Assessing the case against W.H.Bury

[johns]

The Dundee flat graffiti as reproduced in both Macpherson and Beadle's books...

I would suggest that the "back of this door" graffiti looks to be in a more mature hand than the "sellar" graffiti..

[Lechmere]

I was in Bromley Public Hall today obtaining some certificates and made some observations that had a bearing on previous discussions here about overlapping place names.
Bromley Public Hall is currently the Register Office for Tower Hamlets and holds all the birth, death and marriage certificates for that borough and the boroughs that were merged into it. It can be found at Bow Road E3 3AA, on the south side near the Bow flyover (nearest tube station Bow Road - turn right on exit)

[Lechmere]

(I can only stick one picture per page!)
Inside are glass doors etched ‘Poplar Borough Council’ which was created in 1900 and incorporated most of what we would call Bow. Bromley Public Hall was used as council offices. In 1938 a new Poplar Town Hall was built on the other side of the road. The old one was on Poplar High Street in Poplar ‘proper’. When Poplar became part of Tower Hamlets in 1965, the Town Hall on Bow Road became known as Poplar Civic, but it is now a scruffy business centre. The photo of Bromley Public Hall above was taken with my back to Poplar Civic.

[Lechmere]

This area used to be in the Parish of Bromley St Leonard. Inside Bromley Public Hall are two large plaques commemorating the local benefactors of the poor.

[Lechmere]

They were erected in 1888...

[Lechmere]

But the area was also commonly known as Bromley-by-Bow as is seen in this inscription put up in 1929.

[curious]

The Dundee flat graffiti as reproduced in both Macpherson and Beadle's books...

I would suggest that the "back of this door" graffiti looks to be in a more mature hand than the "sellar" graffiti..

They do appear to be written in different hands -- and that's the opinion of someone who know NOTHING about such things. The R's are what appear most different to me.

On the other hand, when I'm extremely stressed or upset, my own handwriting varies drastically. so, who can say?

[curious]

They do appear to be written in different hands -- and that's the opinion of someone who know NOTHING about such things. The R's are what appear most different to me.

On the other hand, when I'm extremely stressed or upset, my own handwriting varies drastically. so, who can say?

Also, it would be interesting to know if they were written with the same material -- both chalk? Paint? what?

curious

[johns]

Also, it would be interesting to know if they were written with the same material -- both chalk? Paint? what?

curious

According to both Beadle and MacPherson's books, the 2 sets of graffiti in Dundee were chalked on.

MacPherson on page 190
Beadle on pages 248-249

[Wyatt Earp]

They do appear to be written in different hands -- and that's the opinion of someone who know NOTHING about such things. The R's are what appear most different to me.

On the other hand, when I'm extremely stressed or upset, my own handwriting varies drastically. so, who can say?

Ellen Bury's sister Margaret indicated that William Bury could write in "several hands." (Beadle, Jack the Ripper Unmasked, 2009, p.228).

[dag]

Sorry for the delay. Once I get in amongst my books, I'm gone. I invariably stumble across things that I forgot I owned and get distracted.

Anyway, it took me a while to find, but Macpherson (at pp. 30-31) quotes the Dundee Advertiser. Its account says, in part:

The back premises are led to by a dirty stair, at the foot of which on an old door is the following written in chalk - Jack Ripper [sic] is at the back of this door. At the back of this door, and just at the turn of the stair, there is the inscription - Jack Ripper is in this seller [sic]. The handwriting is apparently that of a boy and the authorities will probably attach little importance to it.

Sounds as though Hatchett is dead on the money.

Note to Macpherson's publishers (Mainstream Publishing): For heaven's sake, next time you produce a book, spend a bit more and hire an indexer.

I totally share your sentiments about publishers (and authors) ALWAYS engaging an indexer. But Ken - I remember I sent you a copy of my index to Macpherson's book, which would have enabled you to find the references to the graffiti at Princes Street in seconds ! (pages 31-32 , 190, 192).

I have a few copies remaining. If anyone wants a free copy, please send me a private message with your address. Euan did tell me that if his book ever gets re-published it will be with my index attached...

[Wyatt Earp]

I also wanted to mention that Bury was a known forger. It was therefore within his demonstrated range of behavior to have chalked these messages and made them appear as though schoolboys or someone else had written them. The Goulston Street graffito of course was described as having been written in a schoolboy hand.

[The Grave Maurice]

I totally share your sentiments about publishers (and authors) ALWAYS engaging an indexer. But Ken - I remember I sent you a copy of my index to Macpherson's book, which would have enabled you to find the references to the graffiti at Princes Street in seconds ! (pages 31-32 , 190, 192).

I have a few copies remaining. If anyone wants a free copy, please send me a private message with your address. Euan did tell me that if his book ever gets re-published it will be with my index attached...

Quite right, David. At the time I overlooked your excellent index, even though it was sitting on the shelf right next to Macpherson's book. Thanks again for sending it to me.

[paul g]

If the poice had taken photo's of the original east end grafitti, they could of compared it to the grafitti in Scotland, it may of been the breakthrough in the case, if Bury was our man.

[Wickerman]

I'd be very surprised if chalk writing on a wall would betray any idiosyncracies of handwriting.
When you write on paper it is generally your finger movements because the words are so small. Yet with chalk the characters are neccesarily larger requiring wrist movement while your fingers remain typically rigid.

Regards, Jon S.