Robert Paul, Jack the Ripper?

[GUT]

Do we Know as a Fact which one he actually worked at.

[Simon Wood]

Hi David,

"Paul did not give evidence at the inquest until 17 September and I've been wondering if the police were unable to track him down."

See my post #25.

Regards,

Simon

[GUT]

I am not sure whether Robert Paul worked in Corbet's Court or not. There was a Cart and Van Yard in Corbet's Court, so maybe he had reason to go there?

Rob

G'day Rob

Do you know who owned that yard or who they worked for, is it possible that he carted from Covent Garden for a firm that had stables at Corbet's Court?

[Rob Clack]

G'day Rob

Do you know who owned that yard or who they worked for, is it possible that he carted from Covent Garden for a firm that had stables at Corbet's Court?

I don't I am afraid. The Goad Map I looked at just shows a yard with the writing 'Carts & Vans' and that was what I was thinking, that he may have kept a cart or van in Corbet's Court and took it daily to Covent Garden.

Rob

[David Orsam]

Hi David,

"Paul did not give evidence at the inquest until 17 September and I've been wondering if the police were unable to track him down."

See my post #25.

Regards,

Simon

Hi Simon, I did quote from the quote you reproduced in post #25. But that just says that Paul was dragged out of bed in the middle of the night at some point "after he made his statement to our representative". That could have been at any time between 2 September and 17 September. However, for the reasons I have given, it looks likely to have been on 3 September, in which case they did track him down relatively easily.

[GUT]

Hi Simon, I did quote from the quote you reproduced in post #25. But that just says that Paul was dragged out of bed in the middle of the night at some point "after he made his statement to our representative". That could have been at any time between 2 September and 17 September. However, for the reasons I have given, it looks likely to have been on 3 September, in which case they did track him down relatively easily.

And they dragged Paul out of bed in the middle of the night but didn't even visit Cross at his house or Pickford's?

[David Orsam]

The 1884 Business Directory of London shows that the only commercial business in Corbet's Court at that time was Henry Bromet & Son, wholesale rag merchants, at nos. 13-14. Henry Bromet (and his son) gave evidence at the trial of Walter Frederick Bull (charged with unlawfully obtaining goods on credit) at the Old Bailey in October 1884 when they gave their address as Corbet's Court. However, I haven't been able to establish if they were still there in 1888 (and by the time of the 1891 census Henry Bromet had moved to Leyton).

[David Orsam]

And they dragged Paul out of bed in the middle of the night but didn't even visit Cross at his house or Pickford's?

My reading of it is that Paul decided to speak to a journalist but did not bother to come forward to the police, hence his little visit in the middle of the night, once the police had discovered his address. I don't think the police at this time would visit a witness at his home or place of employment if that witness voluntarily gave a statement at a police station. Why would they?

[Simon Wood]

Hi David,

Sorry. I shall repent at leisure.

When Paul spoke to Lloyd's on the evening of 31st August he alone had gone in search of a policeman.

But he told the inquest he had gone in the company of Cross.

Perhaps the police needed two weeks to get Cross and Paul's stories straight.

Regards,

Simon

[MrBarnett]

The 1884 Business Directory of London shows that the only commercial business in Corbet's Court at that time was Henry Bromet & Son, wholesale rag merchants, at nos. 13-14. Henry Bromet (and his son) gave evidence at the trial of Walter Frederick Bull (charged with unlawfully obtaining goods on credit) at the Old Bailey in October 1884 when they gave their address as Corbet's Court. However, I haven't been able to establish if they were still there in 1888 (and by the time of the 1891 census Henry Bromet had moved to Leyton).

There was a firm of carriers called Tingle, Jacobs who had stables in Hanbury Street pre-WWI.

[David Orsam]

When Paul spoke to Lloyd's on the evening of 31st August he alone had gone in search of a policeman.

But he told the inquest he had gone in the company of Cross.

Perhaps the police needed two weeks to get Cross and Paul's stories straight.

For me, the journalist has written Paul's story in his (the journalist's) own words and misunderstood Paul to say that he had left Cross with the body while he went off to fetch a policeman. I'm sure it's as simple as that.

[David Orsam]

It doesn't really help much but I believe I have found Robert Paul ("Carman") in the 1891 census when he was living with his wife Julia, and their four daughters, at 159 Sidney Street. He was born in Bethnal Green circa 1856 and married Julia Hurley in Sept 1879. He died in 1922.

[Simon Wood]

Robert Pawle, 1881 Census

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[David Orsam]

Robert Pawle, 1881 Census

Good find! Especially considering the mis-spelling of his name in the census. Probably just a coincidence that his wife is a rag sorter and the only business I found in Corbet's Street during the 1880s was a rag merchants, but who knows.

[Simon Wood]

1881 Census - 30 Foster Street

Hi All,

In 1881 three families [12 people] lived at 30 Foster Street.

HENNIS, Charles Head Married M 33 1848 Farrier Spitalfields
HENNIS, Mary Wife Married F 34 1847 Tailoress London
HENNIS, Elizabeth Daughter Single F 8 1873 Scholar Mile End
HENNIS, Ellen Daughter Single F 6 1875 Scholar Mile End
HENNIS, Mary Daughter Single F 3 1878 Scholar Whitechapel
HENNIS, John Son Single M 1 1880 Bethnal Green

PAWLE, Robert Head Married M 24 1857 Carman Mile End
PAWLE, Julia Wife Married F 22 1859 Rag Sorter (Paper) Mile End
PAWLE, Robert Son Single M 0 1881 Mile End

SULLIVAN, Catherine Head Single F 26 1855 Seamstress Minories
SULLIVAN, Ellen Sister Single F 24 1857 Machinist Minories
SULLIVAN, Jane Sister Single F 21 1860 Machinist Whitechapel