Jack The Ripper solved?

[Nick Spring]

Ringers

The top hatted image of the Ripper depicted on the cover of the Penny Illustrated Paper of 17 November 1888 obviously originated from, or owed a lot to, the story of the suspicious 'gentleman' given by Mrs Paumier in the very same issue.

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Hi Stewart,

Interesting stuff and a great illustration of the Britannia. Was it just known locally as Ringers or the Britannia or both.

Best

Nick

[Stewart P Evans]

Ringers

Hi Stewart,
Interesting stuff and a great illustration of the Britannia. Was it just known locally as Ringers or the Britannia or both.
Best
Nick

Hi Nick, as the pub was run by Mrs Ringer I would presume both. I recall that Melvin Harris once commented on this illustration to me saying that he wondered if the drawing was totally accurate and that it actually had 'Ringers' painted on it.

[Lechmere]

I think the top hat image of 17th November is probably impressionisitic, to give a general feel for the atmosphere preceding Kelly’s death, and is probably a composite of several statements. The main one I would suggest is clearly Hutchinson’s A-man – notice there’s a man lurking at the end of the court.
This is interesting as it illustrates (doubly so) that Hutchinson’s tale was still being given credence at that date.
If a top hat was so out of place in the East End, I doubt it would have been incorporated into that picture as it would have struck people as ridiculous and undermined the intended effect.
If well-dressed people populated the contemporary stories then we have no reason to doubt the possibility of their existence.
For example we know Abberline believed Hutchinson’s toff tale and also believed that Hutchinson could see the details he mentioned with the level of lighting available at that hour. I would suggest that Abberline was in a better position to determine what was believable in Hutchinson's account than we are now.
This area of the East End was not one of total and unrelenting squalor. This is a myth that was born of these murders – as a contrast and moral reproach to West End society.
I keep saying that according to Booth this district ranked 58th out of the 134 that he divided London into, in terms of poverty for 1888-89. This was despite it containing the largest concentration of Common Lodging Houses in the East End. Without those lodging houses skewing the data it would undoubtedly have been quite affluent.

[Nick Spring]

Hi Nick, as the pub was run by Mrs Ringer I would presume both. I recall that Melvin Harris once commented on this illustration to me saying that he wondered if the drawing was totally accurate and that it actually had 'Ringers' painted on it.

Hi Stewart,

Thanks for that, yes that's what made me wonder seeing Ringers on the illustration.

Best

Nick

[Jon Guy]

The main one I would suggest is clearly Hutchinson’s A-man – notice there’s a man lurking at the end of the court.
.

Isn`t that Mary Ann Cox at the end of the court in the Mr A illustration.

[Jon Guy]

There was also that man with top hat in the backyard of 29 Hanbury St.

[Lechmere]

It looks like it's supposed to be a man to me - facing away.

[Jon Guy]

Here she is with that hat on ... ?

[Lechmere]

Ha!
My guess is the picture is intentionally vague to conjure the general feeling and to fit in with numerous accounts - so that figure could be intended to be either Hutchinson, the Lewis wide awake hat man or Cox!
All rolled into one.

[Jon Guy]

maybe.... but the floppy hat, and it was ol` Coxy`s spot, after all. Is that a man bag too ..I can see ?

[Stewart P Evans]

Two top hats....

maybe.... but the floppy hat, and it was ol` Coxy`s spot, after all. Is that a man bag too ..I can see ?

I've got two top hats, but I'm buggered if I'd wear one around Whitechapel at night.

[Stewart P Evans]

If not...

If not actually de rigueur top hats were quite popular in the day, as witness these contemporary illustrations, one even showing a top-hatted suspect under arrest, and three in Mitre Square.

[Jon Guy]

Hi Stewart

As you said in post 75, Ludwig was decribed as a swell and did wear a tall hat.
Is that him in the illustration above outside Leman St.? Was the illustration published at about the same time ?

[Stewart P Evans]

State...

Hi Stewart
As you said in post 75, Ludwig was decribed as a swell and did wear a tall hat.
Is that him in the illustration above outside Leman St.? Was the illustration published at about the same time ?

You just wouldn't believe the state of my study and bookrooms. I have hundreds of photographs and can't locate my original of that one at the moment. However, I believe it's from early October and possibly from the Pictorial News.

[Jon Guy]

You just wouldn't believe the state of my study and bookrooms. I have hundreds of photographs and can't locate my original of that one at the moment. However, I believe it's from early October and possibly from the Pictorial News.

Cheers, Stewart. I remember the illustration is in Scotland Yard Iinvestigates so I`ll have a look later. Would love to know the date on it whenever you come across it.
Although, I doubt there were any witnesses to Ludwig been escorted into Leman St at that time of night, unless that young lad looking on in the illustration was the lad he was threatening at the coffee stall and it was he who spoke to the journalists.