Henry Richard Farquharson, MO

[aspallek]

A thread for discussion of Henry Richard Farquharson, the MP from West Dorset who said Jack the Ripper was "the son of a surgeon" who committed suicide right after the last murder.

Political postions (Daily News, 1 May 1884):

[aspallek]

More on HR Farquharson:

Born 1857, Brighton. Educated at Eton and Jesus College, Cambridge. Elected to Parliament in 1885 from West Dorset. Served as MP until death 1895 at sea while returning from his tea plantations in Ceylon. Residence: Tarrant Gunville, Dorset, six miles from Blandford and ten miles from Wimborne Minster.

Won Eton Steeplechase in 1875.
Voted against Gladstone's "disruption scheme" in 1886. (Not sure what that was).

[aspallek]

The nature of his libel charge (Bristol Mercury and Daily Post, 17 June 1893):

[aspallek]

More (Aberdeen Weekly Journal, 17 June 1893):

[aspallek]

Birmingham Daily Post, 20 June 1893:

[Chris George]

Hello Andy

I find it very interesting how the case of alleged libel and slander brought against Henry Richard Farquharson by his recent political rival Charles T. Gatty relates both to your contention in your article in the February issue of Ripperologist that Farquharson had a reputation for speaking out of turn, and therefore, as we think, being involved in speaking publicly about Druitt's suicide as linking the late Dorset man to the Ripper case, and to Druitt being sacked as a teacher from Mr. Valentine's school at Blackheath -- the subject of Gatty vs Farquharson being a rumor that Gatty was dismissed as a pupil from Charterhouse School for "a grave offence" or "an offence against purity."

Chris

[Robert]

Name: Henry Richard. Farquharson
College: JESUS
Entered: Michs. 1875
Born: 29 May 1857
Died: 19 Apr 1895
More Information: Adm pens. (age 18) at JESUS, Oct. 1, 1875. S. of Henry James, Esq., of Langton St Leonards, Blandford. B. May 29, 1857, at Brighton. Schools [Marlborough (1870) and] Eton. Matric. Michs. 1875. M.P. for West Dorset, Dec. 3, 1885-95. C. T. Gatty, his opponent at the General Election in July, 1892, obtained a verdict for £5000 against him in action for libel and slander, June 18, 1893; the Court of Appeal reduced damages to £2500, July 20, 1893. Of Eastbury Park, Blandford, Dorset. Died Apr. 19, 1895, in The Red Sea, on a voyage home from Colombo. Father of Henry F. W. (above). (Marlborough Coll. Reg.; Eton Sch. Lists; Burke, L.G.; Boase, v. 272.)

[Natalie Severn]

Hi Andy,
I seem to be having trouble posting and have just lost a long reply I wrote on the subject of this MP and his interest in "outing"his adversaries.Will have to inform the admin of my difficulties.Anyway----great finds and many congrats!Will get back here soon-a very interesting thread.
Natalie

[aspallek]

Thank you, Nats. The quest continues. Anyone with Farquharson information feel free either to send it along to me or post it here -- or publish it yourself, for that matter!

[aspallek]

Addendum to the above^^^:

When I said "...or publish it yourself..." I did not mean that to be sarcastic. It's just an invitation for anyone to join in the "fun." I may have found him, but Farquharson is fair game for anyone!

[Natalie Severn]

hi Andy,
I intended to return to this thread yesterday, but I lost some of the notes I had made when I read about him.
The court case casts some light on this Farqharson"s character, in my view, and I suspect that if he played dirty like that as a politician, his word can be taken with a pinch of salt.
But then why select Druitt? Maybe he got wind that he too "had been required to leave a school due to acts of "impurity"?
A find of blood stained clothing could have been the result of a prior failed suicide attempt----it need not have indicated he was the Whitechapel murderer.It could have been due to lots of things.
But finding out who it was is a great step forward,even if we cant be convinced by what the man claimed.
No trip this year Andy?
Best
Natalie

[aspallek]

Hi Nats,

This year's trip is in the negotiation stages. I have a possibility of filling in for a few weeks at a church down near Bromley (Petts Wood, actually) late this summer. I've put all my eggs in that basket and postponed my usual spring trip on the gamble that this summer sabbatical will work out for me. In 21 years, I've not had a sabbatical even though a short one is recommended every 6.

Good points about Farquharson. I uncovered the nature of Farquharson's libel case after I'd written the article for Rip. It is interesting, though. Did he have it in for Druitt? Who was going to make "a clean breast" of it, Valentine? Why did he wrongly think Druitt committed suicide the night of the last murder? I've thought the bloodstained clothes were just a bit of journalistic sensationalism, but who knows?

[Johnr]

More On H.R.Farquharson And His Dogs

Hello Andy And All,
Someone mentioned Henry R Farquharson's interest in breeding Newfoundland
dogs.He owned the Cruffts Champion.
Below is a cut & paste extract from a local historian(Milton Wright(?)) on HRF and Eastbury house, Gunville from the 'Net.
Apparently HRF's father James John Farquharson was a "well-known sportsman" .
The link for this item is:
<< http://www.dorset-opc.com/TarrantFiles/T.Gunville/TarrantGunville%20History.html>>

" We return to Eastbury House for our next tale from the late 19th century. Henry Richard Farquharson was a fanatical breeder of Newfoundland dogs and had a pack of one hundred and twenty five. Two kennel lads had the job of exercising the dogs, one taking the fifty bitches and the other taking the seventy-five dogs. Both new it was essential to keep the two groups well apart and they had separate route plans, one going out towards Chettle and the other towards Blandford. Unfortunately someone made a terrible mistake and the two groups came face to face on Chettle Down. The dogs, built like St. Bernard, started fighting and there was a catastrophic battle in which forty-five dogs were either killed outright or had to be put down. The two kennel lads were almost killed as well - not by the dogs but by Farquharson who had a remarkably quick temper. The pack had been built up over 25 years and at that time was very unusual in this country. Farquharson had brought them in through Poole port thanks to its trade links with Newfoundland and one of his dogs was to become a Cruft's Champion."
JOHN RUFFELS.

[aspallek]

Thanks, John. I saw that one, too. That's my basis for saying he was known to act, and presumably talk, without first thinking.

[Chris Scott]

Here is his obituary from The Times
24 April 1895