Robert Beadshaw

[Uncle Jack]

Emma Bradshaw was murdered by her "husband". He cut her throat and mutilated her with various stabs. His name was Robert Beadshaw and he was nicknamed 'Mad Bradshaw'. Apparently he acted unusual and was a violent man. He often went out at night "with a parcel in his hand".

Anyone got any more info on this interesting character?

From Old Bailey Online - http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/brows...-622#highlight

[m_w_r]

Hi Adam -

A couple of things here. Did you ever stop to wonder why Emma Bradshaw was married to a chap named Beadshaw? Or why Beadshaw's nickname was "Mad Bradshaw"? Seems counter-intuitive? The unsurprising answer is that he was called Bradshaw all along. With Old Bailey Online, which is a marvellous resource, it's always worth checking the original images, displayed in clickable thumbnails on the right of the screen, which are transliterated for the purposes of populating the searchable database on the web by computer jiggery-pokery, and not by humans. When the computer misreads something, no-one's around to put it right. Rest assured that your man's a Bradshaw.

Regards,

Mark

[Uncle Jack]

Good points Mark. But whatever the name, my intention was to highlight the vicious murder that the man committed and the similarities of it to the Ripper killings. It was known in those days (correct me if I am wrong) that sometimes women would refer to men as their husband despite legally not being married. I thought this may have been the case here but I was obviously wrong, as you point out. Robert Bradshaw had a similar method of cutting the throat of his wife to that of the Ripper.

[m_w_r]

I'm ok with all of this, Adam, apart from the fact that there's really very little to suggest similarity with the Whitechapel murders. I'm not an expert in this area, and I'm sure someone else will come along to advise us, but I think the idea that JtR might have cut his victim's throats (like Bradshaw) from "before", ie, the front, is unpopular. Also, Bradshaw made holes in his wife's trunk by stabbing her with a file, creating puncture wounds, not incisions.

Regards,

Mark

[Uncle Jack]

He also committed the murder in July 1891, five months after the last Whitechapel murder of Coles.

Also, Bradshaw made holes in his wife's trunk by stabbing her with a file, creating puncture wounds, not incisions.

Personally I choose not to stick to any sort of "rules" and don't automatically rule out someone as a Ripper victim just because they were not ripped open. Ripped, cut or stabbed, it is still of interest. McKenzie didn't have her abdomen ripped open but should we automatically rule her out as a victim because of this? It would be silly to in my opinion.

I'm not saying that I believe Bradshaw was the Ripper but herewe have a killer who cut the throat deeply, mutilated the abdomen and was relatively close to the murders. He is worth looking into some more at the very least.

[Chris Scott]

This appears to be the couple in question but there are various anomalies. In the 1861 census Bradshaw's name is given as George Robert. In the 1891 census his age is given as 50, in early reports of his arrest later the same year he is said to be aged 54 and at the time of his execution in August 1891 his age is given as 56
I am attaching an account of his execution as printed in Jackson's Oxford Journal of August 22 1891


Robert Bradshaw

Marriage:
1859 East London
Robert Bradshaw married Emma Lloyd

1861 Census
9 St Thomas Place, Finsbury
Head: George Robert Bradshaw aged 21 born Cripplegate - Dock labourer
Wife: Emma Bradshaw aged 20 born Blackfriars - Parasol maker


1871 Census
2 Pauls Alley, Cripplegate
Head: Robert Bradshaw aged 31 - Porter
Wife: Emma Bradshaw aged 30
Children:
Emma aged 8
James aged 6
Robert aged 4
All born in City of London


1881 Census
12 Hargreave Square, Bermondsey
Head: Robert Bradshaw aged 40 born Cripplegate - Labourer
Wife: Emma Bradshaw aged 40 born Farringdon Street
Children:
Emma aged 18 born St Lukes - Domestic work
James aged 16 born Cripplegate - Errand boy
Robert aged 14 born Cripplegate - Errand boy
Walter aged 10 born Cripplegate
Alfred aged 8 born Cripplegate
Maria aged 5 born St Brides
Samuel aged 3 months born Bermondsey



1891 Census
8 Victoria Place, Bermondsey
Head: Robert Bradshaw aged 50 born Cripplegate - Dock labourer
Wife: Emma Bradshaw aged 50 born Cripplegate - Umbrella maker
Children:
Robert aged 23 - Furrier
Walter aged 19 - Carman
Alfred aged 17 - Carman
Maria aged 15 - Umbrella maker
Samuel aged 10
All children born in Cripplegate

Death of Emma Bradshaw:
Name: Emma Ann Bradshaw
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1841
Year of Registration: 1891
Quarter of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep
Age at Death: 50
District: St Olave Southwark (1837-1901)
County: London, Surrey

[halomanuk]

What a charming chap.
Leaving a whole family behind him as well.

[Uncle Jack]

Great stuff Chris.

It does seem unlikely that a serial killer would murder his wife after a series of brutal killings but then again, I am not really an expert on serial killers. I will have to have a search for any serial murderers that killed their wife. Still, it is highly unlikely that "Mad Bradshaw" is Jack but I thought he would be of some interest of those who are of the opinion that a 'plain, ordinary looking man' was the Ripper.

[Brenda]

Well, he certainly had an uncontrollable anger management problem, which is a good reason to pause and at least contemplate this crime. I am also of the school of thought that Jack may not have committed crimes the same way every single time. But at the very least, these "peripheral" cases are very interesting unto themselves, just like the "John Gill" thread.

[Uncle Jack]

Good point Brenda. These cases are fascinating by themselves.