Montague John Druitt - New Headstone on grave

[ChrisGeorge]

Hi All

I believe Mr. Lucky is right that the "1" of "1888" is different on the marker today. It's straight up and down whereas the "1" on the inscription in the old photograph has a serif. If it is a new marker, the lettering otherwise is very similar and could be a good facsimile of the original grave marker. My friend Eduardo might be correct that the grave marker when photographed before was not marble.

Best regards

Chris

[Barnaby]

I'm afraid Abberline's grave is in Bournemouth while Druitt's is in Winbourne. Not the same place, is it?

Poor Abberline, he couldn't get near the Ripper even in death!

[Robert]

I have faith in Abberline. He is digging a tunnel.

[Captain Hook]

Hello Eduardo,

A thousand apologies. Brain slip deluxe. Thank you for pointing that out. Duh! (trying to do too many tyings at once..lol)

best wishes

Phil

Hello Phil,

Hey, I'm not that clever. I attended a Ripper Conference in Bournemouth some ten years ago which included a visit to Abberline's home and another to his grave. No Druitt grave, though. Obviously, my brain said, Druitt lies elsewhere. As simple as that.

Cheers,
Eduardo

[robhouse]

Well, in my opinion, this is the old grave marker cleaned up. I did a little photo comparison, and managed to superimpose the "New" marker over the original one (with the magic of Photoshop.)

In my opinion, the two are much too similar to be separate grave markers. The letters all seems to line up perfectly, they all use the same font etc. Look for example, how all the letters line up correctly with the letters in the lines below. This seesm like it would be very unlikely if it was a new grave. It would also be very difficult for a modern grave maker to match the old font so precisely.

I take Chris's input regarding the serif vs. sans-serif font on the "1". But in my opinion, either there is a very slight serif on the new marker, or the serif on the original "1" is just an illusion... some type of jpg marker, or shadow in the image.

I am attaching an image showing the original markers, and the superimposed images together.

Rob H

[Jonathan H]

Washington Post (Washington, D.C.)
4 June 1913

FATE OF JACK THE RIPPER
Retiring British Official Says Once Famous Criminal Committed Suicide
London Cable to the New York Tribune

The fact that "Jack the Ripper", the man who terrorized the East End of London by the murder of seven women during 1888, committed suicide, is now confirmed by Sir Melville Macnaughten, head of the criminal investigation department of Scotland Yard, who retired on Saturday after 24 years' service.

Sir Melville says:

"It is one of the greatest regrets of my life that "Jack the Ripper" committed suicide six months before I joined the force.

That remarkable man was one of the most fascinating of criminals. Of course, he was a maniac, but I have a very clear idea as to who he was and how he committed suicide, but that, with other secrets, will never be revealed by me."

What were Druitt's 'other secrets' which Macnaghten took to his own grave?


Montage John Druitt, the 'probable' Jack the Ripper, is a minor historical figure yet whose shadow, in popular culture, is long and lengthening. His two-and-a-bit years reign as England's most notorious criminal-maniac (he was deceased for most of it) might as well well have a headstone refurbished for the tourists.

[Nick Spring]

I'm not sure 'Tourists' is quite the right term, the only people who have heard of Montague John Druitt are those familiar with the Whitechapel Murders and have an interest on the subject.

Wimbourne Cemetary has a peaceful and restful atmosphere and certainly has no place for tourists.

It is intriguing that the grave marker has been refurbished. This must have been done very recently and makes one wonder why after all these years.

I personally hope he rests in peace irrespective of whether he was Jack the Ripper or not.

Nick

[caz]

I think if I had been related to Monty, and saw all the hundreds of identical posts springing up in recent months to resurrect the very weak case against him, and fashion a brand new one out of it, I might have wanted his headstone refurbished.

Jonathan, your final paragraph here, and reference to 'the tourists', was in poor taste. You may fondly imagine that Monty's shadow, in popular culture, is 'lengthening', but I suspect you have it the wrong way round. The more unpopular a ripper theory is, the more sympathetic will be the treatment of the suspect and his final resting place.

Love,

Caz
X

[Robert]

Strangely, at 2.30 in this clip, a dowager duchess is dragged from the Thames at Chiswick. Did Spike Milligan (and a gentleman) know something?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nyE1DFNmfY

[Chris Scott]

Hi Phil,

I'm afraid Abberline's grave is in Bournemouth while Druitt's is in Winbourne. Not the same place, is it?

Cheers
Eduardo

Hi Eduardo
The section on Abberline here on Casebook includes this:-
"1929 : Dec 10 - Died Age 86 at "Estcourt", 195 Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth. Buried at Wimbourne Cemetery, grave number Z259N. (This appears to have been in the same cemetery as Montague Druitt)."
I do not know the source of this info.

http://www.casebook.org/police_officials/po-abber.html

[Chris Scott]

I think i have found the source of this confusion:-
Druitt was buried in WIMBORNE cemetery
Abberline was buried in WIMBORNE ROAD cemetery in Bournemouth
They are about 10 miles apaprt
See:-

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=15017132

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

I have always believed that FGA and his wife were quietly buried in unmarked graves.

Who erected this grandiose monument?

Regards,

Simon

[Robert]

Simon

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/6269434.stm

[Chris Scott]

Hi All,

I have always believed that FGA and his wife were quietly buried in unmarked graves.

Who erected this grandiose monument?

Regards,

Simon

"Frederick George Abberline died in 1929 aged 86 at his home, "Estcourt", 195 Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth, and was buried in Bournemouth at Wimborne Road Cemetery. In 2007, following a campaign for Abberline's unmarked grave to be recognised, and with the approval of his surviving relatives, a black granite headstone, inscribed and donated by a local stonemason, was erected on the grave where Abberline and his second wife Emma are buried .[4] A blue plaque commemorating Abberline was unveiled at 195 Holdenhurst Road (now divided into flats) on 29 September 2001"

[Simon Wood]

Hi Robert,

Thank you.

Regards,

Simon