Druitt and the Civil Service

[Simon Wood]

Official Secrets Act

Hi Chris,

The Official Secrets Act 1911 is generally regarded as the first of its kind, but it was actually "An Act to re-enact the Official Secrets Act 1889 with amendments".

In 1888 a "Breach of Official Trust" Bill was presented to Parliament, designed to deal with embarrassing disclosures to the press by civil servants. This was re-drafted to include provisions designed to deal with spying, and became the Official Secrets Act 1889.

The 1889 Act criminalized the sharing, disclosure, or publication of government information by employees and former employees of the intelligence and security forces. The act also covered the disclosure of information by journalists. The Intelligence Bureau, under the recommendation of the Committee for Imperial Defense, lobbied Parliament for the legislation. The act also codified the gathering of evidence to try an individual on the crime of treason based on espionage or the purveying of sensitive information. Parliament hurried the bill to passage, but some dissenters noted failings in the act, especially that the act did not grant explicit powers to search someone on suspicion of illegal activity and did not address new advances in technology, such as photography.

Regards,

Simon

[Chris Scott]

Hi Simon
many thanks for the very full and helpful reply
Chris

[aspallek]

Would an administrator in the colonies be a civil service position or would that be a political appointment? Harry Wilson, for example, was an administrator in South Africa, I think regarding the railroads there. I this civil service?

It has been known for some time that Druitt's was a Third Class degree from Oxford. But the above list is very useful in that it shows that most graduates received Third Class degrees. Therefore, I presume a Third Class degree form Oxford was still quite prestigious. In fact, there are about as many Third Class degrees as First and Second combined and there are even some Fourth Class degrees (!). Perhaps someone could explain to this ignorant Yank what this terminology means. We do not have such ranked degrees in American universities. I presume it has something to do with what we here would call "grade point average."

[Natalie Severn]

Chris,
I am interested in the James Henry Connolly mentioned above and wonder whether you could check it out.Should he prove to have been related in any way to the famous James Connolly of about the same age it might be significant.
Interesting too that yet another of Druitt"s contemporaries from Winchester and Oxford,went on to become a "Home Rule"for Ireland supporter,and a political journalist,in 1888,working for Stead.There was also a coterie of like minded liberals around the radical MP,and Parnell supporter,Labouchere hoping to be able to expose Pigott"s forgery of the Parnell letters.
If Druitt was ever proven to have been pally with Edward Cook,it might also be important.
If we find that out we may begin to understand one of the reasons Druitt was fingered by Macnaghten.

[Robert]

Andy, never mind about the kind of degree. If you go to Oxford, flunk your exams and leave after two years, you are still sitting pretty.

[John Savage]

Hi All,

A couple of years ago whilst searching through old copies of my local newspaper I remember coming across a small advertisement in the classified sections, which offered evening classes to those wishing to take the civil service examination. The class seemed open to anyone with a reasonable education and appeared to be a "crammer" for those hoping to get a job in the civil service. The date of this advertisement was about 1880, but as I am away from home at the moment I cannot look up my old newspaper clippings.

Rgds
John

[Sam Flynn]

Hi John

I remember coming across a small advertisement in the classified sections, which offered evening classes to those wishing to take the civil service examination. The class seemed open to anyone with a reasonable education and appeared to be a "crammer" for those hoping to get a job in the civil service.

Having sat both the Cambridge University and the Civil Service entrance exams, I can honestly say that, whilst not as difficult or specialised, I found the latter surprisingly similar to the former in terms of their ability to fry one's mind - much more taxing than "A" Levels in my experience.

[Natalie Severn]

...you doing a spot of boasting here Sam?

[Sam Flynn]

...you doing a spot of boasting here Sam?

Not really - I only passed 2 papers out of 3. Chemistry and biology were OK, but the physics exam was a total nightmare.

I should add that I didn't get into Cambridge either. Instead, I had to settle for the University of London - which wasn't such a bad consolation prize in hindsight.

[Natalie Severn]

I was just teasing....... anyway it was the civil service"s loss and London"s gain I bet.Far cooler than Cambridge anyway Sam,where most of them have been to a crammer prep school paid for by mummy and daddy....so that largely less able students than those at London can get "mis"educated about their superiority .....

[Sam Flynn]

Far cooler than Cambridge anyway Sam,where most of them have been to a crammer prep school paid for by mummy and daddy....

You're telling me, Nats! After my interview there (the first interview I'd eve had, and an unmitigated disaster), I was about to descend the cramped, mediæval staircase outside the admissions tutor's study, only to be met on the landing by the next interviewee. He was a teenage Etonian type (black suit and umbrella - you get the picture) who doffed his hat (!!!) and, with a deep bow in the direction of his to-be inquisitor, intoned in a plummy voice: "Good moooorning, sir". I thought to myself: "I bet that swine gets in!"

Not that I'm bitter

[Chris Scott]

Hi Natalie
I had a look for James Henry Connolly but have not so far found anything of note
Regards
Chris

[Natalie Severn]

Many Thanks Chris,
I am late so cant go into it any more just now.However,I am pretty sure he is not related to the James Connolly who was executed after the Easter Uprising,
Norma

[Johnr]

Hello Chris and Everyone,
Thank you very much Chris for unearthing the very informative article on Sir Edward Cook.
The prospect of someone contemporary with MJD being linked to a London newspaper which seemed very interested in the Ripper murders, holds great allure for me.
Wonder if Cook ever encountered Farquarson?
Probably wouldn't have liked him anyway, F. was a Conservative.
I also noticed the synchronisation of the Official Secrets Act with the Ripper murders. Felt sure the Royal conspiracists would have made a connection between the two.
Looking forward to more information about Druitt emerging.Making sure, ofcourse, that where it just says "Druitt" it is our MJD...
I am finding your research around the Fennians and the Ripper murders interesting to Natalie.
JOHN RUFFELS.

[aspallek]

If we find that out we may begin to understand one of the reasons Druitt was fingered by Macnaghten.

Actually, Nats, it would appear he was fingered by Farquharson.

I, too, think the potential connection with the Fenians is a must for further investigation and I encourage you to continue with this. I have tried to look into it but my knowlege of British history is much too vague and I get all muddled up with the unfamiliar names and parties.

What do we make of Druitt's association with this bunch (assuming it was Montague but it may have been James)?: