Mitre Square Timeline

[Herlock Sholmes]

At the Detective Office McWilliam is informed by SS Izzard about what steps had been taken thus far. I’m assuming that SS stands for Station Sergeant?

Some time between 2.35 and 2.55 Inspector Izzard arrived in Mitre Square with Phelps and Dudman to maintain public order.

In The Times, October 4th, Inspector George Izzard talks about what time Eddowes arrived at Bishopsgate


I can see no record of two Izzard’s so it seems close to a certainty that these Izzard’s are one and the same. If SS does stand for Station Sergeant though then surely he would have been a uniformed officer whereas Inspector Izzard would have been plain clothes?

But…the time backs up my suggestion that when McWilliam wrote 3.45 he meant 2.45. At 2.45 he learns from Izzard (at Bishopsgate Station) about what steps had been taken. He then sends him, with Phelps and Dudman to Mitre Square to keep order (arriving at 2.55) So the timing works.

Another thought is that Izzard arrived in Mitre Square with two Sergeant’s. Likely sent by McWilliam this might account for McWilliam’s confusion over Izzard’s rank?

[Herlock Sholmes]

Fourth Amendment


c1.44 - PC Watkins enters Mitre Square from Mitre Street and finds the body in the South-West corner.

c1.45 - Watkins goes over to the warehouse of Kearley and Tonge and asks for assistant from George Morris who returns with him to view the body.

c1.47 - Watkins remains with the body and sends Holland for assistance. Morris, blowing his whistle, runs down Mitre Street into Aldgate.

c1.48 - PC Harvey hears the whistle and sees Morris running. He goes over to him and Morris tells him about the body. Morris then sees PC Holland (814City) and calls him over.

c1.49 - The three men go to Mitre Square. Holland is sent to fetch Dr George William Sequiera (34, Jewry Street)

c1.55 - At Bishopsgate Station Inspector Collard is informed of the body. He telegraphs headquarters then he sends a PC to fetch City Police Surgeon, Frederick Gordon Brown (17, Finsbury Circus) (6, North-buildings, Eldon Street, Finsbury Circus [Lloyd’s])

c1.55 - PC Holland returns with Dr Sequiera who pronounces Catherine Eddowes dead.

c1.58 - DC Halse, DC Edward Marriott and DS Robert Outram are on duty near to Sr Botolph’s Church in Houndsditch. They hear Morris’s whistle and head toward Mitre Square.

c2.00 - Dc Halse, DC Marriott and DS Outram arrive in Mitre Square.

c2.02/2.03 - Inspector Collard arrives in Mitre Square and organises a search. Dr Sequiera is informed the Dr Brown has been sent for so he waits for his arrival before proceeding.

c2.02 - Dr Brown is told about the body.

c2.05 - DC Halse goes on a search into Wentworth Street via Middlesex Street.

c2.18 - Dr. Brown arrives in Mitre Square.

c2.20 - The examination of the body begins.

c2.20 - D/Superintendent Alfred Lawrence Foster arrives in Mitre Square.

c2.20 - DC Halse, who is in Goulston Street, heads back to Mitre Square.

c2.20 - PC Long (254A) passes along Goulston Street and sees nothing.

c2.20 - PC Pearse hears about the murder.

? - Dr Brown requests that Dr Phillips is sent for to look at the injuries.

c2.35 - DC Halse gets back to Mitre Square.

? - Sergeant Jones finds three buttons, a thimble and a mustard tin containing two pawn tickets next to the body.

c2.45 - Inspector (?) McWilliam arrives at the Detective Office and gets an update on events from Inspector George Izzard. He sends Izzard and Sergeants Phelps and Dudman to Mitre Square to maintain order.

c2.49 - Inspector McWilliam wires Scotland Yard about the murder in Mitre Square.

c2.55 - PC Long discovers the apron piece and the chalked message in Goulston Street. He searches the staircases and the surrounding area.

c2.55 - Sergeant Phelps, Inspector Izzard and Sergeant Dudman arrive in Mitre Square.

c2.59 - Inspector McWilliam and DS Downes arrive at Bishopsgate Station.

c3.00 - The body is placed on the ambulance and is taken to Golden Lane Mortuary.

? - DC Halse, Inspector Collard and the two doctors go to the mortuary.

