Do most "Normal People" assume it has been solved?

[Azarna]

A little while ago, someone posted a question on Reddit - "If you could know the truth about any event in history, what would it be?"

I replied, "Who committed the Jack the Ripper and Whitechapel Murders." I am sure there are more important questions I would like answering, but hey ho.

Within minutes, people started responding to this. Lots of people. Both in the original thread, and via private message.

Quite a lot of them were along the lines of "Oh, that has been solved, they found DNA!" or "It was a member of the royal family, I saw a documentary."

In fact, I was quite surprised at how many such comments it garnered.

And of those saying it was already solved, the "DNA" and the "royal conspiracy" were always mentioned. (There was also a lone "I read a book by Patricia Cornwall, she proved who did it")

Does the public in general believe that the mystery is solved? Clearly, news of the infamous DNA reached a lot of people, but not the news that the comparison results etc were the very opposite of conclusive.

I know the royal conspiracy has been the plot of a few popular films and tv series, but I am surprised that it is still seen as the definitive answer for a lot of people. Especially as it is the easiest to disprove - royal personages have their every move documented. And can't be in Whitechapel doing some murderin' when they are with loads of people elsewhere.

I don't discuss JTR with people very often (funnily enough, it rarely comes up in everyday conversations). But when I have, I have always had similar responses, "Oh, that has been solved already, I read this book, it was some relative of Queen Victoria"... or "It was all over the news, they found his DNA, proved who did it, didn't you know?"

I would be interested to hear if other ripperologists have had similar experiences with "normal people"

[Abby Normal]

A little while ago, someone posted a question on Reddit - "If you could know the truth about any event in history, what would it be?"

I replied, "Who committed the Jack the Ripper and Whitechapel Murders." I am sure there are more important questions I would like answering, but hey ho.

Within minutes, people started responding to this. Lots of people. Both in the original thread, and via private message.

Quite a lot of them were along the lines of "Oh, that has been solved, they found DNA!" or "It was a member of the royal family, I saw a documentary."

In fact, I was quite surprised at how many such comments it garnered.

And of those saying it was already solved, the "DNA" and the "royal conspiracy" were always mentioned. (There was also a lone "I read a book by Patricia Cornwall, she proved who did it")

Does the public in general believe that the mystery is solved? Clearly, news of the infamous DNA reached a lot of people, but not the news that the comparison results etc were the very opposite of conclusive.

I know the royal conspiracy has been the plot of a few popular films and tv series, but I am surprised that it is still seen as the definitive answer for a lot of people. Especially as it is the easiest to disprove - royal personages have their every move documented. And can't be in Whitechapel doing some murderin' when they are with loads of people elsewhere.

I don't discuss JTR with people very often (funnily enough, it rarely comes up in everyday conversations). But when I have, I have always had similar responses, "Oh, that has been solved already, I read this book, it was some relative of Queen Victoria"... or "It was all over the news, they found his DNA, proved who did it, didn't you know?"

I would be interested to hear if other ripperologists have had similar experiences with "normal people"

Hi Azarna
great idea for a post! I too would probably pick-who was JTR?-if asked to have any historical mystery solved. it would be in top five at least!

I think anyone who has done a modicum of reading up/learning about the ripper case knows its still unsolved.

funny enough a few years ago i was chatting with my brother about JTR (hes very smart and knows about alot of stuff-but only passing knowledge of the ripper) and he said-"oh I thought it was solved a few years after the murders stopped-it was a crazy jew, who they threw in an asylum wasnt it?." lol obviously talking about Koz.I set him straight. but I think most people think its still unsolved, I think.

somewhat related, Im amazed as I get older I find many people who think Sherlock Holmes was real and or Jack the Ripper is fiction.

[FISHY1118]

A little while ago, someone posted a question on Reddit - "If you could know the truth about any event in history, what would it be?"

I replied, "Who committed the Jack the Ripper and Whitechapel Murders." I am sure there are more important questions I would like answering, but hey ho.

Within minutes, people started responding to this. Lots of people. Both in the original thread, and via private message.

