I think there's no need to build a second set of gates in the yard
Unless we're to think that all contemporary statements & illustrations chose to omit these. (Even if one could come up with a suggestion why such an odd double gating would be used in the first place)
The "large barriers" refer to the main gate, one that had a wicket door.
"the [employees] of both gaining *access and egress to the yard by means of a wicket-gate in the right hand half of the gate itself."
As to the lighting:
For a distance of eighteen or twenty feet from the street there is a dead wall on each side of the court, the effect of which is to shroud the intervening space in absolute darkness after sunset. Further back some light is thrown into the court from the windows of a workmen's club, which occupies the whole length of the court on the right, and from a number of cottages, occupied mainly by tailors and cigarette makers on the left. At the time when the murder was committed, however, the lights in all of the dwelling-houses in question had been extinguished, whilst such illumination as came from the club, being from the upper story, would fall on the
cottages opposite, and would only serve to intensify the gloom of the rest of the court.
(Illustrated Police News, 6 October)
The steward of the International and Educational Club reached the gate just as the clock struck one. "It was very dark," he said. "There is no light near here, and the darkness is consequently much more intense between these two walls" - pointing to the walls of the Club and a house on the other side of the yard- "than out in the street. The gate was pushed back, and the wheel of my cart bumped against something. I struck a match to see what it was, but the wind blew it out.
......
At 12.10 I went from the Club into the printing office to put some literature away. Upon returning, I went into the yard, and noticed that the gates were opened. There are no lamps in the yard; neither are there any lamps in Berner-street which will light the yard. The only light that comes into the yard is derived from the gas-light in the Club premises.
(Echo, 10 October)
The coroner stated that there were four lamps between Commercial-road and 40, Berner-street, a distance of 350ft.
(Morning Advertiser, 3 October)
/j
Unless we're to think that all contemporary statements & illustrations chose to omit these. (Even if one could come up with a suggestion why such an odd double gating would be used in the first place)
The "large barriers" refer to the main gate, one that had a wicket door.
"the [employees] of both gaining *access and egress to the yard by means of a wicket-gate in the right hand half of the gate itself."
As to the lighting:
For a distance of eighteen or twenty feet from the street there is a dead wall on each side of the court, the effect of which is to shroud the intervening space in absolute darkness after sunset. Further back some light is thrown into the court from the windows of a workmen's club, which occupies the whole length of the court on the right, and from a number of cottages, occupied mainly by tailors and cigarette makers on the left. At the time when the murder was committed, however, the lights in all of the dwelling-houses in question had been extinguished, whilst such illumination as came from the club, being from the upper story, would fall on the
cottages opposite, and would only serve to intensify the gloom of the rest of the court.
(Illustrated Police News, 6 October)
The steward of the International and Educational Club reached the gate just as the clock struck one. "It was very dark," he said. "There is no light near here, and the darkness is consequently much more intense between these two walls" - pointing to the walls of the Club and a house on the other side of the yard- "than out in the street. The gate was pushed back, and the wheel of my cart bumped against something. I struck a match to see what it was, but the wind blew it out.
......
At 12.10 I went from the Club into the printing office to put some literature away. Upon returning, I went into the yard, and noticed that the gates were opened. There are no lamps in the yard; neither are there any lamps in Berner-street which will light the yard. The only light that comes into the yard is derived from the gas-light in the Club premises.
(Echo, 10 October)
The coroner stated that there were four lamps between Commercial-road and 40, Berner-street, a distance of 350ft.
(Morning Advertiser, 3 October)
/j
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