Dutfields Yard interior photograph, 1900

[Ben]

There seems to be a spectral white-bearded dwarf scowling behind the gates in Stewart's 1909 close-up of the Dutfield's Yard entrance!

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

Where was Stride's body lying?

Morris Eagle—"Her feet were towards the gates, about six or seven feet from them. She was lying by the side of and facing the club wall."

Louis*Diemschutz—"The body was about one foot from the club wall."

Constable Lamb—"She was lying on her left side, with her left hand on the ground.*The right arm was across the breast. Her face was not more than five or six inches away from the club wall . . . The feet of the deceased extended just to the swing of the gate, so that the barrier could be closed without disturbing the body."

Doctor Blackwell—"The deceased was lying on her left side obliquely across the passage, her face looking towards the right wall. Her legs were drawn up, her feet close against the wall of the right side of the passage. Her head was resting beyond the carriage-wheel rut, the neck lying over the rut."

Yer pays yer money and yer takes yer choice.

Regards,

Simon

[Stewart P Evans]

1888

A sketch of the gates from 1888 -

[Trevor Marriott]

Both gates were open so the body could not have been behind those gates
Lewis Dienishitz [Diemschutz], having affirmed, deposed: I reside at No. 40 Berner-street, and am steward of the International Workmen's Club. I am married, and my wife lives at the club too, and assists in the management. On Saturday I left home about half-past eleven in the morning, and returned exactly at one o'clock on Sunday morning. I noticed the time at the baker's shop at the corner of Berner-street. I had been to the market near the Crystal Palace, and had a barrow like a costermonger's, drawn by a pony, which I keep in George-yard Cable-street. I drove home to leave my goods. I drove into the yard, both gates being wide open. It was rather dark there. All at once my pony shied at some object on the right. I looked to see what the object was, and observed that there was something unusual, but could not tell what. It was a dark object. I put my whip handle to it, and tried to lift it up, but as I did not succeed I jumped down from my barrow and struck a match. It was rather windy, and I could only get sufficient light to see that there was some figure there. I could tell from the dress that it was the figure of a woman.

If he drove in then he must have at least gone the lenght of a pony and cart 18-20 feet that would have placed him at the end of the drive at the yard itself. where it would have been pitch black as he stated

[John Bennett]

Trevor, serious question...

Is there a particular reason why you are so convinced that Stride was found quite a way down the 'alley', rather than near the entrance as seems to be commonly believed?

[Sam Flynn]

Suggestion...

To avoid confusion, should we perhaps start calling the murder spot "Trevor's front passage"?

[Trevor Marriott]

Its not me personally going on a mission about this i htink the new photo produced has now made me look at the murder scene in a different light to how i imagined it to be.
The testimony does conflict but if you are a killer would you not want to take your victim somewhere quiet and dark where you would not be disturbed. Inside the main gate is to public to many people coming and going at that time of the night. wheras down the alley towards the yard is the ideal killing location.

[Natalie Severn]

....and Paul Begg writes

.....her feet pointed towards the street and were about three yards[or -9 feet-or about three metres] from the gateway..........

[Stewart P Evans]

PC Lamb

PC 252H Lamb -

"As they got to the corner of Berner Street they pointed down the street. Seeing people moving about some distance down Berner Street, I ran down that street followed by Constable 426H. I went into the gateway of No. 40, Berner Street and saw something dark lying on the right-hand side, close to the gates. I turned my light on and found it was a woman..."

No one stated that she was lying behind the gates, she was inside the gates, just beyond the arc described when closing or opening the right-hand gate. The gates were open at the time of the murder.

[Trevor Marriott]

and right on cue we are joined by Mr Flynn vulture extradoinaire !!!!!!!!! who as expected add his contribution.
Mr Flynn i would suggest you esepcially obtain and read the new material it i would sugegst would be of special interest to you as you pass yourself here as resident medical expert

[Trevor Marriott]

well as someone else said "you pays your money and takes your choice"

[Stewart P Evans]

Penny Illustrated Paper

Here's the illustration from the front cover of The Penny Illustrated Paper (my original copy) of October 6, 1888 -

[Stewart P Evans]

Nonsense

well as someone else said "you pays your money and takes your choice"

Nonsense, the evidence is clear.

[Trevor Marriott]

Morris Eagle—"Her feet were towards the gates, about six or seven feet from them. She was lying by the side of and facing the club wall."

if D drove in he would have passed the body

[Trevor Marriott]

if the gates were open as is known that would have meant a 6 feet span into the alleyway allowing for another 6 -12 feet where the body was lying thats not to far away from the entrance to the actual yard which is where i have said the murder took place. I can see why anyone else cant see this