Did Francis Thompson know Mary Kelly.

[Richard Patterson]

The Ripper suspect, Francis Thompson is believed to have been living in Providence Row, in Whitechapel. This was a Catholic refuge at 50 Crispin Street, opposite the entrance to Dorset Street, where Mary Kelly was murdered. Kelly is said to have sought shelter at the refuge, not long before her death. Researchers cite this information to point out that she may have been Catholic. There is some evidence to show that Thompson was a friend of Kelly. The English writer Robert Thurston Hopkins (1884-1958), 1935 book, “Life and Death at the Old Bailey,” has a relatively early account of the Ripper murders. It introduced an unknown suspect who was a poet.

It was an Old Bailey officer offered Hopkins information on the case. Although the officer is not named, his knowledge of all the murders was strong being, ‘on duty in the East End throughout the whole run of the murders.’ Hopkins gave a brief, but surprisingly accurate account of the crimes and looked at several suspects. He pressed the idea that the Ripper may have had surgical skill, before introducing a poet as Jack the Ripper. The Catholic poet Francis Thompson, had trained for six years as a surgeon at Owens Medical College Manchester, dissecting hundreds of cadaver. Even 46 years after the murders, Hopkins was not ready to give his suspect an actual name so he made one up, calling him Mr Moring. Funny thing about Thompson, but the volumes of poetry published in his lifetime were all decorated with rings on the front cover. Thompson’s grave has ‘more rings’ with a symbol of two that are carved entwined onto his tombstone.

Hopkins remarked that his poet’s appearance was the same as the man seen by George Hutchinson outside Miller’s Court in Whitechapel’s Dorset Street. Hutchinson was the last person to see Mary Kelly. Both Francis Thompson and Hutchinson’s man carried a parcel with a strap around it, were near the same height, were pale, had very dark hair, had a moustache, wore a dark coat and sported chains.

Here is a section of Hopkins’s chapter on the Ripper detailing the poet and his friendship with Mary Kelly,

‘One of Mary Kelly's friends was a poor devil-driven poet who often haunted the taverns around the East End. I will call him " Mr. Moring," but of course that was not his real name. Moring would often walk about all night and I had many long talks with him as together we paced the gloomy courts and alleys…He had black, lank hair and moustache, and the long, dark face of the typical bard…. Moring, who knew every opium den in the East End, although at that time they were not counted in with the sights of London, often gave himself up to long spells of opium smoking. "Alcohol for fools; opium for poets, was a phrase which recurred constantly in his talk. "To-morrow one dies," was his motto, and he would sometimes add " and who cares-will it stop the traffic on London Bridge?" After reading the above [George Hutchinson’s inquest testimony] statement I looked back on my memories of the wandering poet and curiously enough that description fitted him down to the ground! But I could not connect a man of such extraordinary gentleness committing such a dreadful series of outrages.’

Hopkins poet was probably Thompson, a long time user and addict to opium. A biographer on Thompson, in his 1967 book, tells of Hopkins’ connection to this poet in his “Strange Harp, Strange Symphony the Life of Francis Thompson.” Thompson died in 1907. In 1927 Hopkins visited people and places associated with Thompson. Hopkins for example went to Panton Street, in London’s Haymarket District. While there he spoke with John McMaster a shoemaker, who had briefly taken Thompson off the streets. This was in 1886. McMaster hired Thompson to deliver boots and learn the trade, but later was forced to fire Thompson after he injured a customer. Hopkins recalled McMaster’s description of Thompson when he found him as a vagrant on London’s streets,

‘He was the very personification of ruin, a tumble-down, dilapidated opium-haunted wreck.’

Hopkins included this information in his 1927 book, “This London - Its Taverns, Haunts And Memories.”

[Roy Corduroy]

Hi Richard,

In a magazine article, Martin Fido proposed Hopkins' "Mr Moring" was the poet Ernest Dowson. His opinion was based, for one thing, on this part of the Hopkins quote you left out:

"It was said that his father -a prosperous tradesman in the East End-had disowned him because he had become a drug addict. Occasionally he returned home and begged money from his parents, and on his return to old haunts lie would enjoy a short period of luxury and sartorial rehabilitation."

Dowson as Moring points: Dowson's family had a company in Limehouse, and Dowson lodged in the East End to manage it. He was known to walk at night (often to and from the West End). He was a victim of drink and drugs. I can't remember more detail of how he fitted Moring - (his clothes and his relations with his father matched, if I remember aright, but I can't recall how), but certainly he is a far better fit than Francis Thompson.
Martin F

Roy

[Richard Patterson]

Hi Richard,

In a magazine article, Martin Fido proposed Hopkins' "Mr Moring" was the poet Ernest Dowson. His opinion was based, for one thing, on this part of the Hopkins quote you left out:

"It was said that his father -a prosperous tradesman in the East End-had disowned him because he had become a drug addict. Occasionally he returned home and begged money from his parents, and on his return to old haunts lie would enjoy a short period of luxury and sartorial rehabilitation."



