William Henry Piggott

[Bridewell]

Has anyone done any research on this man?

http://www.casebook.org/press_reports/echo/18880911.html

He spent several days in custody, having been arrested the day after the Chapman murder with blood on his shirt and boots. His explanation - that he had been bitten by a woman who was having a fit on Brick Lane at 4.30am the previous Wednesday (presumably 5th) doesn't sound especially plausible and his claim that he ran off because he saw two approaching policemen lacks credibility to my mind.

What's the consensus? Worth a look or just a drunken nutter?

[Bridewell]

I've had a look on Ancestry and the best fit looks to be a man who is shown on both the 1881 and 1891 census as a clerk employed by the G.E.R. (Great Eastern Railway?).

[Lechmere]

There's a load of stuff on JTR forums about him.

http://www.jtrforums.com/showthread.php?t=21346

He was a coffee house manager in 1891.

[Debra A]

Hi Colin
I've recently done a bit of research on William Henry Piggott that I originally posted to JTRforums:

http://www.jtrforums.com/showthread.php?t=21346&highlight=%22william+henry+piggott%22

Here's my opening post from that thread:

William Henry Piggott was born 30th June 1837 in the Parish of St Saviour Southwark, Surrey, the son of Thomas William and Sarah Piggott (both also born in Southwark)and baptized 2nd July 1837. Piggott was raised in the Bermondsey/Southwark area where his father's occupation is given as a hatter or specifically silk hat manufacturer. By 1871 Piggott's mother and father had made the move to Gravesend, Kent and Thomas is listed on the census as an agent for 'Royal Liver' .

On 28th July 1891 William Henry Piggott was tried at Greenwich Police Court with 'marrying Lavinia Wing, his wife then being alive' and also with stealing £10 from his master. Piggott pleaded guilty to both the bigamy and theft charge and was ordered to do 3 days at Wandsworth Prison.

William Henry Piggott had married Elizabeth Alice Smith on 18th November 1861. Piggot was described as a mariner living at Albany Rd and his wife was from Camberwell Grove,the daughter of a licensed victualler. The couple began their married life at 'The Crown and Anchor' Albany Street, Regent's park, later moving around London. The couple had two children-Elizabeth Jane Piggott b 1862 and William Walter Piggott b 1866.

In 1881 Elizabeth petitioned for a divorce from Piggott. Elizabeth's petition included the details that Piggott had treated her cruelly and with great unkindness, had frequently struck, beat and assaulted her, threatened her and communicated a venereal disease to her on 1876. In 1878, Piggott had attempted to strangle Elizabeth and thrown chairs at her. She also claimed he threw a carving knife and a kettle of boiling water at her on other occassions.
Elizabeth also stated in the divorce petition that Piggott had threatened to cut her throat and shoot her with a pistol. Piggott apparently committed adultery on several occasions with different un-named women.
It appears that the divorce was never finalised.

In 1889 Piggott, claiming to be a widower, although his wife was still alive, married Lavinia Wing, 13 years his junior. Lavinia was born in Yorkshire.The couple were married in Bethnal Green. Piggott was described as a cook (a ships cook or steward was often given as his occupation)and Lavinia was a domestic servant. In 1891 lavinia claimed to have been seeing Piggott for several years before he bigamously married her. Census records show Livinia listed as servant in the Holborn and Hoxton areas and had at least 3 illegitimate children. Two daughters named Alice and Lavinia apparently died in infancy after being born in the workhouse and a son b 1878 was named Thomas William Wing-indicating he may have been Piggott's son as Thomas William was the name of Piggott's father.

I wonder why Piggott lodged in the Brick Lane area of Whitechapel area so often? He didn't appear to have any family or work ties in the area and was more familiar with other areas of London where he had family, a wife and a girlfriend and several children dotted about.
This shows that Piggott did have a history of violence and no qualms about harming or threatening a woman. I wonder if Piggott treated the women around Brick Lane and Whitechapel in a similar way at all?

[lynn cates]

worth a look

Hello Colin. Most DEFINITELY worth a look. He's my second choice for the first murders.

Cheers.
LC

[spyglass]

Hi all,
I have always had an intrest in this man, I now more or less live on the spot where he visited and two mins away from the popeshead pub where he was arrested ( that stull stands as a protected building ).
I know and have done his whole route when he came to Gravesend.

News paper reports of the time suggest he was carrying a black bag, An item often attributed to the murderer long afterwards. Was this the first mention of such an item ?

If the murders had stopped after Chapman....then surely a worthy candidate.

Regards.

[Bridewell]

There's a load of stuff on JTR forums about him.

http://www.jtrforums.com/showthread.php?t=21346

He was a coffee house manager in 1891.

