Leaving Aside the "Name Issue"

[Ausgirl]

Francis Thompson can be placed in Spitalfields in Whitechapel at Providence Row night refuge. From the window of the room that contained his bed Thompson would have been able to look down Dorset Street to the covered archway that led to Kelly's room.

Hello, Richard - so you've found some conclusive proof Thompson was in Providence Row at the time of the murders, then?

How'd you discover the exact location of his bed there?

Sorry, but derailing this thread with that post is slightly funny.

[wigngown]

Quote - but I think critics of the theory are overplaying their hand

Perhaps, but the only way we stand any chance of identifying the killer is to test and examine theories in minutiae. Personally, I'm learning so much from all of the discussions and long may they continue.

Best regards.

[Fisherman]

I suppose then based on that assumption, I'd then make another assumption.

And which assumptions would you have in your pipeline, Billiou - and in which order?

[Richard Patterson]

Hello, Richard - so you've found some conclusive proof Thompson was in Providence Row at the time of the murders, then?

How'd you discover the exact location of his bed there?

Sorry, but derailing this thread with that post is slightly funny.

As Historian Paul Begg has said about my book, 'There seems little doubt that Thompson stayed at the Providence Row Night Refuge at the top end of Dorset Street and Patterson plausibly argues that the only time Thompson met the necessary conditions to stay there was in November 1888.'

'Ausgirl', I can see you have difficulty in understanding that I never said I knew the exact location of his bed. I do know that the men's room was on the 1st floor and had windows that overlooked Dorset Street. So from the room that had Thompson's bed he could look down to where, just yards away was the covered passage that led to the room that had Mary Kelly's bed.

[John G]

As Historian Paul Begg has said about my book, 'There seems little doubt that Thompson stayed at the Providence Row Night Refuge at the top end of Dorset Street and Patterson plausibly argues that the only time Thompson met the necessary conditions to stay there was in November 1888.'

'Ausgirl', I can see you have difficulty in understanding that I never said I knew the exact location of his bed. I do know that the men's room was on the 1st floor and had windows that overlooked Dorset Street. So from the room that had Thompson's bed he could look down to where, just yards away was the covered passage that led to the room that had Mary Kelly's bed.

Thanks for this Richard. Personally, I consider Thompson an excellent candidate, not least because he may have been a serial arsonist, which accords extremely well with the profile of this type of killer. In fact, I'm unaware of any other candidate that meets this particular criteria.

[Richard Patterson]

Thanks for this Richard. Personally, I consider Thompson an excellent candidate, not least because he may have been a serial arsonist, which accords extremely well with the profile of this type of killer. In fact, I'm unaware of any other candidate that meets this particular criteria.

Thanks John.
People have argued that not all serial killers were arsonists, but when I read Thompson's proclivity for starting fires staring from an early age, it certainly rang alarm bells for me since I was already aware that this is a trait associated with such murderers.

[Elamarna]

Thanks John.
People have argued that not all serial killers were arsonists, but when I read Thompson's proclivity for starting fires staring from an early age, it certainly rang alarm bells for me since I was already aware that this is a trait associated with such murderers.

Hi Richard,

just to say,while I am far from convinced by Thompson, he is a genuine suspect, he has motive, was in the area and carried a blade.

greatly enjoyed the book.

Steve

[Ausgirl]

As Historian Paul Begg has said about my book, 'There seems little doubt that Thompson stayed at the Providence Row Night Refuge at the top end of Dorset Street and Patterson plausibly argues that the only time Thompson met the necessary conditions to stay there was in November 1888.'

'Ausgirl', I can see you have difficulty in understanding that I never said I knew the exact location of his bed. I do know that the men's room was on the 1st floor and had windows that overlooked Dorset Street. So from the room that had Thompson's bed he could look down to where, just yards away was the covered passage that led to the room that had Mary Kelly's bed.

Sheesh. Was just asking.

