Murder Sites #1- Martha Tabram & George Yard

[C. F. Leon]

I've been compiling a series of notes that I use as references when I need to check things & I don't have my sources handy. This is the result of mixing information from my quite limited resources. I thought that people might be interested in having things all together and also someone might be able to fill in info that I'm missing.

The first is the locations involved in Martha Tabram's murder:

Martha lived with Willliam Turner at 4 Star St. (Commercial Road)
-- landlady, Mrs. Mary Bousfield (son was interviewed years later)
- separated 3 weeks before murder
- he went to Victoria working men's home

Lodging House- 18 George St., Spitalfields
- Emma Elizabeth Smith

Lodging House- 19 George St., Spitalfields (both of these lodging houses gone c 1890)
- John Sachell, landlord
- Martha Tabram (?known as Emma Turner)

-----------

(Bank Holiday) 1888 Aug 06 (Monday)/07 (Tuesday)

Mary Ann Connelly "Pearly Poll" (one newspaper gives "Mog", a nickname for Margaret) (35)- lived at Crossingham's LH on Dorset St (for only previous 2 days)
- MAC's cousin: Mrs. Shean (4 Fuller's Court, Drury Lane)

2 soldiers- a corporal & a private


Two Brewers Pub (154 Brick Lane)- met c 10 pm

White Swann (Whitechapel Road)- 11-11:45 pm
- (sister-in-law) Ann Morris- saw Martha c 7 or 8 pm


Whitechapel High St.- running from Commercial St. to Osborn St. (west to east):

The White Hart pub (un-numbered on map- ?#89)

George Yard (renamed Gunthorpe St. by 1899)- runs from Whitechapel High St. north to Wentworth St. (entered by archway)

George Yard Buildings (Model Dwelings, built c 1875; renamed Balliol House in 1890, demolished in 1973 Jan)
- Frances Hewitt, superintendent & wife

35 George Yard Buildings
- Alfred George Crow (early 20s)- 3:30 am, saw body on landing
37 George Yard Buildings
- John Saunders Reeves (33)- 4:50 am, discovered body
- Louisa, wife (8 months pregnant)
- (4 children, 5th (Harriett Elizabeth R) born Sep 12)
47 George Yard Buildings
- Joseph Mahoney (carman) & his wife, Elizabeth (c 25 or 26, match factory in Stratford)

St. George's House- built at same time & demolished around same time (c 1973 Jan) [Phil & John do not give dates (other a vague "1960s" for plans)]

88

87

86

86

85

84 (There were THREE #84s on the 1889 map. One might have been 84 George Yard, and another one was 84A)

Angel Alley (ran north to Wentworth St.)- Pearly Poll & corporal went down this street about 11:45 pm, left c 12:15

84

83

Whitechapel Art Gallery

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Officials:
- PC Thomas Barrett (226H) (B c 1857; Sherborne, Dorset- retired 1908)- saw soldier c 2 am- 1st responder at murder site
- Dr. Timothy Robert Killeen (Keleene) (lived at 68 Brick Lane)

------------------------

(sorry if the layout is difficult, I had to transfer from my notes)

Questions I have include:
- Where was George STREET in relation to this area?
- The map that I found showed George Yard (& Angel Alley), but gave no indication WHERE on the street George Yard Buildings or St. George's House were.
- Where was the White Swann pub?
- Do we know how many rooms George Yard Buildings had?
- was the term "model buildings" an alternative name for GYB/SGH specifically, or was it a generic term for the type of buildings, or the construction style/company/whatever?

Thanks for any help
- CF Leon

[Joshua Rogan]

Questions I have include:
- Where was George STREET in relation to this area?
- The map that I found showed George Yard (& Angel Alley), but gave no indication WHERE on the street George Yard Buildings or St. George's House were.
- Where was the White Swann pub?
- Do we know how many rooms George Yard Buildings had?
- was the term "model buildings" an alternative name for GYB/SGH specifically, or was it a generic term for the type of buildings, or the construction style/company/whatever?

Thanks for any help
- CF Leon

Hey CF,

George Yard Buildings and St George's House cover the north end west side of George Yard.
George Street (later Lolesworth St) no longer exists, but ran between Wentworth St and Thrawl St, almost opposite the top of George Yard.

Hopefully (if you have Flash installed) they can be seen on this map (Goad vol XI, sheet 319);

http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/onlineex/firemaps/england/london/xi/zoomify150925.html

According to the Casebook Wiki, there were 48 separate dwellings in the building;

http://wiki.casebook.org/index.php/George_Yard_Buildings

The White Swan was, I think, about halfway along Great Alie Street, on the north side corner with Half Moon Passage;

https://pubshistory.com/LondonPubs/Whitechapel/GtAlieSt46.shtml

This is a handy page explaining Model Dwellings companies;

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_dwellings_company

Essentially, these were Victorian social housing projects intended to replace the old tenement slums with modern affordable apartments for the working poor, often using a mixture of philanthropy and limited commercial enterprise by various private companies.