? - DC Halse (?) notices a piece of her apron is missing.

c3.00 - PC Long calls over PC 190H and leaves him in charge of his beat before heading to Commercial Street Station. He leaves the apron piece at the scene.

c3.00 - Major Smith arrives in Mitre Square.

c3.09 - Inspector McWilliam arrives in Mitre Square.

c3.10 - PC Long arrives at Commercial Street Station and reports his findings.

c3.30 - PC Long and an Inspector arrive in Goulston Street.

c3.40 - PC Long (carrying the apron piece) and the Inspector head for Leman Street Station.

c3.45 - The body arrives at the mortuary is stripped and a piece of the victims ear falls from her clothing.

c3.50 - PC Long and the Inspector arrive at Leman Street Station.

? - Inspector Collard and Major Smith return to Mitre Square where they learn about the apron piece and the chalked message.

? - DC Halse went to Goulston Street and instructed that the message should be photographed. He remained there.

? - Superintendent Thomas Arnold sends an Inspector to Goulston Street with a sponge awaiting orders to rub out the message.

c4.55 - Long hands the apron piece to Dr Phillips who heads for the mortuary.

c5.00 - PC Long returns to Goulston Street.

c5.05 - DC Halse, Major Smith and Detective Baxter Hunt went to Leman Street Police Station where they learn that the apron piece has been given to Doctor Phillips.

c5.10 - Commissioner Charles Warren arrives at Goulston Street.

c5.20 - Dr Brown (at least) was still at the mortuary.

c5.25 - Dr Phillips arrives at the mortuary with the apron piece.

c5.30 - DC Hunt arrives at Goulston Street.

c5.30 - Over DC Halse’s objections the message is rubbed out. (Major Smith claimed that Warren personally removed it)

c5.42 - Sunrise.

2.30 (pm) - The Post Mortem is conducted by Dr Brown, Dr Sequiera, Dr William Sedgwick Saunders, Medical Officer of Health and Public Analyst, City of London and attended by Dr. Phillips.

Thursday October 4th, Eddowes inquest begins.

[The Rookie Detective]

Fourth Amendment


c1.44 - PC Watkins enters Mitre Square from Mitre Street and finds the body in the South-West corner.

c1.45 - Watkins goes over to the warehouse of Kearley and Tonge and asks for assistant from George Morris who returns with him to view the body.

c1.47 - Watkins remains with the body and sends Holland for assistance. Morris, blowing his whistle, runs down Mitre Street into Aldgate.

c1.48 - PC Harvey hears the whistle and sees Morris running. He goes over to him and Morris tells him about the body. Morris then sees PC Holland (814City) and calls him over.

c1.49 - The three men go to Mitre Square. Holland is sent to fetch Dr George William Sequiera (34, Jewry Street)

c1.55 - At Bishopsgate Station Inspector Collard is informed of the body. He telegraphs headquarters then he sends a PC to fetch City Police Surgeon, Frederick Gordon Brown (17, Finsbury Circus) (6, North-buildings, Eldon Street, Finsbury Circus [Lloyd’s])

c1.55 - PC Holland returns with Dr Sequiera who pronounces Catherine Eddowes dead.

c1.58 - DC Halse, DC Edward Marriott and DS Robert Outram are on duty near to Sr Botolph’s Church in Houndsditch. They hear Morris’s whistle and head toward Mitre Square.

c2.00 - Dc Halse, DC Marriott and DS Outram arrive in Mitre Square.

c2.02/2.03 - Inspector Collard arrives in Mitre Square and organises a search. Dr Sequiera is informed the Dr Brown has been sent for so he waits for his arrival before proceeding.

c2.02 - Dr Brown is told about the body.

c2.05 - DC Halse goes on a search into Wentworth Street via Middlesex Street.

c2.18 - Dr. Brown arrives in Mitre Square.

c2.20 - The examination of the body begins.

c2.20 - D/Superintendent Alfred Lawrence Foster arrives in Mitre Square.

c2.20 - DC Halse, who is in Goulston Street, heads back to Mitre Square.

c2.20 - PC Long (254A) passes along Goulston Street and sees nothing.

c2.20 - PC Pearse hears about the murder.

