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Press reports contain several versions of an "official description" of Eddowes:
"Age forty; length, 5ft.; dark auburn hair; hazel eyes; dressed in a black jacket, with imitation fur collar and three large metal buttons; brown bodice; dark green chintz skirt, of Michaelmas and Gordon lily pattern, and with three flounces; thin white vest, light drab lindsey skirt, dark green alpaca petticoat, white chemise; brown ribbed stockings, mended at foot with piece of white stocking; black straw bonnet, trimmed with black beads and green and black velvet; large white handkerchief round neck. She wore a pair of men's old lace-up boots, and a piece of coarse white apron. The letters "T.C." were tattooed on the left forearm in blue ink."
St James Gazette, 1 October 1888.
"Age about 40, length five feet, dark auburn hair, hazel eyes. Dress - black jacket with imitation fur collar, three large metal buttons, brown boddice, dark green chintz (with Michaelmas daisy and Gordon lily pattern), skirt (three flounces), thin white vest, light drab linsey underskirt, dark green alpaca petticoat, white chemise, brown ribbed stockings, mended at feet with piece of white stocking, black straw bonnet trimmed with black beads and green and black velvet, large white handkerchief round neck, a pair of men's old laced boots, and a piece of coarse white apron. The deceased had T. C. on left forearm tattoed in blue ink. "
Evening News, 1 October 1888.
The Irish Times of 1 October prints a description virtually identical to that in the Evening News, but the two versions above differ so much in wording that it's difficult to believe they come from a common written source. They read more as though they are based on notes of an oral briefing.
I wondered if anyone knew of a more official version of this official description.
"Age forty; length, 5ft.; dark auburn hair; hazel eyes; dressed in a black jacket, with imitation fur collar and three large metal buttons; brown bodice; dark green chintz skirt, of Michaelmas and Gordon lily pattern, and with three flounces; thin white vest, light drab lindsey skirt, dark green alpaca petticoat, white chemise; brown ribbed stockings, mended at foot with piece of white stocking; black straw bonnet, trimmed with black beads and green and black velvet; large white handkerchief round neck. She wore a pair of men's old lace-up boots, and a piece of coarse white apron. The letters "T.C." were tattooed on the left forearm in blue ink."
St James Gazette, 1 October 1888.
"Age about 40, length five feet, dark auburn hair, hazel eyes. Dress - black jacket with imitation fur collar, three large metal buttons, brown boddice, dark green chintz (with Michaelmas daisy and Gordon lily pattern), skirt (three flounces), thin white vest, light drab linsey underskirt, dark green alpaca petticoat, white chemise, brown ribbed stockings, mended at feet with piece of white stocking, black straw bonnet trimmed with black beads and green and black velvet, large white handkerchief round neck, a pair of men's old laced boots, and a piece of coarse white apron. The deceased had T. C. on left forearm tattoed in blue ink. "
Evening News, 1 October 1888.
The Irish Times of 1 October prints a description virtually identical to that in the Evening News, but the two versions above differ so much in wording that it's difficult to believe they come from a common written source. They read more as though they are based on notes of an oral briefing.
I wondered if anyone knew of a more official version of this official description.
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