The records from Stone Asylum for Joseph Fleming - transcription

[richardnunweek]

Hi,
The height refered to with the weight refered to, especially at the lowest mark, would refer to a person extremely underweight, but of course that is possible given his condition, however two points spring to mind.
If that description is an accurate one, then his sheer size would make him one of the strangest candidates for JTR.
Also the records would have his age on admittance as 37 years, which would differ from what was always assumed was the actual Fleming which was also the son of a woman with the same name.
In other words, it does appear unlikely that this Fleming ,alias James Evans was the ex lover of Miss kelly.
I would however love him to be actually 6.7'', as I know that grave scene at leytonstone cemetary has been much discussed, but I have always said the male figure nearest the grave was of great size, and if one takes a description apparently refering to Father Colombran' A giant of a man' the question arises was the man that was being refered to, one Joseph Fleming.?
Regards Richard.

[Supe]

Fish and Sam,

There you guys go again--everything is sexual. I mean, "cocoanut" was a popular slang term for the head so maybe his "shying" just indicated a desire to remove a head from the body, which in fact Jack attempted in several cases. And has anyone considered that he may well have gone "conkernut shying" with the doc, who was only covering up his own mis-spent days by calling Fleming delusional. In any case, his listed height gives a new twist on the "Jack and the Beanstalk" legend.

Don.

[George Hutchinson]

That weight thing at 11 stone could also be 16 stone, y'know. It probably isn't but thought I should throw it in.

This isn't really my field, but this is :



I knew I'd find a use for it one day!

It was sent to a staff member at the Kent County Asylum in Chartham on June 1st 1912. It reads : "What do you think of this? I don't think you have had one before. I finished my job aboard ship. Had a nice time amongst the boys of board. The Captain gave me half a crown when I came away today. Shall be down next week if fine. Love M G J"

PHILIP

[Ben]

Many thanks for this excellent info, Chris and Rob.

Great work!

[Robert]

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=5c-D35DRPbY

[Sam Flynn]

I've seen loopier psychobabble being used to build a "case" for some suspects, Fish - so, why not?

[Fisherman]

Nuts! Of course, Sam - that would be the connection: He was post-castrating himself mentally! How could I miss that?

Fisherman

[Sam Flynn]

Thanks for that [info on coconut shies], Chris! Canīt read any much psychology connected to throatcutting and eviscerating into that one, can we?

Oh, I dunno, Fish. Any man obsessed with throwing missiles at nuts has to have a sexual problem lurking somewhere under the surface

[Sam Flynn]

Semilunar scar of left temple

... perhaps he got that banging his 6'7" head on the arched entrance to Miller's Court

Thanks for this great information, by the way, Chris and Rob both.

[Fisherman]

Thanks for that, Chris! Canīt read any much psychology connected to throatcutting and eviscerating into that one, can we?

6 ft 7, that would equal about 201 centimetres, by the way ...

The best,
Fisherman

[Chris Scott]

On the basis that another possible reading of the problematic height could be 6 ft 1 inch, I am posting below the weight entry in the same hand showing how he formed his figure 1
Chris

[Chris Scott]

Hi Fisherman
A coconut (the modern spelling) shy was a popular game at funfairs where coconuts were balanced on wooden poles with cups at the top and the object was to knock them off with wooden balls.

[Fisherman]

That does not look as the figure 5 to me, I have to say!

Fisherman

[Chris Scott]

Hi Richard
Re: the "sic" this is just a straight transcription for folks to refer to
The original is below
Regards
Chris

[richardnunweek]

Hi,
What a fascinating account, two questions must spring to mind.
I do not observe the sic, after 6'7''
And if his height was infact 5'7'' then as his weight varied around the 11stone 7lb-11-10lb, one could say that would be classed as stockily built in 1888, he may have been even heavier before committed.
Regards Richard.