[Richard Patterson]

Sheesh. Was just asking.

No that's ok. Some people handle fantasy better than facts. Like how you admire the Tolkien. Which is fine. Tolkien after all admired Francis Thompson. He gave lectures about him, named his elf maiden in his books Lúthien from Thompson’s coinage of the word Luthany and used of the word Southron for southerner, knowing it came from Thompson too, but you would know all that.

[Richard Patterson]

Hi Richard,

just to say,while I am far from convinced by Thompson, he is a genuine suspect, he has motive, was in the area and carried a blade.

greatly enjoyed the book.

Steve

Hi Steve.

Thanks for enjoying the book. It's ok not to be convinced by one book. Some are just from reading it but really all I wanted was for people to take a second look at a him. Thompson had previously been easily dismissed just because he is one of the suspects who happens to have been a well known 19th century figure. But, as you point out, to now being able to show he was in the area with a blade and a motive definitely raises his standing as a possible candidate.

Richard.

[Ausgirl]

No that's ok. Some people handle fantasy better than facts. Like how you admire the Tolkien. Which is fine. Tolkien after all admired Francis Thompson. He gave lectures about him, named his elf maiden in his books Lúthien from Thompson’s coinage of the word Luthany and used of the word Southron for southerner, knowing it came from Thompson too, but you would know all that.

What a strange reply. I've been gone a while, and actually did want to know whether you'd hammered those details out yet.

But now I kinda don't. Carry on.

[Richard Patterson]

What a strange reply. I've been gone a while, and actually did want to know whether you'd hammered those details out yet.

But now I kinda don't. Carry on.

Thanks. I will. I would say that the killer was probably someone who had a mental condition that those around him would have had some awareness of. They were probably someone who knew the streets and had spent a great deal of time in them and had become used to the police beats. I suggest it was someone intelligent and shrewd enough to kill in such a populated area while avoiding detection. I wonder if you believe he needed medical skill. I don’t think you do which cancels out Thompson for you. I would guess you probably favour someone more like Kosminski or even Lechmere rather than Thompson because I doubt if you detect any surgical knowledge, in the wounds, even if I do.

[wigngown]

Richard Patterson.

as I've said previously, I enjoyed reading your book: well researched and well written. I recommend it. Thompson certainly was an interesting character and a worthy suspect.

Best regards.

[Richard Patterson]

Richard Patterson.

as I've said previously, I enjoyed reading your book: well researched and well written. I recommend it. Thompson certainly was an interesting character and a worthy suspect.

Best regards.

wigngown

Thank you very much. I am very lucky to have had the opportunity to write a book that a readers would enjoy and recommend. Thompson's life was the embodiment of the paradoxes of the Victorian Age. I also believe he holds the attributes a sensible investigator would proscribe to a suspect for these terrible murders.

Thanks for cheering me up.

[Ausgirl]

Thanks. I will. I would say that the killer was probably someone who had a mental condition that those around him would have had some awareness of. They were probably someone who knew the streets and had spent a great deal of time in them and had become used to the police beats. I suggest it was someone intelligent and shrewd enough to kill in such a populated area while avoiding detection. I wonder if you believe he needed medical skill. I don’t think you do which cancels out Thompson for you. I would guess you probably favour someone more like Kosminski or even Lechmere rather than Thompson because I doubt if you detect any surgical knowledge, in the wounds, even if I do.

Richard, this is fiction, that you're writing about me. Honestly, you're maddening at times.

I think your suspect is an ewcellent one, I've been saying that for how long? Certainly a better one than many, for compelling circumstantial evidence.

Last I was present here, you were bravely standing on the prow of the "Saints' Day" aspect of your theory, as it slowly sank toward Davy Jones. These other claims and their logical inferences (that Thompson may have peering out his window at Mary Kelly) would be critically important to your case, IF they weren't just join-the-very-sparse-dots suppositions.

I was hoping their condition had improved. Is all. No need to be snotty.