So what did Parr know?

[Boggles]

Not the detective, the journalist

Spring 1908 - EA Parr makes enquires to the secretry state of scotland, asking if they have any knowledge of William Burys involvment in the Ripper crimes.

They reply stating they do not (which is fair enough)

What is of interest to me is that Parr appears to have built up a lot of information on William Bury. A lot of people who knew him would have still been alive. He may well have interviewed these people.

He mentions the ex-hangman Berry. There is a lot of discussion regarding the authenticity of Berry's statment in another thread and which i dont want to get into, maybe its true maybe its not. Whatever. What is of interest is what else did he find out?

Does anyone have any information on this?

[Boggles]

second follow letter - further information has come to light

[Boggles]

Summary of the Reply from S o S scotland

[Boggles]

just rehashing this one again because i think it is a hot line of enquiery.

Parr knew something - possibly something we dont.

Does anyone have any idea how/if we can go about finding any reports this man Parr has written on Bury if they exisit. How do we find which newspaper he worked for for a start??? Anyone interested in researching this?

[Roy Corduroy]

Thank you for sharing the letters, Boggles.

1881 household census (click) Ernest Parr was 8 years old, born 1873 Stowmarket, Suffolk. Living with his parents and siblings in Kenninghall, Norfolk. Also found in the same program -

1901 he was 29 old living in Newmarket, Cambridgeshire, born Stowmarket.

1911 he was 39 still in Newmarket, same birthplace.

Bartholomew's Gazeteer of 1887 said Newmarket had only one newspaper. However - "This town is famed for its race-course, races, and horse-training establishments." Here's a thought - maybe he wrote about horse racing.

Roy

[DRoy]

Boggles,

I didn't interpret that Parr knew anything other than what was told in the papers. He didn't mention anything of signifigance or new.

I'd assume Parr is similar to all of us...an amateur wanna-be detective.

Cheers
DRoy

[Boggles]

Thanks Roy

Perhaps you are right and yet - there is that key sentence from the 2nd letter

''further details to hand since i first wrote certinaly point strongly to the criminal reffered to having had somthing to do with the crimes attributed to the ripper''

The difference between him and us is that he was investigating it at a time when the crimes were still in living memory of many people.

[arealdwarf]

E.A. Parr

Ernest A. Parr was a journalist/author (1901 Census) and a master printer, stationer, bookseller and journalist (1911 Census). He also published postcards, either as 'E.A. Parr Printer & Stationer, Palace Street, Newmarket' or 'Parr & Son, Palace St, Newmarket'. His father Alfred Parr was also a Newmarket printer.

Newmarket had at least three newspapers, the Newmarket Journal, the Newmarket Sporting News and the Newmarket Weekly News.

I inquired at the Newmarket Journal, they don't have any historical records regarding journalists who wrote for the papers. Their archives are on microfilm at the Suffolk Record office in Bury St Edmonds. I was told that in those days, few articles had bylines.

[Cogidubnus]

I only just spotted the posting from Arealdwarf...interesting background info

Thanks!

Dave

[Mrsperfect]

Roy

If Parr wrote for the Newmarket Sporting News, he may have heard something 'around the traps' about Bury. Bury went to the races with Ellen in Wolverhampton, so we know he was interested in horse racing.

I'm guessing the same type of people go to the races and perhaps a few rumours went around about Bury?

Just a though!

Eileen

[arealdwarf]

Ernest Alfred Parr

Parr died on November 11th 1918. According to an article in the Cambridge Independent News on November 22nd, reporting on the Newmarket (Cambs) Police Court:

"Mr. R. Bednall, the only solicitor in Court, said that before the business began he wished to refer to the loss they had sustained in the death of Mr. Ernest Parr , who had for many years sat at the reporter’s desk in that court, and whose death had occurred since the last session of that Court. His reports were always impartial. On behalf of the solicitors practising in that Court, he wished to tender their condolences to his widow and father and mother in their loss.
The Chairman: I am sure the court greatly regrets the unfortunate death of Mr Parr, and concurs with all you have said."

So Parr was a crime reporter!

[Penhalion]

I wonder if he was a victim of the Influenza Pandemic of 1918? He was only in his mid 40's.

[Boggles]

So Parr was a crime reporter!

Good work arealdwarf, keep it up :0