Broadmoor Archives finally open

[Stewart P Evans]

Nichols

Not one of the C5 was identified by the police as 'a known prostitute'.

At best they were all 'rumoured', 'supposed' or 'most likely to have been' prostitutes.

Regards,

Simon

MEPO 3/140 f238



A/Superintendent W Davis 7 Sept 1888.

[Mascara & Paranoia]

Generally? Because, like you said yourself previously, they were people too! Prostitution was just a way of earning money when things got too tough.

Why are you being so awkward for the sake of it?

[Cap'n Jack]

I don't consider Elizabeth Stride to have been the victim of a serial killer active in 1888 in the East End of London.

Generally, why would a prostitute pick hops in Kent?
Generally, why would a prostitute clean rooms at a common lodging house?
Generally, why would a prostitute take washing and sewing in?

[Mascara & Paranoia]

Oh, this is just daft now.

Of course they were prosititutes, and it's obvious to me that Jack gained their trust by pretending to be a client before showing his true colours and doing his thing.

[Chris]

Not one of the C5 was identified by the police as 'a known prostitute'.

But what I'm asking is whether you are suggesting that they weren't prostitutes.

[Stewart P Evans]

Stride

Not one of the C5 was identified by the police as 'a known prostitute'.
At best they were all 'rumoured', 'supposed' or 'most likely to have been' prostitutes.
Regards,
Simon

HO 144/221/A49301C f154



Chief Inspector D S Swanson 19 October 1888.

[Natalie Severn]

Its one thing to understand they may have had no choice but to sell themselves for sex,but I think all the signs are that one and all turned a few tricks---and I very much doubt they were "posing" !

[Robert]

Police descriptive forms for Nichols and Chapman had them as prostitutes.

[John Bennett]

Elizabeth Stride had been registered as a prostitute in Sweden in March 1865.
But that was there, not here, so our police were probably none-the-wiser.

[Simon Wood]

Hi Chris,

Not one of the C5 was identified by the police as 'a known prostitute'.

At best they were all 'rumoured', 'supposed' or 'most likely to have been' prostitutes.

Regards,

Simon

[Chris]

Not one of the C5 had a rap sheet for prostitution.

You're surely not suggesting that they weren't prostitutes?

[Simon Wood]

Quite right, AP,

Not one of the C5 had a rap sheet for prostitution.

Regards,

Simon

[Cap'n Jack]

Get real Captain..we know why they were there..stick to the facts'

Well, if my old memory serves me well, at least three of the victims were looking for a bed for the night, rather than a 'client'.
I know it suits the fevered imagination of many male posters on this site to imagine and portray the victims as wanton harlots ruthlessly combing the streets in search of male prey, but the fact of the matter is that they were cold, hungry and victims of abject povert with no other choice but to wander the streets in the hope of finding their 'doss' money.
It is much more possible to imagine women, reduced to these circumstances, as simply begging rather than selling their bodies; and this is very likely how the killer stumbled over the victims in most cases.
The prostitute with no desire for a sexual encounter, and the young middle class boy with money in his pocket, but also a knife in his concealed sheath - to protect himself you must understand.
I have never thought of any of the victims - apart from Mary Kelly that is - as being 'working' prostitutes, they were 'working' to stay alive using the little they had.
You boys want them to be prostitutes, and you want Jack to be a prostitute slayer.
That doesn't mean they were, and that doesn't mean he was.

[Jeff Leahy]

I was simply stating the bald fact that there is no evidence to indicate that the women killed were murdered by clients. In fact, in some cases, there is very little evidence to indicate that the women were even prostitutes.
You boys and your fantasy world.

So what were they doing on the night of the murders...wandering the streets selling raffle Tickets? out collecting the football pools? Looking for long lost lovers?

Perhaps they were walking the streets in search of Gold? yes thats it captin Jack the Streets were paved with gold and our poor victims were scratching the surface of the pavements inorder to dine on campaign?

Get real Captain..we know why they were there..stick to the facts

Pirate

[Sam Flynn]

He may 'ave done, Sam.
But he may have bumped into them in the queue for the privy.
What's your bet, Sam?

I agree with you, AP. My bet would be that the killer used a mixture of approaches to ensnare his victims and, although he may well have used the "posing-as-punter" tactic on more than one occasion, I'd be willing to have a flutter that this wasn't the only trick up his sleeve.