Dr Septimus Swyer + proviso

[MrBarnett]

In 1881, Swyer risked losing his position as a medical officer of the Whitechapel Union because he was no longer resident in the district. He had moved to Islington, and as a result it was considered that he was no longer qualified to fill the role. In his defence, Swyer claimed that he had relocated to Islington because his residence in Brick Lane was too small for his family.

The family in question was Hannah Markin, the woman he had ‘married’ while her husband was still alive, and her children by that husband. She claimed she was a widow and was unaware that her husband was living. At the Old Bailey, she was acquitted of the charge of bigamy.

However, Hannah was from an East End Jewish family and Swyer had lived in the East End since at least 1863 - and yet they married in Islington in 1880. Had they moved to Islington prior to marrying in anticipation of not having sufficient room for their family? If so, why Islington? Were there no suitable houses to be had in Whitechapel?

Or could there have been another reason? Their bigamous union would have been far less likely to have been discovered in Islington, one imagines. Call me suspicious...

[rjpalmer]

Didn't have an Astrakhan coat as well did he?

Well, if you want to head in that direction, he was studied as an OB/GYN.

[Al Bundy's Eyes]

Local in the area, familiar, had seen off a gang of "roughs" in 1886, explains why Astrakhan man was slumming it with impunity. And with a name like Septimus, he's just asking for a cryptic tie in somewhere.

Joking aside, he sounds a fascinating character.

[jerryd]

Baltimore Daily Record
August 1, 1893



Baltimore Sun
August 1, 1893

[jerryd]

Gary,

This is part of an article regarding the attack on Sara Schwartz. Marks Rubenstein (mentioned in the article) was the brother in law of Philip Lipski. The same Philip Lipski in the Israel Lipski case that lived on Batty Street. Rubenstein was an agitator and involved in the Hebrew Dramatic Club. Years ago I posted about the Spitalfields Disaster at the Hebrew Dramatic Club.(https://www.jtrforums.com/showthread...=attack+lipski). In this thread I wondered if Israel Schwartz may have been a part time actor in this club? Still looking for proof on that, but, maybe Sara Schwartz might be part of that proof?

[MrBarnett]

Thanks, Jerry. I’m coming at this from the connection to Dr Killeen and 68, Brick Lane, but these wider connections are very interesting.

I wonder if the fact that Swyer married a Jewish woman explains why the victim was taken to him? Perhaps he acquired a number of Jewish patients through his wife’s family/friends.

[Al Bundy's Eyes]

In this thread I wondered if Israel Schwartz may have been a part time actor in this club? Still looking for proof on that, but, maybe Sara Schwartz might be part of that proof?

I always found that description of Isreal Schwartz as "theatrical" curious.

[jerryd]

Thanks, Jerry. I’m coming at this from the connection to Dr Killeen and 68, Brick Lane, but these wider connections are very interesting.

I wonder if the fact that Swyer married a Jewish woman explains why the victim was taken to him? Perhaps he acquired a number of Jewish patients through his wife’s family/friends.

Gotcha, Gary. I am not familiar enough with him to know the answer.

[jerryd]

I always found that description of Isreal Schwartz as "theatrical" curious.

Me too, Al.

[rjpalmer]

It's interesting that the one website has Swyer's assistant in Detroit listed as Joseph Aarons, MD., which raises the specter that he is somehow related to Swyer's 2nd (Jewish) wife, Hannah (Markin) Aarons. It could explain Swyer's wanderings in the U.S. after leaving London. Maybe it was one of those not-too-rare cases where the stepchildren and in-laws of wife #2 began to take preference over Swyer's own children from Wife #1, but this is conjecture, of course.

That said, Dr. Joseph Aarons of Detroit does have a London connection. He is described as having been a newsboy in London. (See below, from Detroit Free Press, 1912), which might help trace him.

There is, of course, also Mr. Joseph Aarons, the treasurer of George Lusk's Vigilance Committee in Mile-End, but I'm not suggesting another connection to Hannah (!), there must be a limit to the conspiracy.



Additional note: provided he didn't mean London, Ontario, which isn't too far from Detroit. I haven't had a chance to find him in the US census yet.

[rjpalmer]

There is also an article about Dr. Aarons speaking at a Detroit meeting of a Slavic organization, so his family may have been from the Balkans.

[Al Bundy's Eyes]

Hi RJ,

That article from Detroit 1912, what's it about, what merited Dr Aaron's applause?

Also, I take the article as meaning he spoke about the life of a newsboy, not of being one himself, but maybe the full article helps explain?

This Swyer chap though, he's got great potential for any budding fiction writers. Astrakhan's, Jewish connections, Lusk, America, Surgical knowledge, lived on Brick Lane. Hmm. Anyone got the number for the History Channel? We're overdue a suspect 'documentary'.

[rjpalmer]

If it's the same bloke, Aarons birthplace appears to have been 'England' around 1865/6.

[rjpalmer]

This Swyer chap though, he's got great potential for any budding fiction writers. Astrakhan's, Jewish connections, Lusk, America, Surgical knowledge, lived on Brick Lane. Hmm. Anyone got the number for the History Channel? We're overdue a suspect 'documentary'.

Maybe we could have a séance, get Aarons to act as our spirit guide, and quiz him about Swyer.

[seanr]

I hadn't noticed this thread before but I just had a bit of a double take. I was pouring over old threads on Emma Smith, having recently realised from the Jack the Chipper thread how much Emma Smith's, Martha Tabram's and Polly Nichol's last steps over-lapped each-other in the area of St Mary's Church.

It seems Dr Swyer's mugging was discussed before in relation to Emma Smith, it took place in Osborn Street https://www.casebook.org/forum/messages/4921/6190.html