17th September to Diary handwriting comparisons

[The Good Michael]

Or are you just having a bit of fun with us?

Well, I did say that I thought McCormick was the ringleader. He wasn't around in '88 as far as I know.

Mike

[spyglass]

Err!
There are those who think the diary is genuine...and there are those who think the diary a hoax. However NOT all of the latter think it a modern hoax.

Regards.

[Bridewell]

Hi Tempus,

Thanks for posting. I can see some similarity in the two versions of "about" but not in the others. If you seriously believe the two documents are by the same hand, think about getting a qualified document examiner to give an opinion. You'd probably need to get access to the originals of both though, which might be tricky. Most people have strong views one way or the other where the diary is concerned, so you'll need to develop a thick skin if you haven't already got one!

Regards, Bridewell.

[Archaic]

Hi Spyglass.

In addition to those who think the diary is either:

a.) a genuine document written by James Maybrick

and

b.) those who believe the diary was created as a deliberate hoax,

there are also

c.) those who feel that the diary might originally have been written as a creative work of fiction- something that was never intended to pass for a factual document, and so was not created as a deliberate "hoax" - but which was at some later point presented by others as if it were a factual document from 1888.

Personally I'm torn between b and c.

Best regards,
Archaic

[lynn cates]

D

Hello Bunny. If it's C, the style would have kept it from being a best seller in its day.

What about:

D. An old hoax? (Better: B.1)

Cheers.
LC

[spyglass]

I myself have always kept an open mind, and as stated on other threads, until I see 100percent fact that its a hoax, then I will always support those who support it. Soothsayer always makes valid and strong arguments in its favour.

I have always tended to lean towards it being written at the time it purports...if it was a hoax.

Regards.

[Archaic]

Hello Bunny. If it's C, the style would have kept it from being a best seller in its day.

What about:

D. An old hoax? (Better: B.1)

Cheers.
LC

Hi Lynn.

Yeah, that's a possibility too. But of course it depends on your definition of "old". I believe it's a 20th Century creation.

The photo album that was used for it is an early 20th C. specimen; I've seen loads of them. (That detail irks me; why the heck didn't they use a real journal or diary to write it? Grrr...)

I agree, the style is atrocious. It's an excruciating read, and for all the wrong reasons... If "fingers-on-the-blackboard" could be termed a literary style, this is it.

That's just my personal opinion, and of course I respect the differing opinions of my friends. (Hear me, Soothie old pal?? )

Best regards,
Archaic

[lynn cates]

vernacular

Hello Spyglass.

"I have always tended to lean towards it being written at the time it purports...if it was a hoax."

That's a good idea. One thing that might strengthen this notion would be to find correspondence from people of that social class who spoke in that manner.

I am fairly used to seeing correspondence/diaries of that era, and from different social classes. The diary is an ill fit.

Cheers.
LC

[lynn cates]

old

Hello Bunny. Agreed.

By the way, I wrote the book on "old." (heh-heh)

Cheers.
LC

[spyglass]

Hi Lynn,
you are certainly more qualified then me, and I bow to your superior knowledge...but wait am I correct in saying that a famous London antiquarian book shopwho were experts in this field and studied it claimed there was no doubt about it coming from the victorian era. (as usual I dont have the facts at hand)

Regards

[lynn cates]

hand

Hello Spyglass. Are you thinking of the handwriting style perhaps?

Cheers.
LC

[spyglass]

Hi Lynn,
To tell you the truth I really cant remember the details at all at this late hour. All I can just about remember was that they were in no doubt in their view that it was from the right period, but I stand to be corrected ( I often am )

regards

[Cogidubnus]

I usually lay down to be corrected...it's far more fun!

Dave

[Archaic]

I usually lay down to be corrected...it's far more fun!

Dave

Archaic

[Archaic]

Hello Bunny. Agreed.

By the way, I wrote the book on "old." (heh-heh)

Cheers.
LC

Oh no, Lynn; I have to disagree!


Cave paintings don't count.

Archaic