I shan't sleep in there to-night, granny." That room, on the ground-floor, within six feet of where Annie Chapman's body lay, was unoccupied. "Had my grandson slept there," said Mrs. Richardson, "he must have heard the miscreant kill the poor woman."
Echo 10th Sept 88

I`ve never been able to trace a Mrs Cox living at 29 Hanbury Street, but in either the 1881 or 1891 census there is an old lady called Sarah Wilcox (who I assume to be our Mrs Cox)


Robert Thomson is the resident with the least info about him.
Do you have any details on him ?