Occupants of 29 Hanbury Street

[C. F. Leon]

There seems to be confusion about the ground floor rear room: Begg (Facts, pgs 74-75) has it being the location of Mrs Richardson's packing-case shop & Prayer meetings, with the front room serving as BOTH the Hardimans' living space and the cat's-meat shop. But he does not mention any cellar. (The Definitive History drops this & moves the packing-case business to the cellar (pg 152).)

As for the residents with the least information- we are told that Richard Thompson was a carman (age not given), but we don't even know the name of his wife or little girl, which is said to be adopted. Alfred Walker is only said to be 31 and "weak-minded". (Does this a polite term what we would call "retarded" or it not quite THAT level?) Finally, I don't even have ages for Francis Tyler or names for the two sisters.

It's interesting that Mrs Richardson's grandson is called Charles Cooksley and another source gives this (or a variant) as the name of the two sisters. Poor note-taking at the hand of the reporter? Is it the same source that gives the charity case as "Cox", rather than "Wilcox"? Also the Davis family had moved into the house only a couple of weeks earlier, do we know where they lived before? (One of those cottages on Buck's Row, perhaps? They moved sometime after the murder- maybe to Berner St.? Were they Polish Jews? or coal-miners from Wales looking for a lost uncle or brother's widow?)

- CFL

[RockySullivan]

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 ?

Interesting stuff. I say John Richardson is the best Ripper suspect, he put himself there on the spot at the time of the murder with a knife and he lies about it. Very strange that the grandson chose not to sleep in the room. Was the boy John Richardson's nephew? I think it's suspicious and the kid knew something

[Joshua Rogan]

A few random observations following on from the above:

It would have been invaluable for the killer of Chapman to know that the room six feet away was unoccupied on that particular night. If the door was locked from the outside, someone was in possession of the key. The fact that the door was locked in the morning does not preclude the possibility of its being opened and re-locked during the night. Could the cellar only be accessed from the yard or was there an internal access also - if so where was it?

No idea about the cellar, but would presume Mrs Richardson had the padlock key. She does say that she locked the back parlour and took the key with her, so realistically only her or her grandson could have had access, and she was awake half the night.

[Joshua Rogan]

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

Nice one! There's that reference to her grandson as Charles Cooksey again, when she said he was Thomas Richardson. But interestingly enough, the two unmarried sisters on the second floor who made cigars were possibly called Cooksley...or Huxley, or even Mr & Mrs Copsey in one report.

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)

All the mentions I've seen so far say Cox, but then they're all from Mrs Richardson's evidence. Seems likely they're one and the same though.

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

Nothing so far, except that he was a carman (or carpenter) and lived with his wife and an adopted young girl.

[Bridewell]

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

A few random observations following on from the above:

It would have been invaluable for the killer of Chapman to know that the room six feet away was unoccupied on that particular night. If the door was locked from the outside, someone was in possession of the key. The fact that the door was locked in the morning does not preclude the possibility of its being opened and re-locked during the night. Could the cellar only be accessed from the yard or was there an internal access also - if so where was it?

[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 ?

[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]

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.

[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

[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.

[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.

[Elamarna]

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

Steve

[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.

[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.

[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.