? - Dr Brown requests that Dr Phillips is sent for to look at the injuries.

c2.35 - DC Halse gets back to Mitre Square.

? - Sergeant Jones finds three buttons, a thimble and a mustard tin containing two pawn tickets next to the body.

c2.45 - Inspector (?) McWilliam arrives at the Detective Office and gets an update on events from Inspector George Izzard. He sends Izzard and Sergeants Phelps and Dudman to Mitre Square to maintain order.

c2.49 - Inspector McWilliam wires Scotland Yard about the murder in Mitre Square.

c2.55 - PC Long discovers the apron piece and the chalked message in Goulston Street. He searches the staircases and the surrounding area.

c2.55 - Sergeant Phelps, Inspector Izzard and Sergeant Dudman arrive in Mitre Square.

c2.59 - Inspector McWilliam and DS Downes arrive at Bishopsgate Station.

c3.00 - The body is placed on the ambulance and is taken to Golden Lane Mortuary.

? - DC Halse, Inspector Collard and the two doctors go to the mortuary.

? - DC Halse (?) notices a piece of her apron is missing.

c3.00 - PC Long calls over PC 190H and leaves him in charge of his beat before heading to Commercial Street Station. He leaves the apron piece at the scene.

c3.00 - Major Smith arrives in Mitre Square.

c3.09 - Inspector McWilliam arrives in Mitre Square.

c3.10 - PC Long arrives at Commercial Street Station and reports his findings.

c3.30 - PC Long and an Inspector arrive in Goulston Street.

c3.40 - PC Long (carrying the apron piece) and the Inspector head for Leman Street Station.

c3.45 - The body arrives at the mortuary is stripped and a piece of the victims ear falls from her clothing.

c3.50 - PC Long and the Inspector arrive at Leman Street Station.

? - Inspector Collard and Major Smith return to Mitre Square where they learn about the apron piece and the chalked message.

? - DC Halse went to Goulston Street and instructed that the message should be photographed. He remained there.

? - Superintendent Thomas Arnold sends an Inspector to Goulston Street with a sponge awaiting orders to rub out the message.

c4.55 - Long hands the apron piece to Dr Phillips who heads for the mortuary.

c5.00 - PC Long returns to Goulston Street.

c5.05 - DC Halse, Major Smith and Detective Baxter Hunt went to Leman Street Police Station where they learn that the apron piece has been given to Doctor Phillips.

c5.10 - Commissioner Charles Warren arrives at Goulston Street.

c5.20 - Dr Brown (at least) was still at the mortuary.

c5.25 - Dr Phillips arrives at the mortuary with the apron piece.

c5.30 - DC Hunt arrives at Goulston Street.

c5.30 - Over DC Halse’s objections the message is rubbed out. (Major Smith claimed that Warren personally removed it)

c5.42 - Sunrise.

2.30 (pm) - The Post Mortem is conducted by Dr Brown, Dr Sequiera, Dr William Sedgwick Saunders, Medical Officer of Health and Public Analyst, City of London and attended by Dr. Phillips.

Thursday October 4th, Eddowes inquest begins.

So we're now up to the 4th Amendment...


I am looking forward to the "5th Amendment."


Don't be surprised if our American friends choose to avoid answering any questions you may have on that.

"Pleading the 5th!"


haha!

[Herlock Sholmes]

So we're now up to the 4th Amendment...


I am looking forward to the "5th Amendment."


Don't be surprised if our American friends choose to avoid answering any questions you may have on that.

"Pleading the 5th!"


haha!

I don’t know how much further I can go RD. what I might do over the next day or two is to just post a list of questions to see if anyone can fill in gaps. I’d like to ask Neil Bell for example if he knows who PC 190H was? He’s the guy that took over from PC Long while Long when to Commercial Road Station.

[jerryd]

190H was PC Willie (William) Bettles

[Herlock Sholmes]

190H was PC Willie (William) Bettles

That’s a second gold star for you Jerry. Thank you.

[GBinOz]

He’s the guy that took over from PC Long while Long when to Commercial Road Station.

Hi Herlock,

Just to engage in a little "straw grasping", could PC Long have been referring to the Station off Commercial Road (Leman St Station is not far off Commercial Road) rather than the Commercial Street Station?