I hope that helps.

[C. F. Leon]

Thanks for the info, Joshua. I'm integrating it in and will post an updated version in the next few days.

- CFL

[C. F. Leon]

Here's an updated version:


Lodging House- 18 George St., Spitalfields
- Emma Elizabeth Smith

Lodging House- 19 George St., Spitalfields (both of these lodging houses gone c 1890)
- John Sachell, landlord
- Martha Tabram (?known as Emma Turner)

-----------

(Bank Holiday) 1888 Aug 06 (Monday)/07 (Tuesday)

Mary Ann Connelly "Pearly Poll" (one newspaper gives "Mog", a nickname for Margaret) (35)- lived at Crossingham's LH on Dorset St (for only previous 2 days)
- MAC's cousin: Mrs. Shean (4 Fuller's Court, Drury Lane)

2 soldiers- a corporal & a private


Two Brewers Pub (154 Brick Lane)- met c 10 pm

White Swann (Whitechapel Road)- 11-11:45 pm
- (sister-in-law) Ann Morris- saw Martha c 7 or 8 pm


Whitechapel High St.- running from Commercial St. to Osborn St. (west to east):

(corner- #2 Commercial St)

x (un-numbered on map)

102

101

x (Tewkesbury Buildings)

100

99

98

97

95

x (Spread Eagle Yard)

94- Red Lion & Stread Eagle Pub

93

92

91

x- entrance to a court

90

89- The White Hart Pub

George Yard (renamed Gunthorpe St. in 1912 Oct)- runs from Whitechapel High St. north to Wentworth St. (entered by archway) [there was also a George Yard in Cable St. (Louis Diemschutz stabled his pony there)]
(West side, running north):
Jacobs Yard/Smithy
Stables
(?"Black Horse AM Yard")/Smithy
Stables

(Sir George's Dwelling for Girls)- still standing [location uncertain- text only, not on map]

St. George's House (Model Dwelings)- built same time & demolished around same time as GYB (1973 Jan); Sunley House (residential block belonging to Toynbee Hall) built on site 1973 [Phil & John do not give dates on podcast (other a vague "1960s" for plans)]

George Yard Buildings (Model Dwelings, built c 1875; converted as student residences for Toynbee Hall & renamed Balliol House in 1890, sometime later renamed Charles Booth House; demolished 1973 Jan)- 4 floors, 48 rooms
- Frances Hewitt, superintendent & wife
35 George Yard Buildings
- Alfred George Crow (early 20s)- 3:30 am, saw body on landing
37 George Yard Buildings
- John Saunders Reeves (33)- 4:50 am, discovered body
- Louisa, wife (8 months pregnant)
- (4 children, 5th (Harriett Elizabeth R) born Sep 12)
47 George Yard Buildings
- Joseph Mahoney, carman, & his wife, Elizabeth (c 25 or 26), match factory in Stratford

[back of these is Commercial St.- running north to Wentworth]
- #2-12- Draper's Shop
- 14
- 16
- (gap- seems to be a court)
- 18
- 20
- 22
- 24
- St. Jude's Church
- 26- Vicarage ("Rectory")
- (Boy's XXX)
- ?28- Toynbee Hall
- Commercial St. School (now Canon Barnett Primary)- built c 1900 [location uncertain- text only, not on map]

(East side):
(uncertain in 1888- currently, premises from early 1990s) [location uncertain- text only, not on map]
- ex-council depot (probably built early 1900s) [location uncertain- text only, not on map]

88

87

86

85- The Angel Pub

x

84

Angel Alley (named for Angel Inn at sw corner, ran north to Wentworth St.- dates from c 1676, still exists)- Pearly Poll & corporal went down this street abt 11:45, left c 12:15
(running south from Wentworth)
west side:
- several buildings labelled City Saw Mills
- (several un-labelled buildings)
- Colour & Yarning Works
- School
east side:
- (un-numbered), 1-4 [several lodging houses; owned by Samuel Maill (1866-72), then George Wildermuth (1873-78); this northern section was re-developed in 1893, blocking off Wentworth exit]
- backs of several bildings connected with Ind. Coope & Co. Ale Stores (entrance on Osborn St.)

84

83

82

81

Whitechapel Art Gallery

[much of this from 1876 map]

- CFL