McCarthy to Lechmere

[MrBarnett]

I am particularly intrigued by the possibility that Ellen’s son Thomas may be someone whose subsequent criminal career I have come across: a man who I believe went by the name of Tommy the Dip.

At one stage Tommy used the alias Thomas George Robinson, and in the 1850s an Irishman named Richard Robinson ran a brothel at 11, Palmer’s Folly.

In 1883 an Irishman named John Regan’s nose was ‘slit in half’ at 11, Palmer’s Folly. The address appears to have been a ‘bad house’ for several decades.

[MrBarnett]

TRD,

It would be useful to know how you believe EM was John McCarthy’s second cousin. Was it by marriage?

You say you are 99% sure of the relationship, which is pretty impressive. It’s impossible to be that sure without considerable corroborative evidence, particularly when dealing with such a common East End name as McCarthy.

Will you share your evidence with us?

Gary

[MrBarnett]

It’s all gone very quiet on this thread.

If there is no proven family link between Lechmere’s neighbour and John McCarthy of Dorset Street, all we are left with is the possibility that Lechmere had a prostitute/ex-prostitute as a neighbour. But he had been brought up in Tiger Bay, and probably passed ‘unfortunates’ on a daily basis as an adolescent, so nothing new there.

For me, the discovery of a possible Tommy ‘The Dip’ McCarthy is of particular interest, though.

[The Rookie Detective]

My apologies to RKD for taking a side step here but it’s only one quick question due to the fact that I’ve been away for quite some time and I may have missed something.

Were there any further discoveries about the Charles Cross who ran someone over with his cart? Do we know if it was Lechmere or is it still an unknown?

Thanks all.

DO we have a year in which this was alleged to have been commited?

[MrBarnett]

DO we have a year in which this was alleged to have been commited?

1876.

[MrBarnett]

Islington Gazette, 29 December, 1876.

[The Rookie Detective]

I am particularly intrigued by the possibility that Ellen’s son Thomas may be someone whose subsequent criminal career I have come across: a man who I believe went by the name of Tommy the Dip.

At one stage Tommy used the alias Thomas George Robinson, and in the 1850s an Irishman named Richard Robinson ran a brothel at 11, Palmer’s Folly.

In 1883 an Irishman named John Regan’s nose was ‘slit in half’ at 11, Palmer’s Folly. The address appears to have been a ‘bad house’ for several decades.

It sounds like they were a very interesting family. If this Tommy was the same Thomas; Ellen McCarthy's nephew, then it appears they had a lot of fingers in a lot of pies so to speak.

The whole biting/slicing/removing the nose sounds like a common punishment dished out among criminals at the time.

[The Rookie Detective]

It’s all gone very quiet on this thread.

If there is no proven family link between Lechmere’s neighbour and John McCarthy of Dorset Street, all we are left with is the possibility that Lechmere had a prostitute/ex-prostitute as a neighbour. But he had been brought up in Tiger Bay, and probably passed ‘unfortunates’ on a daily basis as an adolescent, so nothing new there.

For me, the discovery of a possible Tommy ‘The Dip’ McCarthy is of particular interest, though.

Yes, please accept my apologies for the delay in responding on this thread.

I have looked through some of my collated research on the McCarthy family and while i cannot prove conclusively that there is a link, all of the names, ages and geographic locations tie up.

But i am still missing that key piece. The piece that will tie it all together.
Otherwise, it is simply just extremely coincidental and circumstantial.

Perhaps my statement of being 99% certain was a tad over zealous and was meant more as a figure of speech.

But i am quietly confident i am on the right track and so will continue to pursue all options just in case.


I agree that Tommy the Dip sounds like a fascinating find.


The name speaks for itself.


TRD