[Herlock Sholmes]

Hi Herlock,

Just to engage in a little "straw grasping", could PC Long have been referring to the Station off Commercial Road (Leman St Station is not far off Commercial Road) rather than the Commercial Street Station?

Hi George,


Nice try. Nothing wrong with throwing out a suggestion as these type of things can happen. I tend to think that it was just an error though.

Telegraph - I at once searched the staircase and areas of the building, but did not find anything else. I took the apron to Commercial-road Police-station and reported to the inspector on duty.

Inquest Papers - I at once searched the staircases and areas of the Building but found nothing else. I at once took the apron to Commercial Road Police Station and reported it to the Inspector on Duty.

Times - He at once searched the staircases and areas of the building, but he found nothing. He then took the piece of apron to the Commercial-road [sic – Commercial Street] Police-station, and reported to the inspector on duty.


The three versions above are almost word for word which is to be expected of course, but the 6th November report is has a significant difference.

A49301C/8c
6th November, 1888. [Stamped: – HOME OFFICE 6 NOV.88 RECd. DEPt.]


I was on duty in Goulston Street on the morning of 30th Sept: at about 2.55 A.M. I found a portion of an apron covered in blood lying in the passage of the door-way leading to Nos. 108 to 119 Model Dwellings in Goulston Street. Above it on the wall was written in chalk “The Juews are the men that will not be blamed for nothing”, I at once called the P.C. on the adjoining beat and then searched the stair-cases, but found no traces of any person or marks. I at once proceeded to the Station, telling the P.C. to see that no one entered or left the building in my absence. I arrived at the Station about 5 or 10 minutes past 3, and reported to the Inspector on duty finding the apron and the writing. The Inspector at once proceeded to Goulston Street and inspected the writing. From there we proceeded to Leman St., and the apron was handed by the Inspector to a gentleman whom I have since learnt is Dr. Phillips. I then returned back on duty in Goulston Street about 5.

Alfred Long PC 254A.


I don’t know about you George (or anyone else for that matter) but this version sounds more likely to me. By the time that Long found this cloth it was no more than a rag and so he couldn’t have realised its full, potential significance and leaving it in situ until a senior officer had seen it makes perfect sense. He would have had no thought of matching it up. The fact that he left PC Bettles on guard duty implies that he didn’t want anyone disturbing it specifically. After all it was hardly likely that someone would have decided to do some graffito removing at 3am.


I’m going to go with the HO report version for my timeline.

[Herlock Sholmes]

So we have Long and the Inspector arriving at Leman Street where he hands the apron piece to Dr Phillips according to Long’s report. The Lloyd’s reporter left the mortuary after speaking to Dr Brown at 5.20 (Brown was awaiting Phillips’ arrival) so Phillips had to have arrived sometime after 5.20. We have estimated a time between 11 and 33 minutes from Leman Street to Golden Lane, so let’s say 30 minutes. If he arrive at 5.25 this would have him setting off at 4.55. Lets allow 15 minutes at the station for Phillips which gives us 4.40.

So what was Phillips doing up until that time?

According to Phillips he was called at 1.20 at his house in Spital Square to Leman Street Station and then it was on to Berner Street where he arrived around 20 minutes after Blackwell got there at 1.16. So we have him at Berner Street at around 1.36.

I’m using walking (4mph) cab (8mph)

How long was he there?

Did he go on to the mortuary with Stride’s body?



Berner Street to St George’s Mortuary (approx 1 mile) walking 15 mins/ cab 8 mins

St George’s to Spital Square (approx 2 miles) walking 30 mins/ 16 mins

Spital Square to Leman Street (approx 1 mile) walking 15 mins/ cab 8 mins

Leman Street to Golden Lane (approx 2 miles) walking 30 mins/ cab 8 mins



Let’s give him just under an hour at Dutfield’s Yard which takes us to 2.30. To St George’s mortuary 2.38/2.45. An hour there gives us 3.38/3.45. Home to Spital Square gives us 3.54/4.15. Then from Spital Square to Leman Street takes us to 4.02/4.30.

