The real Crossingham's Timothy Donovan

[The Grave Maurice]

...I wonder, was Mary Kelly ruled out of the list of ripper victims by Don Rumbelow because his favourite suspect was thought to have died before November 1888, or because he just didn't believe Kelly was a ripper victim?

You raise a good point, Debra. I spoke with Donald only once about this topic, and I believe that we both had had a couple of glasses of wine at the time. My sense was that he had ruled out MJK because his favourite suspect was no longer around to commit the crime. Unfortunately, in vino is not always veritas but, sometimes, misunderstanding. It will be interesting to see if he comments on your discovery.

[miss marple]

Which ever one you order, Debs and if its not the right one, then it will certainly be the other one. The wrong one will clear up another T.D and might help with indentification on some of the earlier census entries There were so many criminal Donovans.
Cheers Miss Marple

[Debra A]

Thanks, GM.
Yes, very much alive for Miller's Court, but I wonder, was Mary Kelly ruled out of the list of ripper victims by Don Rumbelow because his favourite suspect was thought to have died before November 1888, or because he just didn't believe Kelly was a ripper victim?


Thanks for that Miss Marple.
There is also another one that could be his death, registered in Mile End Old Town, which is the registration district he was last known to live in, in 1891.

Timothy Donovan
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1867
Year of Registration: 1896
Quarter of Registration: Apr-May-Jun
Age at Death: 29
District: Mile End Old Town
County: London, Middlesex
Volume: 1c

I'm not sure which one to order now.

[miss marple]

donovan death

Debs, I found Timothy's death.

Timothy DONOVAN december 1899 age 33 Whitechapel Ic 205.
Cheers Miss Marple

[The Grave Maurice]

That's brilliant work, Debs. I imagine Rumbelow will be happy when he hears about it: his favourite suspect is now a possible candidate for the MJK murder.

[Debra A]

I have posted this information on another thread recently, but I wanted to start a new one as the old thread title wasn't really relevant, and I also want to ask for help again if anyone's up for it.

Whilst researching Timoth Donovan, I noticed that on the 1891 cenus there was a Timothy Donovan b c 1888 in Spitalfields. Interstingly, his father's name was also Timothy.As it was the first mention i'd seen of a man named Timothy Donovan, with a connection to the actual district of Spitalfields I decided to order the 1888 birth certificate.



Here are the details:



Registration District of Whitechapel, birth in the sub district of Spitalfields.


Thirteenth December 1887 at 35 Dorset street
Timothy, boy, father Timothy Donovan, Bricklayers labourer, mother Margaret Donovan formerly Dempsey.

Informant Margaret Donovan [her x mark] of 35 Dorset Street Spitalfields.
Registered 18th January 1888.



Here are the details of the family from the 1891 census:
71 Romford Street, Mile End Old Town
Timothy Donovan, head, 26, general labourer, b Essex, [Stratford?]
Margaret Donovan, wife, 26 b London, Whitechapel
Timothy Donovan, son, 3 b Spitalfields
John Donovan, son, 7m b Stepney

This rules out the 1903 wife murderer Timothy Donovan, who also appears on the 1891 census with wife Mary, at Sutton Street, as being the same person as crossingham's Timothy Donovan. It also obviously rules out the Timothy Donovan who died at Russel Court in 1888 and mentioned by Donald Rumbelow.



I have now also found the family in 1911, by this time Margaret was a widow:

Name Relation Condition/
Yrs married Sex Age Birth
Year Occupation Where Born

Address: 24 Cadiz St Stepney E
County: London


DONOVAN, Margaret Head Widow F 42 1869 London Stratford
DONOVAN, Timothy Son Single M 23 1888 Carman London Spitalfields
DONOVAN, John Son Single M 21 1890 Packing Case Maker London Commercial Road

I can't however find the family in the 1901 census, is anyone else able to at all? It would help narrow down Timothy's year of death if anyone could.

Thanks
Debs