Kozminski's Brother (recovered thread)

[Chris]

Wasn't Yalford close to Greenfield? I remember something you may have posted about that with regards to Rob's fine photo collection. If so, the heart of Whitechapel, eh?

Yes, Yalford Street was the next street to the west of Greenfield Street. Rob posted an extract from the 1938 Goad plan which includes part of Yalford Street running north-side on the left, and shows number 34, Woolf's house:

http://forum.casebook.org/showpost.php?p=63867&postcount=1241

Technically speaking, this was in Mile End Old Town, not Whitechapel, though it was very close to Whitechapel church, and neighbouring addresses were described as in Whitechapel in the family's naturalisation applications.

If this is the house Aaron was living in at the time of the murders, I don't think Macnaghten's description of it (in the Aberconway draft) as "in the very heart of the district where the murders were committed" is too wide of the mark, if Nichols to the east and Stride to the south are taken into account.

[Chris]

Good stuff, Chris. I'm a bit surprised that Woolf couldn't sign his name, given that he was in business.

Yes, but it seems likely he never learned to write English, as he also made a mark when registering the birth of his youngest son in 1900.

[Robert]

I see our old friend Dr Blackwell was involved.

Mike - Dec 30th 1874.

[Robert]

This 82 directory actually lists Yalford St under Plumbers Row.

[Sam Flynn]

This 82 directory actually lists Yalford St under Plumbers Row.

... "see also Skin & Bladder Dealers", egad!

[Robert]

Freshly extracted.

[robhouse]

I have never seen a period photo of Yalford St, but here are a couple photos of Yalford St (now basically an alley) in the present day.

The first photo shows the entrance of Yalford St off Fieldgate St. The north end of Greenfield St is seen to the left. The second photo is looking down Yalford Street. I would guess that Woolf's address (possibly Aaron's) was around where the guy is standing.

Rob H

[Chris]

I have never seen a period photo of Yalford St, but here are a couple photos of Yalford St (now basically an alley) in the present day.

Indeed, it seems it could never have been much more than an alley. Here's a part of the first Booth map (1886-7), showing the area of interest (based on the 1873 O.S. map, so that Yalford Street is called New Street). As the colour-coding indicates, Yalford Street was classed lower than Greenfield Street. The comment in the Booth poverty notebooks from 1886 was: "Very poor class Polish Jews - Even the sweaters are in a poor position." [Booth B 8, pp. 91, 93]

[Robert]

It was an awful place. This is from an article on the Dwellings of the Working Classes, 1886 :

[Chris]

The first photo shows the entrance of Yalford St off Fieldgate St. The north end of Greenfield St is seen to the left. The second photo is looking down Yalford Street. I would guess that Woolf's address (possibly Aaron's) was around where the guy is standing.

And I must say this Google Street View thing is pretty amazing:

http://tinyurl.com/ccycd8

[robhouse]

Hey Robert,

Where is that article from... Dwellings of the Working Classes, 1886?

Rob H

[Robert]

Hi Rob

It's from the Times, Jan 20th 1886.

Do you know how to access it? If not, I'll send you the link.

[robhouse]

Robert,

Thanks. Yes, could you post the link? I think I tried to access the Times before... but dont you have to pay to subscribe to see the times archives? I actually tried to sign up once and they rejected my credit card(!) Unless I am confused... anyways, yes. Post the link, or message it to me.

Thanks.

Rob H

[robhouse]

Here are some photos of the graves of Aaron's relatives:

Woolf Abrahams (Aaron's brother)
Betsy (Woolf's wife)
Golda (Aaron's mother)
Matilda (Aaron's sister)
Morris Lubnowski-Cohen (Matilda's husband)
and the grave of Isaac Abrahams (Aaron's other brother) and his wife Bertha.

Rob H

[The Good Michael]

Rob,

Thanks for the pictures. Where is Aaron's grave? Is it conspicuous in its absence?

Cheers,

Mike