So in this scenario we have PC Long handing him the apron some time after 4.30. If we go by Long’s report he got to Bishopsgate Station at around 3.10, reported what he’d found to an Inspector and returned to Goulston Street. With a bit of waiting time plus some time looking around with the inspector it’s not difficult to imagine him getting back to Leman Street with the cloth around 4.00 or after. And if the were expecting Phillips it would hardly have been surprising if they waited around for him to arrive to hand over the cloth knowing that he was heading for Golden Lane to view the body. All manner of small issues might have made events last longer than we can quantify.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Fifth Amendment

(Thanks to Jerry Dunlop for identifying PC Bettles)


c1.44 - PC Watkins (881City) enters Mitre Square from Mitre Street and finds the body in the South-West corner.

c1.45 - Watkins goes over to the warehouse of Kearley and Tonge and asks for assistant from George Morris who returns with him to view the body.

c1.47 - Watkins remains with the body and sends Holland for assistance. Morris, blowing his whistle, runs down Mitre Street into Aldgate.

c1.48 - PC Harvey (964City) hears the whistle and sees Morris running. He goes over to him and Morris tells him about the body. Morris then sees PC Holland (814City) and calls him over.

c1.49 - The three men go to Mitre Square. Holland is sent to fetch Dr George William Sequiera (34, Jewry Street) which is around 3 minutes walk away.

c1.55 - At Bishopsgate Station Inspector Collard is informed of the body. He telegraphs headquarters then he sends a PC to fetch City Police Surgeon, Frederick Gordon Brown (17, Finsbury Circus, around 1.5 miles away so he must have used a cab)

c1.55 - PC Holland returns with Dr Sequiera who pronounces Catherine Eddowes dead.

c1.58 - DC Halse, DC Edward Marriott and DS Robert Outram are on duty near to St Botolph’s Church in Houndsditch. They hear Morris’s whistle and head toward Mitre Square.

c2.00 - Dc Halse, DC Marriott and DS Outram arrive in Mitre Square.

c2.02/2.03 - Inspector Collard arrives in Mitre Square and organises a search. Dr Sequiera is informed the Dr Brown has been sent for so he waits for his arrival before proceeding.

c2.03 - Dr Brown is told about the body.

c2.05 - DC Halse goes on a search into Wentworth Street via Middlesex Street.

c2.18 - Dr. Brown arrives in Mitre Square.

c2.20 - The examination of the body begins.

c2.20 - D/Superintendent Alfred Lawrence Foster arrives in Mitre Square.

c2.20 - DC Halse, who is in Goulston Street, heads back to Mitre Square.

c2.20 - PC Long (254A) passes along Goulston Street and sees nothing.

c2.20 - PC Pearse (992City) hears about the murder.

c2.20 -Dr Brown requests that Dr Phillips is sent for to look at the injuries.

c2.35 - DC Halse gets back to Mitre Square.

c2.35 - Sergeant Jones finds three buttons, a thimble and a mustard tin containing two pawn tickets next to the body.

c2.45 - Inspector McWilliam arrives at the Detective Office and gets an update on events from Inspector George Izzard. He sends Izzard and Sergeants Phelps and Dudman to Mitre Square to maintain order.

c2.49 - Inspector McWilliam wires Scotland Yard about the murder in Mitre Square.

c2.55 - PC Long discovers the apron piece and the chalked message in Goulston Street. He searches the staircases and the surrounding area.

c2.55 - Sergeant Phelps, Inspector Izzard and Sergeant Dudman arrive in Mitre Square.

c2.59 - Inspector McWilliam and DS Downes arrive at Bishopsgate Station.

c3.00 - The body is placed on the ambulance and is taken to Golden Lane Mortuary.

c3.00 - PC Long calls over PC William Bettles (190H) and leaves him in charge of his beat before heading to Commercial Street Station. He leaves the apron piece at the scene (?)

c3.00 - Major Smith arrives in Mitre Square.

c3.09 - Inspector McWilliam arrives in Mitre Square.

c3.10 - DC Halse, Inspector Collard, Inspector McWilliam, Major Smith and the two doctors go to the mortuary.

c3.10 - PC Long arrives at Commercial Street Station and reports his findings.

c3.30 - PC Long and an Inspector arrive in Goulston Street.

c3.30-3.40 - Dr’s Brown and Sequiera arrive at the mortuary (it’s possible that they arrived before the ambulance with the body did.)

