Jack the Ripper At Last? by Helena Wojtczak

[Amanda Sumner]

Thanks to the vagaries of the Post Office system at this time of year, I only got my copy of Helena's book when I returned home from work on Monday evening...since which, owing to other comitments I've only managed to get 64 pages in....

However, in those first 64 pages I've learned more about George Chapman than I ever thought I knew, and had a number of longstanding myths shattered/corrected. I can't wait to crack on further.

The book is fully referenced, properly indexed and yet manages to remain very readable. It also contains a wealth of useful illustrations.

It's a beautifully produced work with great attention to detail both inside and out and I'm delighted to have it...if anyone's for some reason or other holding back from buying it, quite honestly I'd say don't delay any further...and yes, I know the paperback's coming and will be deservedly popular, but in my view get the hardback while you can!

All the best

Dave

I second that, Dave, Can't agree with you more, although I have not started reading mine yet. It's a beautiful book and from what I've seen so far, it is very detailed with lots of illustrations.
I'm looking forward to savouring every bit of it.

[Cogidubnus]

I had high expectations but this exceeds them!

Thanks to the vagaries of the Post Office system at this time of year, I only got my copy of Helena's book when I returned home from work on Monday evening...since which, owing to other comitments I've only managed to get 64 pages in....

However, in those first 64 pages I've learned more about George Chapman than I ever thought I knew, and had a number of longstanding myths shattered/corrected. I can't wait to crack on further.

The book is fully referenced, properly indexed and yet manages to remain very readable. It also contains a wealth of useful illustrations.

It's a beautifully produced work with great attention to detail both inside and out and I'm delighted to have it...if anyone's for some reason or other holding back from buying it, quite honestly I'd say don't delay any further...and yes, I know the paperback's coming and will be deservedly popular, but in my view get the hardback while you can!

All the best

Dave

[Amanda Sumner]

Please forgive my imprecise use of language- I plead Monday Morning Brain. I intended the notorious person to be JtR not Sir William Gull who I have never believed had anything to do with the Whitechapel murders.

I understood you perfectly, Penhalion, I am ashamed to say that I often use imprecise language and I don't even have Monday Morning Brain to use as an excuse!
I'm sure Sir William Gull had nothing to with the Whitechapel murders. It seems to me that anyone of note, or otherwise, that had any known connections with that area in 1888 is immediately a suspect. Even witness's are now scrutinised and accused of possible involvement. Personally I don't think JtR is anyone known to us and I don't think the police, then, had any clue either. Thousands lived in a relatively small area and it could have been anyone. I doubt that there was anything remarkable about him which is why he moved around so easily undetected. Most likely any descendants living today will never know of their connection to one of the most infamous murderers in history.

[Penhalion]

Please forgive my imprecise use of language- I plead Monday Morning Brain. I intended the notorious person to be JtR not Sir William Gull who I have never believed had anything to do with the Whitechapel murders.

[HelenaWojtczak]

e it would be troubling to find that you were related to/descended from such a notorious figure.

I totally agree with you and Amanda. I'd hate to find out I was a descendent of Jack the Ripper (which IS possible, by the way, as I do have male ancestors living in the right place at the right time). No amount of money from the media for selling my story would ever make me feel better about it.

Amanda Many thanks for your impressions so far. I am looking forward to your Amazon review and hope the book lives up to your expectations!

Helena

[Amanda Sumner]

Helena,
What an excellent review from Mike Covell. Congratulations!
My books arrived today, and my first impressions,I have to say, is the design is beautiful and they look wonderful! I can't wait to read mine, and once I have, I shall be putting my own review on Amazon.

[Amanda Sumner]

A friend of mine is a descendant of Sir William Gull and he has told me that the family is highly un-amused by the repeated attempts at connecting Gull to the Ripper murders. He has become something of a Ripperologist himself in response to the accusations. I'd imagine that for most people it would be troubling to find that you were related to/descended from such a notorious figure.

