picture of mary kelly's room

[Soothsayer]

Thanks for posting these two Stewart. I can see the blood on the walls, but fail to see how people can read into this further, or see any letters!

Hi Mike,

On the contrary - I was extremely surprised that Stewart posted the two pictures as he is an avowed anti-diarist (I think I'm right in saying that, Stewart), and both the B&W and sepia versions Stewart posted show the letters. In truth, the 'F' in the sepia version is only discernible if you know exactly what you're looking for, which is hardly compelling evidence.

Stewart, the B&W (Rumbelow) version could hardly have been more clear. Were you drawing on the absolute original when you posted this? Do you still have access to it? Is what you posted what we would see if we had the original?

If the latter question answers 'Yes', I am unexpectedly bouyed by this knowledge.

As an aside, I worked in management support at New Scotland Yard in 1988/89 (hmm...I've just noticed the significance of the dates), and was desperate to see The Black Museum but the tours were booked up for ages. One day, I came back to my desk to find a note saying that I'd been rung as they'd had a drop-out and the tour was about to start. Unfortunately, the note was timed about 45 minutes earlier! (I did not get another chance, sadly.)

[A L Morrison]

If you consider the conditions that the photograph was taken - in a room that was probably not adequately lit for getting good pictures - then any lettering (if it existed) which showed up in the photograph would have been very obvious to those who saw the room at the time of the murder. The fact that nobody ever mentioned it, not the police or the press, leads to the obvious conclusion that there was no writing to see.

[Mike Covell]

Thanks for posting these two Stewart. I can see the blood on the walls, but fail to see how people can read into this further, or see any letters!

[Stewart P Evans]

Oh, ok.
Does anyone see the word 'MAY' in this pic

Sorry, but no!

[Stewart P Evans]

Two Photographs

As is well known there are two original photographs of the Kelly murder scene. The first (in black and white) was the one discovered by Don Rumbelow back in the 1960s with the City Police. This was the first one published and it appears in many of the earlier published books starting with Farson and is distinguished by the bright spot to the left of the alleged lettering.

The second photo (in sepia) is that anonymously returned to New Scotland Yard, in the photograph album, in 1988. Since its return it suffered damage diagonally across the left upper side of the photograph. It is the one used by Paul Feldman which he had copied. It, too, has now appeared in several books, usually in black and white. Reproduced below is the relevant area of the two photographs, the first the one found by Don Rumbelow and the second the one returned in 1988 -





Both are affected by the grain of the photographic paper and their obvious age. The former image is the one on which a letter 'M' appears discernable, although under magnification the true nature of the marks is more apparent and appears more like random splashing on the partition as opposed to a deliberate letter. The the bottom part of the alleged letters disappear behind the corner of the mattress.

[stevey]

Oh, ok.

Does anyone see the word 'MAY' in this pic

[Mike Covell]

To the left of where the F is supposed to be, can anyone see the letter H in this photo?

It looks like 'THEM' to me.

NO

[stevey]

To the left of where the F is supposed to be, can anyone see the letter H in this photo?

It looks like 'THEM' to me.

[Stewart P Evans]

No Letters on the Partition

Your theory would certainly hold water if you could point out any bit of the MJK picture, stare at it long enough, and see the letters 'FM'.
What is so compelling about the 'FM' under discussion is that when people see them they are always in the same place.

The simple fact is that there are no letters on the partition wall in Kelly's room. A close examination of the original print merely reveals what appears to be splashes of blood that have run down in places and hence the reason for that particular spot being singled out as the one where letters appear.

It amuses me how those who have never seen the original photograph but have merely used reproductions in books to base their arguments on are so emphatic about what they see - or rather what they want to see. It is a fad started by Simon Wood in 1988, widely publicised by the A-Z, and used by some 'diary' fantasists (especially Feldman) to further their dubious arguments.

[Soothsayer]

Celesta......Elwood is one of my all time favorite characters! And HARVEY is still the BEST!

NOW, doesn't all this FM, AB, Bafomet, etc, etc. begin to sound like the fruitbat in Arizona who found the Virgin Mary in a Cheeto?? Or, even better, the face of Jesus in an omelette?? After a lengthy session of staring, you could see anything and be certain of it! When you want something badly enough, you just may find yourself seeing something that is not there........

Cheers,

Judy

Well, there is that possibility.

The alternative, of course, which is certainly true in my case, is that the letters are pointed out to you and you see them too and you go "Oh yes, there they are" (whether you have a strong psychological drive to see them or not).

Your theory would certainly hold water if you could point out any bit of the MJK picture, stare at it long enough, and see the letters 'FM'.

What is so compelling about the 'FM' under discussion is that when people see them they are always in the same place.

[Celesta]

Hi Judy,

I'm always happy to run into a fellow Harveyite or Elwoodite. Another favorite from it is :

Dr. Chumley: "This sister of yours is at the bottom of a conspiracy against you. She's trying to persuade me to lock you up. Today, she had commitment papers drawn up. She has your power of attorney and the key to your safety box, and she brought you here!"
Elwood P. Dowd: "My sister did all that in one afternoon. That Veta certainly is a whirlwind, isn't she?"

It's the total lack of malice and resentment in Elwood that moves me. She's trying to commit him and he admires her ability to get things done. Hilarious!

Yes, I agree that if a person wants something to be there bad enough, they will make it be there. But not Harvey, of course. We know he was there. We have his portrait! I heard somewhere that someone saw either Jesus or the Virgin Mary in a grilled-cheese sandwich.

Still, I have to admit that the partition behind MJK's bed is an odd-looking affair. The way the shadows are and probably scuff-marks and maybe dirt, etc. showing through the old paint, it's hard to tell exactly what it really looks like.

Best,

Cel

[Omlor]

Exactly, Judy.

It's called "pareidolia."

And in this case, it's just the product of some people's desire to believe what they want to believe, despite all the real evidence and simple common sense pointing exclusively in one direction -- towards this thing being an obvious hoax.

All the best,

--John

[needler]

Celesta......Elwood is one of my all time favorite characters! And HARVEY is still the BEST!

NOW, doesn't all this FM, AB, Bafomet, etc, etc. begin to sound like the fruitbat in Arizona who found the Virgin Mary in a Cheeto?? Or, even better, the face of Jesus in an omelette?? After a lengthy session of staring, you could see anything and be certain of it! When you want something badly enough, you just may find yourself seeing something that is not there........

Cheers,

Judy

[Celesta]

Even if there were writing on that wall, it could be showing through an old worn-out layer of paint, and have nothing to do with JTR.

[Stephen Thomas]

Yep that's me. A brain, a chest and a wallet...all empty!

Nice one, Norm.