Thanks for that. I should have checked. his was a name I hadn't really registered until I saw him mentioned in M.J. Trow's Robert Mann suspect book.

[RockySullivan]

Is it possible that piggott was overlooked with the focus on Pizer? Is there some kind of unshakeable alibi he has for the murders?

[Harry D]

Is it possible that piggott was overlooked with the focus on Pizer? Is there some kind of unshakeable alibi he has for the murders?

Not an alibi at the time, of course, but I read that he was at the Whitechapel Infirmary from Sept 10 - Oct 9.

[lynn cates]

compromise

Hello Rocky. Meet you halfway. I think "Leather Apron" was overlooked whilst Piser was under scrutiny.

Cheers.
LC

[RockySullivan]

Thanks harry. So once your in the infirmary you can't sneak out I guess. Didn't most of the victims have connections there too?

Hi LC, that sounds like a reasonable statement. So was Leather Apron the man who accosted Richardson in the street?

[martin wilson]

Hi all

Harry, Is that the Charles street/Bakers Row Infirmary? Interesting address if it is.
All the best.

[martin wilson]

Hi all

Not in there for Polly, but he was considered a lunatic and that's where they took him?
All the best.

[Abby Normal]

Hi Colin
I've recently done a bit of research on William Henry Piggott that I originally posted to JTRforums:

http://www.jtrforums.com/showthread.php?t=21346&highlight=%22william+henry+piggott%22

Here's my opening post from that thread:

William Henry Piggott was born 30th June 1837 in the Parish of St Saviour Southwark, Surrey, the son of Thomas William and Sarah Piggott (both also born in Southwark)and baptized 2nd July 1837. Piggott was raised in the Bermondsey/Southwark area where his father's occupation is given as a hatter or specifically silk hat manufacturer. By 1871 Piggott's mother and father had made the move to Gravesend, Kent and Thomas is listed on the census as an agent for 'Royal Liver' .

On 28th July 1891 William Henry Piggott was tried at Greenwich Police Court with 'marrying Lavinia Wing, his wife then being alive' and also with stealing £10 from his master. Piggott pleaded guilty to both the bigamy and theft charge and was ordered to do 3 days at Wandsworth Prison.

William Henry Piggott had married Elizabeth Alice Smith on 18th November 1861. Piggot was described as a mariner living at Albany Rd and his wife was from Camberwell Grove,the daughter of a licensed victualler. The couple began their married life at 'The Crown and Anchor' Albany Street, Regent's park, later moving around London. The couple had two children-Elizabeth Jane Piggott b 1862 and William Walter Piggott b 1866.

In 1881 Elizabeth petitioned for a divorce from Piggott. Elizabeth's petition included the details that Piggott had treated her cruelly and with great unkindness, had frequently struck, beat and assaulted her, threatened her and communicated a venereal disease to her on 1876. In 1878, Piggott had attempted to strangle Elizabeth and thrown chairs at her. She also claimed he threw a carving knife and a kettle of boiling water at her on other occassions.
Elizabeth also stated in the divorce petition that Piggott had threatened to cut her throat and shoot her with a pistol. Piggott apparently committed adultery on several occasions with different un-named women.
It appears that the divorce was never finalised.

In 1889 Piggott, claiming to be a widower, although his wife was still alive, married Lavinia Wing, 13 years his junior. Lavinia was born in Yorkshire.The couple were married in Bethnal Green. Piggott was described as a cook (a ships cook or steward was often given as his occupation)and Lavinia was a domestic servant. In 1891 lavinia claimed to have been seeing Piggott for several years before he bigamously married her. Census records show Livinia listed as servant in the Holborn and Hoxton areas and had at least 3 illegitimate children. Two daughters named Alice and Lavinia apparently died in infancy after being born in the workhouse and a son b 1878 was named Thomas William Wing-indicating he may have been Piggott's son as Thomas William was the name of Piggott's father.

I wonder why Piggott lodged in the Brick Lane area of Whitechapel area so often? He didn't appear to have any family or work ties in the area and was more familiar with other areas of London where he had family, a wife and a girlfriend and several children dotted about.
This shows that Piggott did have a history of violence and no qualms about harming or threatening a woman. I wonder if Piggott treated the women around Brick Lane and Whitechapel in a similar way at all?

awesome as usual Debra!
Im sure he did. This guy sounds a lot like Bury.
But he's 51 at the times of the murders-does his advanced age rule him out?
Also, Police suspected him, so I assume they interrogated him and checked out his whereabouts on the nights of the murders and cleared him.

[lynn cates]

Richardson

Hello Rocky. Thanks.

Well, Richardson thought so. Which means that more than one person went into the rumour.

Cheers.
LC