c3.40 - PC Long (carrying the apron piece) and the Inspector head for Leman Street Station.

c3.40 - The body arrives at the mortuary is stripped and a piece of the victims ear falls from her clothing.

c3.45 - DC Halse (?) notices a piece of her apron is missing.

c3.50 - PC Long and the Inspector arrive at Leman Street Station with the apron piece.

c4.00 - Inspector Collard, DC Halse and Major Smith return to Mitre Square where they learn about the apron piece and the chalked message.

c4.15 - DC Halse went to Goulston Street and instructed that the message should be photographed. He remained there.

c4.20 - Superintendent Thomas Arnold sends an Inspector to Goulston Street with a sponge awaiting orders to rub out the message.

c4.55 - Long hands the apron piece to Dr Phillips at Lemon Street Station.

c5.00 - Dr Phillips heads for the mortuary.

c5.00 - PC Long returns to Goulston Street.

c5.05 - DC Halse, Major Smith and Detective Baxter Hunt went to Leman Street Police Station where they learn that the apron piece has been given to Doctor Phillips.

c5.10 - Commissioner Charles Warren arrives at Goulston Street.

c5.20 - Dr Brown (at least) was still at the mortuary.

c5.25 - Dr Phillips arrives at the mortuary with the apron piece.

c5.30 - DC Hunt arrives at Goulston Street.

c5.30 - Over DC Halse’s objections the message is rubbed out. (Major Smith claimed that Warren personally removed it)


5.42 - Sunrise.


2.30 (pm) - The Post Mortem is conducted by Dr Brown, Dr Sequiera, Dr William Sedgwick Saunders, Medical Officer of Health and Public Analyst, City of London and attended by Dr. Phillips.


Thursday October 4th, Eddowes inquest.

…..


I don’t know how much further I can go with this. Some of the times could be out by a considerable amount so it’s more a case of trying to place events into a workable, logical order.

[GBinOz]

Hi George,


Nice try. Nothing wrong with throwing out a suggestion as these type of things can happen. I tend to think that it was just an error though.

Telegraph - I at once searched the staircase and areas of the building, but did not find anything else. I took the apron to Commercial-road Police-station and reported to the inspector on duty.

Inquest Papers - I at once searched the staircases and areas of the Building but found nothing else. I at once took the apron to Commercial Road Police Station and reported it to the Inspector on Duty.

Times - He at once searched the staircases and areas of the building, but he found nothing. He then took the piece of apron to the Commercial-road [sic – Commercial Street] Police-station, and reported to the inspector on duty.


The three versions above are almost word for word which is to be expected of course, but the 6th November report is has a significant difference.

A49301C/8c
6th November, 1888. [Stamped: – HOME OFFICE 6 NOV.88 RECd. DEPt.]


I was on duty in Goulston Street on the morning of 30th Sept: at about 2.55 A.M. I found a portion of an apron covered in blood lying in the passage of the door-way leading to Nos. 108 to 119 Model Dwellings in Goulston Street. Above it on the wall was written in chalk “The Juews are the men that will not be blamed for nothing”, I at once called the P.C. on the adjoining beat and then searched the stair-cases, but found no traces of any person or marks. I at once proceeded to the Station, telling the P.C. to see that no one entered or left the building in my absence. I arrived at the Station about 5 or 10 minutes past 3, and reported to the Inspector on duty finding the apron and the writing. The Inspector at once proceeded to Goulston Street and inspected the writing. From there we proceeded to Leman St., and the apron was handed by the Inspector to a gentleman whom I have since learnt is Dr. Phillips. I then returned back on duty in Goulston Street about 5.

Alfred Long PC 254A.


I don’t know about you George (or anyone else for that matter) but this version sounds more likely to me. By the time that Long found this cloth it was no more than a rag and so he couldn’t have realised its full, potential significance and leaving it in situ until a senior officer had seen it makes perfect sense. He would have had no thought of matching it up. The fact that he left PC Bettles on guard duty implies that he didn’t want anyone disturbing it specifically. After all it was hardly likely that someone would have decided to do some graffito removing at 3am.


I’m going to go with the HO report version for my timeline.

Hi Herlock,

I agree. A simple error in reporting. The HO report clinches it.

Cheers, George