Well, I can understand the family not being amused about that, especially if there is little foundation for connecting Gull to the Ripper murders. The point I'm making is that, should the Ripper case ever be solved, then there is bound to be descendants of him, and should they ever be discovered it will be sad if they allowed it to have a devastating affect on them. After all, logically, they were always, unknowingly, connected to him.
It is a good thing that this is all very unlikely to happen as it seems most people would be troubled and even horrified to be connected to such an evil, notorious person.

[Penhalion]

A friend of mine is a descendant of Sir William Gull and he has told me that the family is highly un-amused by the repeated attempts at connecting Gull to the Ripper murders. He has become something of a Ripperologist himself in response to the accusations. I'd imagine that for most people it would be troubling to find that you were related to/descended from such a notorious figure.

[HelenaWojtczak]

BOOK REVIEW BY MIKE COVELL, JUST PUBLISHED ON HIS BLOG AT

http://blog.casebook.org/mcebe/?p=286
=========================================

George Chapman, the notorious "Southwark Poisoner" has deserved a decent book about his life and crimes for years, if not for him, but for the victims he killed and the trail of destruction he left behind. There are other Chapman books on the market, but what sets this one apart is the attention to detail and dissection of every aspect of Chapman's life, crimes, and representation in the media. It doesn't regurgitate the old myths surrounding him either, it takes these and demolishes them.

The book is split into six sections, covering topics such as his life, crimes, investigation and execution, motive, myths, and whether or not he was, or even deserved to be called "Jack the Ripper." Furthermore, each part is split even further into decent bite size chunks for the reader to dip into and devour.

What I found most interesting about the book is the way Chapman is presented. He is not given to us as a continent hopping multiple murderer, but instead as a man who worked his way through life, encountering women, poison, and the ultimately the noose.
The chapter regarding the stories and myths surrounding his life was fascinating, and I was amazed at the number of stories and myths surrounding him, stories that seem to be commonly accepted facts. Helena takes these stories and shows them to be falsehoods by placing them alongside contemporary historical sources.

The chapter regarding his candidacy as "Jack the Ripper" appealed to me most, being a Ripperologist, and I was fascinated by the 15 points set out against Chapman as Ripper. Helena takes these points and discusses them against contemporary historical sources, presenting a fair and balanced argument for her theories.

The overall presentation of the book is outstanding,(hardback edition) from its sleek design, photographic glossy paper, and lavish silk page mark. It is also well researched, well presented, and thoroughly referenced throughout.

The book will appeal to those with an interest in true crime, criminal history, and anyone, like me, with an interest in "Jack the Ripper."

[HelenaWojtczak]

TARQUIN FINGERS GEORGE R SIMS AS JACK THE RIPPER

[Wickerman]

Hi Jon

Yes I am entirely up to date with the book mailings (except for the two orders that arrived today) so yours must be in the post.

Many thanks

Helena

Much appreciated Helena.
I have an awful habit of pre-ordering books then forgetting about it until they show up in the mail box.

I'll keep an eye open for it

[HelenaWojtczak]

Have you mailed it?

Hi Jon

Yes I am entirely up to date with the book mailings (except for the two orders that arrived today) so yours must be in the post.

Many thanks

Helena

[Wickerman]

Hey Jon, have you received your copy yet?

Have you mailed it?

[HelenaWojtczak]

Hey Jon, have you received your copy yet?

[Wickerman]

...We get so wrapped up in what little information we do have we try to make choices based only upon surviving information and we forget that much has been lost over the years. Or perhaps was never presented to the authorities in the first place.

Rightly so.
We have debates centered on the testimonies offered through the Coroner's Inquest, as if these represent the totality of what was known.
On the contrary, what we learn from the Inquest is only a portion of what the police knew.
Remember, the press discovered that there had been 53 witness statements describing suspicious men whom are thought to have been involved in the Kelly murder.
How many of those 53 were spoken of at the Inquest?, only two - Blotchy and the 'Britannia-man'.
We are only able to view this case through the eye of a needle.

The police knew so much more than we can ever hope to imagine.