Francis Thompson - a closer look

[The Rookie Detective]

Hi all


So there's a fair amount of discussion ongoing regarding Francis Thompson, and seemingly some very different views and beliefs concerning his life.

But what do we really know of him?

Is our level of understanding accurate?

And how does that impact on his candidacy as a potential Ripper suspect?

Is it possible to separate the facts from the fiction?

Well, let's try at least.

But where to begin?...


Okay, let's start with an interesting article I found regarding the life of Francis Thompson. It's a nice article that attempts to shine a light on his personality. It's an angle that I haven't personally read about before and because of that, I wanted to share it here...



I particularly like the comment...


"Children were everything to him."


I think this article paints a rather interesting picture of Francis Thompson.


Thoughts?

[The Rookie Detective]

Hi all


So there's a fair amount of discussion ongoing regarding Francis Thompson, and seemingly some very different views and beliefs concerning his life.

But what do we really know of him?

Is our level of understanding accurate?

And how does that impact on his candidacy as a potential Ripper suspect?

Is it possible to separate the facts from the fiction?

Well, let's try at least.

But where to begin?...


Okay, let's start with an interesting article I found regarding the life of Francis Thompson. It's a nice article that attempts to shine a light on his personality. It's an angle that I haven't personally read about before and because of that, I wanted to share it here...



I particularly like the comment...


"Children were everything to him."


I think this article paints a rather interesting picture of Francis Thompson.


Thoughts?

It's also interesting that Francis Thompson had written an essay on Shelley.

I'm assuming this is the same Mary Shelley of Frankenstein Fame?

It perhaps indicates that Thompson had various influences from the world of literature.


As an aside...
Intriguingly, the "Torso killer' threw a body part from Elizabeth Jackson deliberately over the fence and onto the Shelley estate.

Back In 1797, Mary Shelley's mother died from Puerperal Fever 10 days after giving birth to Mary.

Puerperal Fever/Sepsis being a serious bacterial infection of the upper genital tract.

[Lewis C]

It's also interesting that Francis Thompson had written an essay on Shelley.

I'm assuming this is the same Mary Shelley of Frankenstein Fame?

It perhaps indicates that Thompson had various influences from the world of literature.

It's about the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, who was Mary's husband.

[Doctored Whatsit]

For a JtR suspect, the people who knew him paint a picture of a rather gentle soul!

[GBinOz]

For a JtR suspect, the people who knew him paint a picture of a rather gentle soul!

Quite so Doc. But is it not often postulated that the Ripper would have been a placid person, the type of person that would not be suspected by anyone?

I see Thompson as being destined for a religious career but being found unsuitable. Then spending 6 years training as a surgeon but being interested in dissection more than sitting exams. He bears a resemblance to the Stephen White suspect. He was one of the few named suspects that had the skills required for Mitre Sq.

IMO someone with these skills were responsible for at least two of the ripper murders. If not Thopson, someone like him. JMO.

Cheers, George

[Doctored Whatsit]

Quite so Doc. But is it not often postulated that the Ripper would have been a placid person, the type of person that would not be suspected by anyone?

I see Thompson as being destined for a religious career but being found unsuitable. Then spending 6 years training as a surgeon but being interested in dissection more than sitting exams. He bears a resemblance to the Stephen White suspect. He was one of the few named suspects that had the skills required for Mitre Sq.

IMO someone with these skills were responsible for at least two of the ripper murders. If not Thopson, someone like him. JMO.

Cheers, George

You don't actually believe the alleged Sgt White story, do you George?

[GBinOz]

You don't actually believe the alleged Sgt White story, do you George?

Hi Doc,

I give it as much credence as many of the stories in the Ripper case, albeit acknowledging that it has probably undergone some losses in translation, as have many of the other stories in the Ripper case.

Cheers, George

[Doctored Whatsit]

Hi Doc,

I give it as much credence as many of the stories in the Ripper case, albeit acknowledging that it has probably undergone some losses in translation, as have many of the other stories in the Ripper case.

Cheers, George

I like the "losses in translation" idea! Unfortunately, it is meant to be genuine.

This story didn't appear until 1919 in a newspaper, just after White had died and conveniently was unable to deny it. Mysteriously, the same day another story appeared in another newspaper telling a similar tale, except that White narrowly missed seeing JtR. This has all of the hallmarks of journalistic invention.

It is supposed to be an extract from his official report but the language doesn't even slightly resemble anything a police officer would write, "nostrils rather delicate ... eyes ... like two luminous glow worms ... fingers long and tapering ... his voice was a surprise ... soft and musical with just a tinge of melancholy ...the sight made my blood turn to ice ... another of those terrible murders ... he was lost in the labyrinth of East End streets." No police report ever bore any resemblance to this rubbish.

All police reports must clearly state dates, times addresses and police officers' names etc, but this report totally avoids all necessary detail, "a certain alley" etc. White never had to attend an inquest, despite his involvement. It is impossible to identify which murder is allegedly being described from the information, because none of them accurately correspond to the information provided. He refers to the weather being "bitterly cold", but none of the murders occurred in winter. There are weird verb tenses involved suggesting that the piece was written not at the time, as it should have been, but much later, such as "had been watching" when "have been watching" would have been appropriate, then mysteriously inappropriate comments like "rubber shoes, which were rather rare in those days." That couldn't have been part of his report at the time. He said it was "bitter cold", but none of the murders took place in winter.

Then he wrote "I had no real grounds for connecting him with the murder", but what murder? At this point of the report the murder hadn't been discovered.

Then there are those detailed vacillations about whether or not to arrest him for looking suspicious. Why would he put that in a report?

The problems are endless. It has to be the work of a freelance journalist.

[GBinOz]

All police reports must clearly state dates, times addresses and police officers' names etc, but this report totally avoids all necessary detail, "a certain alley" etc. White never had to attend an inquest, despite his involvement. It is impossible to identify which murder is allegedly being described from the information, because none of them accurately correspond to the information provided. He refers to the weather being "bitterly cold", but none of the murders occurred in winter. There are weird verb tenses involved suggesting that the piece was written not at the time, as it should have been, but much later, such as "had been watching" when "have been watching" would have been appropriate, then mysteriously inappropriate comments like "rubber shoes, which were rather rare in those days." That couldn't have been part of his report at the time. He said it was "bitter cold", but none of the murders took place in winter.

I quite agree Doc. But what is being quoted is not a police report. It is a journalist giving a eulogy to a recently departed, so some latitude needs to be accorded.

Cheers, George