Picture of 29 Hanbury Street passage?

[Archaic]

Hi, Brenda. Doesn't it seem especially odd in light of the fact that some of the residents specifically told investigators that they ''never lock their doors', because they are so sure of their neighbors?

Best regards, Archaic

[richardnunweek]

Hi,
What a enterprising idea, i wished i had obtained some kind of momento from that occasion , but [ I'm mad] i had waited for hours in the area, just to walk down that street at the relevant time, i wanted to feel the atmosphere, of what it would have felt in that street at that time, like i had done a week before in Bucks Row at 330am.
But my left hand did run along the door, which not many people apart from Graham have done, at least Casebook members..
Regards Richard.

[Brenda]

Thank you for the clearer copy of photo. Also, the diagram lays it all out very nicely.

I notice that the passage seems fairly well-lit. When comparing it to the photo of the back of the house, it appears there are a couple of small windows located between the ground and first floors. Is this the source of the lighting?

It has been noted before that in 1888, the front passage door was rarely if ever locked, which is how Annie Chapman and her killer were able to gain access. I assume there were others that also knew of this and utilized the passage and yard. Do you suppose there was a door at the top of the staircase that the residents could lock at night? Otherwise, anyone could have gained access to the entire house!

Something just doesn't seem right about it all. Surely the residents of #29 knew their passage was being accessed in this way.

[Archaic]

Rob, I thought the $145 edition of your book was the one engraved on tablets of gold?


Hi, Richard; that's pretty cool about touching #29 Hanbury on the anniversary.

Just think, if you had only had the foresight to never wash that hand again maybe you could have sold
genuine ''29 Hanbury Street Handshakes'' at the various Ripper conventions!

...but then someone would insist on testing your hand for DNA traces... just as well, I suppose.

Cheers, Archaic

[Rob Clack]

I did do this rough plan a while back.



Rob

[Rob Clack]

Thanks Archaic, we're hoping to have the book republished soon (no date as of yet) $145 is a ridiculous amount of money and I hope he doesn't sell it.
Anyway this is how 29 Hanbury Street looked on the day of the murder. From The Star 8 September 1888



Regards

Rob

[Stephen Thomas]

I would expect a room to open up on the right.

Would the passage have had the same wooden wall/partition in 1888?

Hi Archaic

There would have been two doors on the right, one to the front parlour and one to the back parlour (are you lonesome tonight?-joke). As I said, Khanada's graphic was spot on but it could have been improved by showing the two rooms and the doorways to them.

The John Bennett picture I posted was of a rather grander house (#24) which no doubt still exists across the road from #29 and is probably worth a million quid these days . The staircase is straight with a half-landing as opposed to the curved one in the #29 photos.

The #29 wooden wall is on the right is original, no question.

[richardnunweek]

I was outside that very door at 530am on the morning of the 8th september 1965, on my tour of the sites, at the relevant times that autumn, i rubbed my hand across the front of 29 as i walked past, if i had only knew then aged 18 , how historic that would be, i would have taken a film crew with me..
or a camera
Regards Richard.

[Archaic]

#29 in 1888 vs. 2009

Oh, I get it; thanks Rob! The street-front shop to the right of the front door, which we all know from old photos with the 'Brill' sign overhead, did not originally have its own separate front door, so it was entered via #29's door & passage. I had read before that the double front doors were not in existence in 1888, but I guess I had never envisioned any corresponding alteration to the inner passage way! (I wish I had your book, but when I checked recently on Amazon there was only 1 copy available & it was $145... it's definitely on my Wish List.)

If the street-front shop lacked its own door in 1888, it makes sense that it also lacked the large display window.

And in 1888, #29's creepy inner passage-way must have been even more 'public' than I had previously imagined. Thanks for the clarification; it does affect one's perspective of that fateful night.

Best regards, Archaic

[Graham]

Those photos are scary....I think I posted on the old threads about when, in 1970 or thereabouts, I walked the East End murder-sites and actually got as far as laying my hand on the door-knob of No 29 before bottling out and scarpering, as I think even at that late date there was someone living there.
The James Mason footage I can watch only in broad daylight....weird.

By the way, don't you think that the panelling to the right of the stairs in 5612 and 5613 is just that - panelling installed when the houses were built? Would that have been late 18th century, I wonder?

Cheers,

Graham

[Rob Clack]

I noticed that the right-hand wall appears to be a wooden partition, too. Does this imply that it had been a larger dwelling at some point but was subdivided?

Maybe the original passage way wasn't so claustrophobic? I would expect a room to open up on the right.

*Would the passage have had the same wooden wall/partition in 1888?

Thank you, Archaic

What I think happened is that back in 1888, to gain access to the front room shop you had to go through a door in the passage. When the extra door at the front of the building was built. The door in the passage wasn't needed and was sealed/partitioned off.

Rob

[Stephen Thomas]

I had a go at drawing how I pictured the layout of Number 29's hallway...hopefully it's not too far off.

Great stuff, Khanada

That's spot on.

[Archaic]

Same As In 1888?

I noticed that the right-hand wall appears to be a wooden partition, too. Does this imply that it had been a larger dwelling at some point but was subdivided?

Maybe the original passage way wasn't so claustrophobic? I would expect a room to open up on the right.

*Would the passage have had the same wooden wall/partition in 1888?

Thank you, Archaic

[Khanada]

No it isn't.

It's a GREAT book!!!

And soon to be re-published I believe.

I hope so -- mine was stolen, and I'd like to replace it.

I had a go at drawing how I pictured the layout of Number 29's hallway...hopefully it's not too far off.

[Stephen Thomas]

There's a much clearer image in Clack & Hutchinson's The London of Jack the Ripper. It's on page 65.

It's a good book!!!

No it isn't.

It's a GREAT book!!!

And soon to be re-published I believe.