Roy

I did leave out Hopkins’ statement that Mr Moring was the son of a prosperous tradesman in the East End. I shouldn’t have done this. I guess wanting to make Thompson be Hopkins’ man motivated me. Though I also admit I omitted other details from Hopkins account of the Ripper crimes that bolster my suspicions that “Moring” was Thompson.

For example Hopkins starts his dissertation on the crimes, in his “Shadowing The Shadow Of A Murderer,” with the idea that Ripper was motivated by religious fanaticism. This is of interest considering Thompson, was an obsessive religionist. Hopkins also spend a great deal of his account on the Ripper looking at other London murder mysteries, that support his belief that the Ripper might have had surgical training. He details the 1889 Thames torso murder of a Chelsea prostitute, whose dismembered body was found floating in and around the Thames. Hopkins said,

‘One small point in the case of Elizabeth Jackson suggests that the murderer may have been a member of the medical profession. One of the last portions of the body which turned up was enveloped in a piece of medicated gauze similar to that used by students engaged on surgical cases.’

I see it as more than a coincidence that both this murdered woman and Thompson, the ex-medical student’s, lover, were prostitutes who lived in Chelsea. Thompson's prostitute disappeared in June of 1888 while Elizabeth Jackson was murdered in the same month, a year later.

I don’t think Dowson was Hopkins’ poet. Dowson, unlike his poet, wasn’t a drug addict, and I don’t see how his father could have disowned him for a drug habit he didn’t have. Hopkins tells us his “Moring” constantly would say, ‘Alcohol for fools; opium for poets’. This maxim is the opposite for Dowson, who was a drinker and not an opium user. Dowson died of alcohol poisoning. It perfectly fits Thompson, who was an opium user and not a drinker. Thompson is said to have died from opium usage. Hopkins was only sixteen when Dowson died in 1900, though he was twenty-three when Thompson died in 1907. Of the two poets, it more likely Hopkins had time to strike up a friendship with Thompson, rather than with Dowson. Thompson lived opposite the western corner of Dorset Street, less then 100 meters from Kelly’s house. Limehouse, where Dowson lived, was about 6 kilometers away from Kelly. I consider that the proximity of Thompson to Kelly is another fact making him a far better candidate for Hopkin’s “Moring”.

Interestingly both Dowson and Thompson were associated with each other. Dowson was a member of the “Rhymers Club” a group of poets who would meet at each other’s home or more often at the Cheshire Cheese tavern in Fleet Street from 1891 to 1894. Members also include, W.B Yeats and Oscar Wilde. Francis Thompson attended a meeting, where he encountered these poets and sat next to Dowson.

[Roy Corduroy]

R. Thurston Hopkins inlcluded a chapter on Jack the Ripper entitled "Shadowing the Shadow of a Murderer" in his 1935 book, Life and Death at the Old Bailey. Which can be read here on Casebook (click)

Richard, it wasn't Hopkins who knew "Mr Moring." He wrote I had several long conversations with a veteran Old Bailey officer, who, before he was attached to the court, was on duty in the East End throughout the whole run of the murders, I think some account of his experiences may be of more than ordinary interest to my readers.

He was quoting that policeman with the four paragraphs beginning - One of Mary Kelly's friends was a poor devil-driven poet who often haunted the taverns around the East End. I will call him " Mr. Moring," but of course that was not his real name.

The policemen who in the end said of the poet I could not connect a man of such extraordinary gentleness committing such a dreadful series of outrages."

The episode with the poet is a bit of color in the story.

As to Elizabeth Jackson who lodged at Chelsea, note the police interviewed a stonecutter who had been living with her. That's not Francis Thompson.

I like Shaw's book, though and I'm going to read it again. He actually suggests a more realistic scenario in the breakup of the prostitute with Francis Thompson. She knew that once he was 'discovered' there would be no place for her in his life. That is why she left him. The great love of his life came later with another lady.

But Richard, I'm glad you're back. You popped in a little while five years ago then left.

Roy

[Richard Patterson]

Here is a map that shows where Thompson was Living in 1888 in relation to Mary Kelly. It shows that he lived less than 100 meters from her. He was staying in the Providence Row homeless shelter. This was at 50 Crispin Street, opposite Dorset Street where Kelly lived. This points to him knowing Kelly.