Why Battlecrease?

[Bridewell]

The Maybrick's Liverpool home was "Battlecrease House", which seems a strange choice of name. I don't subscribe to Maybrick as the Ripper, but the word is interesting in the context. What is its significance? It must have meant something to someone.

"Battle" is self-explanatory, but "crease" has connotations of folding, & (at the risk of exciting Druittists) cricket lines,'return crease', 'bowling crease' 'popping crease' etc.
The Chambers 20th Century Dictionary (I no longer throw good books away!) also lists it as a variant spelling of "kris", the Malay dagger. "Battlekris" as in Battledagger anyone?

That should put a cat among the proverbial pigeons.

[Rubyretro]

I don't know Bridewell...but in attempting to answer your question I discovered the endlessly fascinating site 'Lern Yerself Scouse' (or something like it).

I May be gone for some time.

[ChrisGeorge]

The Maybrick's Liverpool home was "Battlecrease House", which seems a strange choice of name. I don't subscribe to Maybrick as the Ripper, but the word is interesting in the context. What is its significance? It must have meant something to someone.

"Battle" is self-explanatory, but "crease" has connotations of folding, & (at the risk of exciting Druittists) cricket lines,'return crease', 'bowling crease' 'popping crease' etc.
The Chambers 20th Century Dictionary (I no longer throw good books away!) also lists it as a variant spelling of "kris", the Malay dagger. "Battlekris" as in Battledagger anyone?

That should put a cat among the proverbial pigeons.

Hello Bridewell

I believe the house was named Battlecrease before the Maybricks lived there beginning in early 1888. There is a Battlecrease Hall in Sunbury, Surrey, and the Liverpool house might get its name from there.

Best regards

Chris

[Rubyretro]

OMG Bridewell, after thouroughly perusing scouse slang, I feel totally corrupted.

I was only looking for an historical meaning. .... .

[Stephen Thomas]

Not that it matters but does anybody know what 'battlecrease' refers to?

[ChrisGeorge]

Hi all

For those who may not be aware of it, Tony May has on YouTube some video that he took during the Maybrick Trial at the Liverpool Cricket Ground in May 2007 that includes Battlecrease House. Go to

On The Trail Of And At The Trial Of James Maybrick Pt 1

On The Trail Of And At The Trial Of James Maybrick Pt 2

On The Trail Of And At The Trial Of James Maybrick Final Pt 3

The third one mainly features still pictures with an evocative spoken musical track by the talented Mr. May.

Enjoy

Chris

[ChrisGeorge]

Hi again all

I have just had a chance to check Christopher Jones's excellent The Maybrick A to Z (Countyvise Limited, 2008) and the entry on Battlecrease states the following on page 78:

"The actual title 'Battlecrease' derived from an agricultural term and not a military one. Before the Maybricks moved in, the house had no distinguishing name, it was Florence Maybrick herself who provided its title."

So I was wrong when I thought the house was already named Battlecrease when the Maybricks moved into the house in early 1888. The building was previously used as a private club, according to Jones, but when the club got into financial difficulties, the building was divided for use as private homes, the half on the west side, what is now 7 Riversdale Road, being the part that became Battlecrease House.

In a post on JtR Forums Jones also wrote--

The term 'battlecrease' is an agricultural one, nothing to do with cricket or wars. Local paper reports at the time suggest that Florence gave the name to the house herself.

Best regards

Chris

[caz]

"The actual title 'Battlecrease' derived from an agricultural term and not a military one. Before the Maybricks moved in, the house had no distinguishing name, it was Florence Maybrick herself who provided its title."

Yes, I was sure I'd read that somewhere, as I said to Bridewell on the other thread. Thanks for digging this out for us, Chris.

If nothing else it shows that Jim must have been happy for Florie to 'christen' their new home.

Love,

Caz
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