Francis Spurzheim Craig

[Sally]

Hi Sally,
I noticed one time I looked at the google book preview that Craig's signature was presented alongside the Dear Boss letter and the handwriting similarity was quite striking.

Hi Debra

Yes, that was my impression - I hadn't seen that bit of the Google book review, but that only reinforces what I thought. Ideally you could do with more than Craig's signature for comparison.

Against the undeniable similarity maybe that if Craig did write the Dear Boss letter, he apparently made no attempt to disguise his handwriting.

Still, it might be tricky to rule him out as the writer - interesting.

[Sally]

But bearing in mind the Victorians were all taught to write in the same way that may be just coincidence.

www.trevormarriott.co.uk

True enough - it might. Most likely it'll be one of those unanswered questions that will never be resolved.

[pinkmoon]

Hi Sally,
I noticed one time I looked at the google book preview that Craig's signature was presented alongside the Dear Boss letter and the handwriting similarity was quite striking.

Any chance of posting it on here please my dear

[Debra A]

But bearing in mind the Victorians were all taught to write in the same way that may be just coincidence.

www.trevormarriott.co.uk

Individual quirks and style would still be present though to some extent and there was still a lot of variety in handwriting styles-you only have to look at the census enumerators books to see that although they have some things in common, there are many different styles from men who would probably have had a similar background and education.
It's just my opinion they look that similar though. Others may think not.

[Debra A]

Hi Debra

Yes, that was my impression - I hadn't seen that bit of the Google book review, but that only reinforces what I thought. Ideally you could do with more than Craig's signature for comparison.

Against the undeniable similarity maybe that if Craig did write the Dear Boss letter, he apparently made no attempt to disguise his handwriting.

Still, it might be tricky to rule him out as the writer - interesting.

I think your last sentence will end up applying here, Sally. Some will say similar,( like me,) others will disagree. These kind of things rarely ever get resolved, you're right.

[Debra A]

Any chance of posting it on here please my dear

Sorry, not my place to do that, Pinkmoon. I can only link to the preview. If you are outside of the UK you probably won't be able to view it though.

google books preview

Looking at it again strike the 'strikingly'-they do look similar though.

[pinkmoon]

Sorry, not my place to do that, Pinkmoon. I can only link to the preview. If you are outside of the UK you probably won't be able to view it though.

google books preview

Looking at it again strike the 'strikingly'-they do look similar though.

Thank you for that my dear ....I can see similarities I can also see that some letters are very different the y for example is totally different.

[Debra A]

Thank you for that my dear ....I can see similarities I can also see that some letters are very different the y for example is totally different.

There's a 'y' in the signature?

[Sally]

I'll have a look when I get home. Is it just one signature used for comparison? The ones I've seen show quite a lot of variation, which will further complicate things, I dare say.

[Debra A]

I'll have a look when I get home. Is it just one signature used for comparison? The ones I've seen show quite a lot of variation, which will further complicate things, I dare say.

It's difficult to say, Sally. There's just one signature and the envelope in the limited preview. Maybe the author won't even think they are similar himself!

[Abby Normal]

Hi Debra
You mentioned earlier that there was something research related that left you gobsmacked. Are you comfortable elaborating on what it was at this point? I highly value your opinion.

[Debra A]

Hi Debra
You mentioned earlier that there was something research related that left you gobsmacked. Are you comfortable elaborating on what it was at this point? I highly value your opinion.

Hi Abby
I must have written that a while back when I was initially intrigued by this whole story...the story (told by the divorce papers)of one woman's descent into East End prostitution from a respectable Welsh family, via a West End brothel and ultimately disappearing into thin air about the same time MJK appeared in the Ratcliffe Highway/Pennington St area. It's the right pattern, the right feel, I can't describe it more than that.

..Much research later with some preview chapters of the book to go on...I'm less convinced, I'd say.
It's difficult to pinpoint anything specific at this time as, to be fair, I haven't read the whole book yet and the author's take on things like the organ removal and mutilations will be an invaluable contribution, given his professional experience, I feel.
But I have reservations about certain things in Wynne H W Davies theory, let's say. Most of them related to whether or not some of the main characters in the story really were brothel keepers and what their actual address was in 1885-89.
I'm away on holiday the day the book is released on Kindle here in the UK but I hope to be able to download it a few days later and either satisfy my niggles entirely (ie they have been fully addressed in the book) or then I will post questions ...like everyone else I guess!
Debs

[Bridewell]

Just for the record (and to save myself a trawl through all 21 pages if I'm honest!), what's the title of this book please?

[Robert]

It's called The Real Mary Kelly.

[dixon9]

author on sky news now,interesting listen