Druitt Connection to the East End

[Mayerling]

Hi Chris, Andy, and everyone,

Listen - I sometimes jump too far but there were two or three names that cropped up in my mind while reading that biographical bit that Chris put in about the papers of Dr. Rober Druitt. It is nothing specific, but it is odd.

The least of it is the family of Tupper - that is married into the Druitts. I am just curious if by any chance these Tuppers are relatives of the Canadian political figure (High Commissioner in London for most of the late 19th Century, but also Prime Minister for 90 days in 1896) Sir Charles Tupper.
That's just a matter of curiosity, but I wish to add that Sir Charles, whom many hoped would lead the Tory Party in Canada after the death of Sir John MacDonald in 1891, did not do so because he had a reputation of being something of an elderly roue. As he loved living in London (that's why he accepted the High Commissionership) he probably enjoyed the East End as a place to find some pleasure. If so - and if he was related to Montague, perhaps he took him along.

Secondly a cryptic name cropped up - among the various medical correspondence of Dr. Druitt was one "R. Knox". Could this, by some chance, be Dr. Robert Knox of Edinburgh (of the Burke & Hare "West Port" Murders of 1827 - 1829). Even after the disgrace and exile from Edinburgh society that Knox faced, he still tried to keep his hand in on anatomy matters up to the time he died in London in 1862.

Finally, that quote about doctors from the book of photographs edited by Dr. William Tindal Robertson. More correctly, Sir William Tindal Robertson. An interesting man - he was totally blind in the 1880s (which makes one wonder why he was involved in a volume concerning photographs). In 1889 he died - he cut his throat. I have no reason to bring this up, but I did not figure that he would be involved with Dr. Robert Druitt.

Can anyone clarify any of these three points?

Jeff

[aspallek]

I'm afraid I can't answer Jeff's question.

On yesterday's Rippercast I asked Stephen Ryder about the Crawford letter, as he uncovered it, and about "Emily Druitt." Stephen confirmed that the Emily Druitt who worked for Quaritch was indeed the daughter of Jabez Druitt, who lived in the Mile End Road in the East End. Stephen also said that Jabez is from a completely different line of the Druitt family from that of Montague. However, we do know of at least two letters, written in 1888 and 1889, from Jabez to Montague Druitt's first cousin in Dorset. Although the familial relationship was distant, the two families were in correspondence at the approximate time of the WM.

Stephen also indicated that while the Crawford letter is undated, to the best of his memory is was found in a folder of materials relating to the late 1880's to 1890's.

[aspallek]

This one is speculative but as to why Montague Druitt might be attracted to the East End, this from East London by Walter Besant (1901), p. 313 in the section discussing Toynbee Hall and the People's Palace:

"Here is the finest gymnasium in London, and here are many clubs -- for foot-ball, cricket, and games of all kinds."

A bit of hyperbole, to be sure. Nevertheless, interesting.

[aspallek]

Toynbee Hall and environs, from Annual Report of the Universities' Settlement in East London (1890)

[Robert]

One has to bear in mind that apart from any humanitarian inclinations on the part of the graduates who worked there, Toynbee Hall may have become a centre for what I think is nowadays called "networking" - i.e. as more and more privileged people worked there, so it would have been more and more worthwhile for privileged people to work there in the hope of making contacts which might later prove useful.

Robert

[aspallek]

Yes, Robert, and all of this goes against the notion that there was absolutely no legitimate reason for a "gentleman" to be found in the East End. Here we have in the heart of Whitechapel such an attraction surrounded amply by rail transport (see above map diagram).

[Limehouse]

If Druitt is to be accepted as a serious suspect, I think it's quite important to establish whether he was at least familiar with the East End because the murderer quite clearly had sufficient knowledge of the area to escape quickly and disappear 'into the crowds' or at least into a nearby hide away. I do not believe that well-dressed, educated men were a rarity in the East End as the example of Toynbee Hall indicates.

I can't really say why, but I feel strongly that the murderer was a working class, or near working class local man who would not have looked at all out of place, who would have known the area, known how to engage the women and make them feel at ease and who would have had the strength and will power to carry out the crimes and escape swiftly.

[aspallek]

I thought this was a rather interesting find. There is a Theodore Druitt in the 1881 census at 25 Campbell Road Middlesex, born at Limehouse. This is near Jabez Druitt's residence. His occupation is listed as "mason" as was Jabez. His age is 32 and he is listed as the head of the household. It is apparently not Jabez's son because living with Theodore is his mother (presumably a widow), Helen Druitt, age 59. Jabez's wife was named Sophia. So Theodore might possibly have been a nephew to Jabez or almost certainly some relative.

The interesting thing is that Helen Druitt, Theordore's mother, is from Stepney. She would have been born around 1822. Finding Helen's late husband is a bit of a challenge. I am pretty sure it was Lanselot Henry Druitt who was married in Stepney in 1843. Unfortunately his bride is not traceable using free BMD but it would be a remarkable coincidence if it were not Helen. There is also a servant, Rosetta Chalkley from Stepney. I can find no record of Lanselot's death. Some sources give Jabez's birthplace as Stepney but the 1881 census simply says M E O T, i.e. Mile End Old Town I believe.

Also living with Theodore Druitt is his brother Earnest (sic) A. Druitt, born at Jersey, Channel Islands.