One Incontrovertible, Unequivocal, Undeniable Fact Which Refutes the Diary

[caz]

Caz, I'm still fuming that you have the sex life in your sixties that eludes me in my forties. Damn you, foxy lady!

I'm intrigued to hear you use the word 'wag'. Aside from the jest of writing the thing in the first place, do you think there's a thorough-going sense of humour in the text itself? If I'm honest, the last time I read it I was in error-seeking mode (none too successfully, I'll add). I remember finding 'his' little jokes rather sophomoric and unsuccessful. I really ought to read it again with the old sense of humour switched firmly on - after all, one of the great charms of Diary of a Nobody is Pooter's utterly banal attempts at humour. I'll re-read the Maybrick Diary in that spirit. I might even enjoy it!

Best

HF x

Hi Henry,

Ah, a chance to use a quote I found while browsing in an old bookshop in Topsham back in early March. It's from page 155 of A History of Punch by R.G.G. Price, 1957, and he refers to the serialisation of Diary of a Nobody thusly:

'...it first appeared with an editorial note showing its aim was to burlesque memoirs by nonentities'.

I hadn't seen this before, but I was astonished by it, because that neatly and concisely sums up precisely how I saw the Maybrick diary almost from day one. It always seemed to me that its author was aiming for an unfunny kind of funny, while smirking to himself as he wrote those funny little unfunny rhymes for Sir James, the lesser of two jumped-up nobody brothers, who only became something of a somebody after his death.

Love,

Caz
X

[Henry Flower]

Hi Henry,

Ah, a chance to use a quote I found while browsing in an old bookshop in Topsham back in February. It's from page 155 of A History of Punch by R.G.G. Price, 1957, and he refers to the serialisation of Diary of a Nobody thusly:

'...it first appeared with an editorial note showing its aim was to burlesque memoirs by nonentities'.

I hadn't seen this before, but I was astonished by it, because that neatly and concisely sums up precisely how I saw the Maybrick diary almost from day one. It always seemed to me that its author was aiming for an unfunny kind of funny, while smirking to himself as he wrote those funny little unfunny rhymes for Sir James, the lesser of two jumped-up nobody brothers, who only became something of a somebody after his death.

Love,

Caz
X

Wonderful.

You're beginning to make me wonder are there any concrete James & Michael links or parallels with George & Weedon.

[caz]

I'd say no earlier than 1972, because it was only then and afterwards that the MJK1 photograph became readily available to the general public. The constellation of certain "modern" word-usages and phrases in the diary (and there are several examples) converge on a date no earlier than the 1970s. During that decade, we also had a flurry of interest in the Ripper case spawned by Farson, Rumbelow and (especially) Knight, without whose efforts I probably wouldn't have got interested in the case at all, and neither, perhaps, would the diary's author(s).

Personally, I'd incline towards a later date, Martin Fido's book, the centenary and Michael Caine mini-series in 1987/88 possibly being joint catalysts, but I'd settle for 1972 as a pragmatic terminus post quem for the diary. I really can't see its having been written any earlier.

So probably not over 11 days between the end of March and 13th April 1992, with Mike and Anne at the helm and their little girl in attendance?

I'll settle for that right now, Gareth!

Love,

Caz
X

[caz]

I'll stick with "no earlier than 1972", though; I think I'm on safe ground there.

Shame the scientists went with 'prior to 1970' then. But one can't have everything. Not at once, at any rate.

Love,

Caz
X

[Sam Flynn]

Shame the scientists went with 'prior to 1970' then. But one can't have everything. Not at once, at any rate.

Only a couple of years out? Not bad considering the trouble we've had with dating some historical artefacts.

"Scholars will recall that several years ago a shepherd, wandering in the Gulf of Aqaba, stumbled upon a cave containing several large clay jars and also two tickets to the ice show. Inside the jars were discovered six parchment scrolls with ancient incomprehensible writing which the shepherd, in his ignorance, sold to the museum for $750,000 apiece… The authenticity of the scrolls is currently in great doubt, particularly since the word 'Oldsmobile' appears several times in the text."

Without Feathers (Woody Allen, 1975)

[caz]

Are we back to "an initial here, an initial there", Caz? What else could they refer to, but the alleged initials on the wall?

If I could ask the author I would, Gareth.

But an initial here and an initial somewhere else, plus leaving an 'it' [singular] in 'front', does not equal two initials placed together on the wall behind the murder victim. It just doesn't. I KNOW. I have O level maths.

Love,

Caz
X

[Herlock Sholmes]

I'm hearing you, Caz.

"It says, 'Here may be found the last words of Joseph of Arimathea. He who is valiant and pure of spirit may find the Holy Grail in the Castle of ....aaaarrrrrggghhhhhh'"

"If he was dying he wouldn't bother to carve 'aaarrrrghhhh'. He'd just say it."

"Perhaps he was dictating?"

Hi Henry,

Did my mention of the name 'Monty' inspire that last quote

2nd greatest comedy film of all time IMHO .

[caz]

Hmmmm. A family member, maybe....

Caz, you clearly know more than you're letting on. That's entirely your prerogative, of course.

But.... I demand you tell us what you know!!!!

I know nothing. But sometimes I do feel there is some sprightly spirit within me tapping away and trying to let it all out.

I do believe I have lost my mind.

That's from the diary by the way.

Love,

Caz
X

[Sam Flynn]

But an initial here and an initial somewhere else, plus leaving an 'it' [singular] in 'front', does not equal two initials placed together on the wall behind the murder victim.

But it might equal "in front of their eyes", Caz, "for all eyes to see".

As to the "it [singular]", doesn't the passage start with the crossed-out line "Her initial [singular] there", before plumping for "An initial here, an initial there"? The hoaxer(s) could have done with a continuity editor.

[caz]

I think you might be giving the hoaxer(s) far more credit than they deserve, Caz.

And I suspect they would be smiling at the thought they'd pulled one over on you without ever meaning to, Gareth. It was never meant to contain perfect prose, sound spelling, good grammar, passable poetry, logical logic, serious serialness or factual fact, was it?

Love,

Caz
X

[Henry Flower]

But it might equal "in front of their eyes", Caz, "for all eyes to see".

I agree. It might mean that he's left it "in front of their eyes, for all eyes to see right in the middle of the photo I'm looking at in this paperback."

[caz]

Caz,

Hasn't there been enough name-calling without you calling Jack a 'master baker.'

Sorry, HS. He was a wanker.

Is that better?

Love,

Caz
X

[Sam Flynn]

It was never meant to contain perfect prose, sound spelling, good grammar, passable poetry, logical logic, serious serialness or factual fact, was it?

I don't know, Caz. Perhaps the hoaxer(s) thought that what they were writing was the very epitome of verisimilitude.

[caz]

I remember years ago when I first noticed the 'm' I thought yes! Monty signed his name!

My adopted cat is called Monty. And he's definitely a killer. Sidmouth's bird and mouse populations have dwindled since he moved here from London. And compared with Mike, our Monty could probably have written the diary with one paw behind his back, to paraphrase what Martin Fido said about Anne.

Love,

Caz
X

[caz]

I'm hearing you, Caz.

"It says, 'Here may be found the last words of Joseph of Arimathea. He who is valiant and pure of spirit may find the Holy Grail in the Castle of ....aaaarrrrrggghhhhhh'"

"If he was dying he wouldn't bother to carve 'aaarrrrghhhh'. He'd just say it."

"Perhaps he was dictating?"

By Jove I think you're getting the idea, Henry!

We'll have the diary out as a classic comedy before we get the next dreary one-off lecture at this rate.

Love,

Caz
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