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I have just finished Beadle's JtR Unmasked, and was struck by something Ellen's sister said of Bury. He ' could write [in] several hands' p 228. Meaning of course, he was something of a forger.
Perhaps he was also practiced in subterfuge.
We have good descriptions of JrR from people who are unlikely to ever forget him. Ada Wilson, who saw him from 6 feet away demanding money in her home, he went on to knife her twice in the throat. Thankfully she survived.
J. Best and John Gardner who were eyeballing him in The Bricklayers Arms , as he sweet talked with Liz Stride. They were trying to goad him into a fight, the way that cowards do, in drink. JtR thought the better of it, and decided to leave with Liz instead. He and they were probably feet apart, they way that belligerent men are.
Ada Wilson says the man who tried to kill her had a fair moustache, while J Best and John Gardner inform us it was black. And these people had a marvellous view of the fiend.
How curious.
What then, are we so make of this, on page 131 his moustache is said to be black. At page 136 it’s brown. At page 144 and page 77 it is fair. While at page 184 it is carroty, meaning perhaps ginger.
Is JtR altering his whiskers/hair colour prior to an assault, in case he finds a suitable victim, and hence, wrong foot any witnesses ? He knew he would not always stumble upon an isolated victim, as we see at the Bricklayers Arms.
More subterfuge - we have discrepancy regarding his complexion too. We are told on p133, p124,p125 p134 and p 133 that it was dark. On p136, p144 and p77 that his complexion was fair. We are told by p184 that it was fresh, whatever that means. Is he using make up to alter his appearance ?
And there’s more. He is described as 25 years of age on p133. On p136 it is 30. Then 36 at p184. By p132 he is middle aged. Is he using make up to age himself prior to an assault , whitening his hair at the temples perhaps ? Maybe walking with a slight stoop, to make age seem plausible?
And here we read that his build was medium [Sugden p247]. Broad shouldered p136. Rather stout p132. Padding perhaps, or some other theatrical trickery ?
And here we read his height was reported as 5’ 7-8” on page p144 and p133. 5’5” on p136 &p183. A little taller than the deceased who was 5’0” on p124 &p125. So he appears to have grown several inches in as many months.
Perhaps he was a little self conscious about his height, and had made up shoes to add another 4-5”. Some short people do this, maybe JtR was one of them. This might of given the idea of disguise in the first place.
I think JtR was only too aware that a good description of him would lead to the scaffold. And he likely did resorted to all the above. It would explain partially why he did not go home immediately after an attack. He needed time in the killing zone disguised as just another East Ender,to conceal his mania/raving, as we have read, and also time to deal with his theatrical accoutrements, he did not need Ellen asking awkward questions.
This is for anyone from the Bury school. What do you think ?
Perhaps he was also practiced in subterfuge.
We have good descriptions of JrR from people who are unlikely to ever forget him. Ada Wilson, who saw him from 6 feet away demanding money in her home, he went on to knife her twice in the throat. Thankfully she survived.
J. Best and John Gardner who were eyeballing him in The Bricklayers Arms , as he sweet talked with Liz Stride. They were trying to goad him into a fight, the way that cowards do, in drink. JtR thought the better of it, and decided to leave with Liz instead. He and they were probably feet apart, they way that belligerent men are.
Ada Wilson says the man who tried to kill her had a fair moustache, while J Best and John Gardner inform us it was black. And these people had a marvellous view of the fiend.
How curious.
What then, are we so make of this, on page 131 his moustache is said to be black. At page 136 it’s brown. At page 144 and page 77 it is fair. While at page 184 it is carroty, meaning perhaps ginger.
Is JtR altering his whiskers/hair colour prior to an assault, in case he finds a suitable victim, and hence, wrong foot any witnesses ? He knew he would not always stumble upon an isolated victim, as we see at the Bricklayers Arms.
More subterfuge - we have discrepancy regarding his complexion too. We are told on p133, p124,p125 p134 and p 133 that it was dark. On p136, p144 and p77 that his complexion was fair. We are told by p184 that it was fresh, whatever that means. Is he using make up to alter his appearance ?
And there’s more. He is described as 25 years of age on p133. On p136 it is 30. Then 36 at p184. By p132 he is middle aged. Is he using make up to age himself prior to an assault , whitening his hair at the temples perhaps ? Maybe walking with a slight stoop, to make age seem plausible?
And here we read that his build was medium [Sugden p247]. Broad shouldered p136. Rather stout p132. Padding perhaps, or some other theatrical trickery ?
And here we read his height was reported as 5’ 7-8” on page p144 and p133. 5’5” on p136 &p183. A little taller than the deceased who was 5’0” on p124 &p125. So he appears to have grown several inches in as many months.
Perhaps he was a little self conscious about his height, and had made up shoes to add another 4-5”. Some short people do this, maybe JtR was one of them. This might of given the idea of disguise in the first place.
I think JtR was only too aware that a good description of him would lead to the scaffold. And he likely did resorted to all the above. It would explain partially why he did not go home immediately after an attack. He needed time in the killing zone disguised as just another East Ender,to conceal his mania/raving, as we have read, and also time to deal with his theatrical accoutrements, he did not need Ellen asking awkward questions.
This is for anyone from the Bury school. What do you think ?
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