soliciting with intent.....

[Nothing to see]

Well, I'm sure you have the final word on the question.

[Jon Guy]

In that specific instance, don't forget, they'd picked up with their "prozzies" earlier in the evening, and stayed with them on a pub-crawl. It's not as if they'd wandered into town on the off-chance in the small hours.

Hi Sam

Poll and Martha picked up with two soldiers at 10.00 pm and they seperated into pairs at 11.45 pm.

There is nothing to suggest that the soldier seen waiting for his mate by P.C.Barrett at 2.00 am had anything to do with the soldier who walked up George Yard two hours earlier.

Judging by the I.D. parades at the Tower, and the Wellington Barracks, there was obviously the possibilty of two regiments visiting the area. Solidiers were on leave and within walking distance.

After 2.00 am there were still soldiers wandering around drunk, and they would soon be returning in the direction of St Botolphs/Aldgate.

[Sam Flynn]

Perhaps, Jon - although it's still a question of how frequently this happened and the number of people involved. This, then, translates into a question of supply and demand. Remember that even the younger unfortunates of Miller's Court seemed to flit in and out, apparently with little success - until 3AM. At least, such seems to have been the case on the night of Kelly's death. Likewise Nichols and Chapman were wandering about practically all night - again, seemingly with little success.

I get the distinct impression that, possibly not more than an hour after the pubs had shut, we're talking about the "bottom end" of the market - casual prostitutes with the occasional straggler propositioning them.

[Jon Guy]

I agree with what you say, Sam, however, I was looking, as per the premise of the thread, at an example of who may have been in the vicinity of St Botolphs in the early hours, drunk and looking for a companion. I am not suggesting a soldier was responsible for all or any of the murders.

Out of all the Whitechapel murders we can only place Eddowes and Tabram in that area and at that time prior to their deaths.

[Jon Guy]

Hi Sam

The following was taken from the Echo, 10 August 1888

It now appears that on the night of Bank Holiday there were several soldiers in the neighbourhood, some of whom were seen drinking in the Princess Alice-two minutes' walk from George-yard-buildings-and other taverns near.

[caz]

... so, what "trade" exactly would happen to be passing such places at between 1:40 and 5:25 in the morning, Caz? Was there late night shopping for Yom Kippur, to which outsiders flocked in their droves? Can't see it, somehow

Er, sorry, Sam, but you've marched way ahead of me. I was merely responding to what Philip said about the prostitutes in such places getting 'a lot of passing trade'. They either did or they didn't. How is the time of day relevant to that question, and the scepticism seen lately concerning the basic ability of the average Spitalfields prostitute (as opposed to the odd shuffling vagrant still hoping for a handout in the run up to dawn) to do much trade at all - night or day - with men who weren't shiftless, semi-criminal denizens of the mean streets themselves?

I'd rather walk first, before running with you right off topic.

Love,

Caz
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