Kate Eddowes as Mary Ann Kelly.

[Salome]

She tells someone that she has a relative on the stage doesn't she? I have a feeling that this may have been fantasy on her part though. She had a perfect opportunity as a newcomer to London to invent any past for herself that she chose. I, like other Casebook readers, went through the records of the Scots Guards at the PRO and couldn't find a brother for her and I've never been able to find a marriage record to a Davies or Davis for her either despite Barnett asserting that they were 'lawfully married'.

[claire]

Yes, great research, Salome. As an aside, I've sort of toyed with this idea of MJK having some connection with the halls (or even being a halls wannabe/hanger on)--but this might be romanticising things, the dismal life of the halls notwithstanding

[Natalie Severn]

Charlie"s mother was named Hannah but her stage name was Lilly Harley.He was very attached to his mother who he said inspired all his work.I believe she went out with Steve McCarthy briefly.His stage name was different too---can"t remember it.Thats very interesting research you"ve done Salome!

[Salome]

That's really interesting about Charlie Chaplin Natalie, I hadn't heard that before. What was Chaplin's mother called? Kay Kendall was Fiona K-L's cousin, there is a good book about her by her sister Kim and Eve Golden which talks about some early McCarthy/Kendall family history. Regarding the permit situation, I'm afraid I don't know the answer to that but in the book 'The London Underworld' Bracebridge Hemyng refers to the 'maisons de passe' which English girls were duped into going to. In these accounts the girls are asked to sign an agreement which I imagine legally bound them to the maison, however these agreements were usually held by the procurer of the girls.

[Natalie Severn]

Charlie Chaplin refers to Steve McCarthy in his autobiography.Apparently he partnered Charlie"s mother in Vaudeville. Chaplin spoke well of him and his kindness.The connection didnt end there either. Charlie"s son Sydney went out with the film star Kay Kendall,I think she was Fiona"s cousin.
You are quite right Salome,it could simply have been a document,maybe an identification or birth certificate.Would she have needed some kind of work permit perhaps to work or reside in France in 1888?

[richardnunweek]

Hi Simon,
So would I my friend, I might initially think about any such accusations that could inflict hurt upon any living relatives, but because of the time frame, and the obvious nearest/dearest, being long gone, the desire for a hush/cover up would be non exsistant.
I would hardly dine out, because I am not [ seriously] motivated by financial rewards from this case. at my age/ my career, has only four years to go. [Yes] and I am content with my ability/financially to carry on, so to speak...without starvation.
Regards Richard.

[Salome]

Hi Natalie,
I did look for other likely candidates on the passport register. There wasn't anyone that leapt out. You could be right in that a mistake was made and some other kind of document was seen, after all, Steve was relatively young -I wonder if he had even seen a passport up to that point.

[Simon Wood]

Hey Richard,

If someone resents/gets pissed off/offended/upset that one of their relatives was a JtR victim, that's called tough patooties. There's nothing they can do to change history. It's life. It's gone. Done. Finished. Personally, if one of my relatives proved to be MJK or JtR I'd dine out on it in style; not beat my breast and weep buckets.

Regards,

Simon

[Natalie Severn]

Thanks Claire. A reservation I still have is that we actually know that Mary Kelly went by several other names Emma was one of them .On her coffin her name was Marie Jaenette, which may have been an affectation she used but which may also have been the name she used in the West End brothel she told Joe about.She also claimed to have married a man named Davies and used the name McCarthy according to news reports.Over time word of mouth often gets altered and its possible Steve McCarthy didnt actually say he saw the name " Mary Kelly " on the passport but rather said ,"I saw Mary Kelly"s passport among her belongings".

[richardnunweek]

Hi Claire,
Your Interpretation sums it up prefectly, however I only hope that Fiona does not interpret our posts as a negative response, [ which i feel she may do] the fact is Fiona how can we write otherwise, when that juicy carrot is still in memory?
Regards Richard.

[Salome]

Loving that analogy Claire!

[Tom_Wescott]

You're a pretty funny chick, Claire.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[claire]

Hi Claire,
Her stories were infact mentioned initially in 'Good Faith', but as you know, some casebook members challenged her authenticity, and that was that, enter Coral, who explained her [ fiona's] reluctance to proceed with the way conversation was apparently heading, which was lets 'discuss this further', but alas Fiona froze, and although willing to discuss her familys colourful life, is not prepeared to answe questions that are really relevant to 'Casebook' namely the subject of 'Jack The Ripper'.
Regards Richard.

...which is a bit like going to MI6, saying you know where Osama Bin Laden is, and then only being prepared to talk about preparing halal food in caves

[richardnunweek]

Oh Simon.
I am not trying to mock Fiona, and i am not intent in putting the curse on any future publication that she may well be working on.. that is a fact.
I sincerley hope that such a book is written , which reveals all, but there are some morals in life that should not be targetted as financial, and to me if Fiona has a suspect to name, money [ for the memory of the victims, and their familys] should not be the target.
I can of course only reflect my own convictions.
Regards Richard.

[claire]

Hi Norma,
Just to note, passports weren't required until just after the first world war, at which time they became documents of (British) identity. Before that, some people would get them as documents of 'safe passage,' denoting that the monarch/secretary of state would help them out if they got into difficulty. But if MJK had one and it was, as FKL claims, in that name, there would be a record of it.