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Who First Discovered The "West Of England Member" Article?

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  • Who First Discovered The "West Of England Member" Article?

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Jonathan H
    . But the 'West of England MP' story remains an elusive orphan.

    In my opinion it is the Rosetta Stone of the whole mystery, yet it is very difficult to locate who found it and when?

    I first saw it here, on the Boards in 2007, when Stewart referred to it as the likely source of Macnaghten's 'private information' and I was just gobsmacked by its implications -- if you could more directly link it to Druitt.

    You say, John, it might have been found in the 1970's??

    It does not appear in any secondary text until the 'A to Z' [which edition? Not the one I have seen] and in a narrative historical work not until 2009: in Evans and Connell's gem of a book on Reid.

    It does not appear in Begg's '--The Facts' [2004], nor Evans and Rumbelow's 'Scotland Yard Investigates' [2006] -- though in the latter masterwork there was arguably no need for it to appear.


    On the "Was Montague Druitt Jack the Ripper? " thread, Jonathan H raised the above question.

    So as not to lose it in the other germane discussions and mayhem on that thread, I thought I would scoop it out and plonk it here .

    I had thought a Ripperologist from the 1970's, Eric Hermes, might have located it originally, as his forte was quarrying in obscure provincial newspapers. Seeing he hailed from the West Counrty himself I felt he would be the likely candidate.

    John Savage thought so too. I was wrong. I have been right back through Hermes' correspondence to me from those times: Nothing.

    And I was also incorrect about it being in the 1993 A to Z.

    Then I thought, was it one of the Chrises? Chris who produces absolutely every fresh newspaper article or Census entry you've ever wanted... or Chris Philips who did some sterling textual detective work on Druitt a couple of years back?

    Can anybody throw a glimmer on this one?

    The only clue I can add is that I mentioned it in a post as far back as November 25 2003. And I was not its discoverer.


    JOHN RUFFELS.

  • #2
    Hi John
    It certainly wasn't one of mine:-)
    I have the 2005 CD of Casebook and I had a look on there.
    The earliest reference I can find is a post from Chris Phillips dated 14 Jan 2003 but this refers as the source to the 1996 edition of the A-Z. This post reads as follows:

    Author: Chris Phillips
    Tuesday, 14 January 2003 - 04:34 am
    Jack

    Yes - the G. R. Sims article from 22 January 1899 is available on this site.

    Apart from Griffiths' more guarded statement, the other one I know of, from Begg et al., "A-Z" (1996 edn):
    The Bristol Times and Mirror, 11 February 1891, reported an unnamed West of England MP declaring that the Ripper was the son of a surgeon and committed suicide on the night of the last murder.

    If that's correct it predates the Macnaghten memoranda by three years as well as describing Druitt more accurately as the "son of a surgeon" rather than as a doctor himself.


    I have the 1991 hardback copy of the A-Z and I have checked the Druitt article in that and there is no mention of the Bristol Times article, so this would suggest it came to light some time between 1991 and 1996.

    I have also just seen this in the post above:
    And I was also incorrect about it being in the 1993 A to Z.
    which would seem to narrow it down even more - i.e. some time between 1993 and 1996

    Just a final thought - I wondered if, going back this early, this may have been a transcription done by Adrian Phypers (Viper) who did so much valuable work on the setting up of the Press Reports project...
    Last edited by Chris Scott; 04-12-2010, 05:51 PM.

    Comment


    • #3
      Hello Chris,

      To help a little, I have all three versions of the A-Z, all paperback versions I might add.

      The first edition in paperback (1992) has, as you correctly state, no reference to this Bristol Times and Mirror article.

      However it IS in the 2nd edition, paperback, of 1994, as well as the third edition, paperback, (1996)

      So we can now narrow it down to between 1992 and 1994.

      best wishes

      Phil
      Chelsea FC. TRUE BLUE. 💙


      Justice for the 96 = achieved
      Accountability? ....

      Comment


      • #4
        Many thanks for that Phil

        Comment


        • #5
          I thought it was Andy Spallek who found it. He published an article in Ripperologist 88 about it.

          Rob

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Chris Scott View Post
            Many thanks for that Phil
            Hello Chris,

            You are most welcome.
            Just to check, had a look through David Abrahamsen's Murder and Madness, hardback 1992, and no reference there either.

            best wishes

            Phil
            Chelsea FC. TRUE BLUE. 💙


            Justice for the 96 = achieved
            Accountability? ....

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Rob Clack View Post
              I thought it was Andy Spallek who found it. He published an article in Ripperologist 88 about it.

              Rob
              Spot on Rob,
              Norma

              Comment


              • #8
                Hi Rob
                Andy's excellent article identified the MP in question as Farquharson but this was in 2008 and the finding of the article obviously predates that by at least 14 years as its appearance in the A-Z of 1994 makes plain
                regards
                Chris

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Chris Scott View Post
                  Hi Rob
                  Andy's excellent article identified the MP in question as Farquharson but this was in 2008 and the finding of the article obviously predates that by at least 14 years as its appearance in the A-Z of 1994 makes plain
                  regards
                  Chris
                  oops, my mistake.

                  Rob

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Rob Clack View Post
                    oops, my mistake.

                    Rob
                    Mine too...

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      For anyone wanting to get a copy of the article itself, this posting from a genealogy website (www.british-genealogy.com) may be of use:

                      The Bristol Times And Mirror
                      There appear to be microfilm copies of this newspaper in Bristol Central Reference Library. If you go to http://www.librarieswest.org.uk/ and do a title search in their catalogue, you will see they have film of the copies from 1865-1932.
                      Why not drop them an e-mail and see if they will take copies of the articles for you?


                      Fuller details at:
                      Last edited by Chris Scott; 04-12-2010, 08:34 PM.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Easy enough mistake to make I suppose. Andy's done a lot of great research on Druitt. My excuse anyway

                        Rob

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          The link in post #11 gives a time out message
                          The info I was linking to is below:
                          Attached Files

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Hello Chris,

                            I may be wrong here, but one book between 92-94 had a direct link to Druitt, namely

                            Jack the Ripper Revealed
                            a.k.a. Jack the Ripper Revealed and Revisited
                            John Wilding
                            1993.

                            I have not got a copy of this book so cannot tell you whether it mentions the article you mention. Perhaps somebody else has a copy and may know?

                            best wishes

                            Phil
                            Chelsea FC. TRUE BLUE. 💙


                            Justice for the 96 = achieved
                            Accountability? ....

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Hi Phil
                              I have the Wilding book and have just skimmed through the chapter on Druitt
                              I can see no mention of the Bristol article
                              Regards
                              Chris

                              Comment

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