Quite a lot of them were along the lines of "Oh, that has been solved, they found DNA!" or "It was a member of the royal family, I saw a documentary."

In fact, I was quite surprised at how many such comments it garnered.

And of those saying it was already solved, the "DNA" and the "royal conspiracy" were always mentioned. (There was also a lone "I read a book by Patricia Cornwall, she proved who did it")

Does the public in general believe that the mystery is solved? Clearly, news of the infamous DNA reached a lot of people, but not the news that the comparison results etc were the very opposite of conclusive.

I know the royal conspiracy has been the plot of a few popular films and tv series, but I am surprised that it is still seen as the definitive answer for a lot of people. Especially as it is the easiest to disprove - royal personages have their every move documented. And can't be in Whitechapel doing some murderin' when they are with loads of people elsewhere.

I don't discuss JTR with people very often (funnily enough, it rarely comes up in everyday conversations). But when I have, I have always had similar responses, "Oh, that has been solved already, I read this book, it was some relative of Queen Victoria"... or "It was all over the news, they found his DNA, proved who did it, didn't you know?"

I would be interested to hear if other ripperologists have had similar experiences with "normal people"

Without realizing it ,with just one paragraph you just joined the general public your speaking of.

[Enigma]

I too would include the Ripper murders in a short list of historical mysteries I would like to see solved. It is right up there with the princes in the Tower. From personal experience I have not encountered anybody who thinks JtR's identity is definitively known.

[Al Bundy's Eyes]

Hi Azarna
great idea for a post! I too would probably pick-who was JTR?-if asked to have any historical mystery solved. it would be in top five at least!

I think this deserves another run out...

https://forum.casebook.org/forum/social-chat/other-mysteries/11131-if-you-could-solve-any-non-jtr-mystery-which-would-it-be?p=614735#post614735

[Harry D]

A little while ago, someone posted a question on Reddit - "If you could know the truth about any event in history, what would it be?"

I replied, "Who committed the Jack the Ripper and Whitechapel Murders." I am sure there are more important questions I would like answering, but hey ho.

Within minutes, people started responding to this. Lots of people. Both in the original thread, and via private message.

Quite a lot of them were along the lines of "Oh, that has been solved, they found DNA!" or "It was a member of the royal family, I saw a documentary."

In fact, I was quite surprised at how many such comments it garnered.

You mistake was paying attention to Reddit

Most of those posters were probably normies whose Ripper knowledge comes from whatever suspect is flavour of the week.

There is too much inconclusive data and conflicting opinions to close the Ripper case. "Kosminski" was incriminated by three senior police officials, two of which claim he was positively identified, but the identification is mired in controversy, and we don't know how much Anderson & co. were blinded by prejudices and primitive criminology in their deductions. The forensics aren't worth the shawl they were wiped on to be honest.

[Azarna]

*chuckles* I keep my Reddit browsing to a select group of subreddits. I am far too big a chicken to brave many of the dark area of that site.

[Juniper4576]

Any thoughts on that Abberline knew who it was and was silenced?

[DJA]

Any thoughts on that Abberline knew who it was and was silenced?

Absolutely no doubt about that!

Doubt that the Ripper's identity was a secret in certain circles.Very well connected with a history of illegal sexual activity.

[Juniper4576]

Absolutely no doubt about that!

Doubt that the Ripper's identity was a secret in certain circles.Very well connected with a history of illegal sexual activity.

I am also thinking that Warren and all above him knew; Abberline sniffed out JtR, and Warren was the one to keep him in his box...using his history of drink as an excuse.

I also find it suspect that Warren resigned after the Kelly murder, and seems to be a case of "I've done my part in this and now I'm out of it". Thoughts Dave?

[DJA]

Go back to 1885.

[Aethelwulf]

Absolutely no doubt about that!

Doubt that the Ripper's identity was a secret in certain circles.Very well connected with a history of illegal sexual activity.

Come on then - let's have the 'evidence'.

[DJA]

I was attempting to find the time until you turned up again

[Aethelwulf]

I was attempting to find the time until you turned up again

I interpret that as meaning there isn't any, even decent circumstantial.