The Deformity To Her Lip

[belinda]

Are there any records or theories on when and how the deformity to her lower lip occured.Could it have been a birth defect or the result of a beating at the hands of a client or perhaps her husband?

[belinda]

Just bumping this. I'm writing an article,well trying to, about her and need some more information about this

[richardnunweek]

Hello Belinda,
If memory serves me correct the theory regarding the deformed lip ebbs from the Princess Alice disaster of 1878, in which Stride maintained [ since found to be untrue] that she lost her husband and two children in thae incident,
Apparently the injury occured when a seaman stepped down on her face when attempting to abandon ship.
As I mentioned however that story appears to have put around by Stride, apparently she received some charity from the Swedish church.
Regards Richard.

[anna]

Belinda,
Tom is our resident expert on Liz,he knows some amazing facts about her.
Liz's murder holds a fascination for me,as it has more of the mystery about it,so is interesting to discuss.
Love Liz also.......she's almost as cheeky as Kate,but in a different way,and by all accounts was quite an actress in court...would give anything to be transported back to 1888,and witness one of her performances....have a feeling Tom would be right there too.She certainly was a colourful character.
One hell'v a girl.

[anna]

I though I'd read something about a deformity to the roof of her mouth,
but have seen it as her lip in other areas of discussion,so I shall be waiting with interest on this one,too.

By the way...I should have added "amongst others" when I spoke of Tom's extensive knowledge on Liz...but for me, his name springs to mind associated with hers,if someone were to ask..."who should I go to if I want to know something on Liz"... I know Fisherman is a top man on this subject too,so no offence meant to any other posters.

[belinda]

Thanks Anna I'm writing the article focusing on Lis the woman rather than Lis the Victim and having an injury like that must have had an impact on her and I'm trying to explore that and all the other details that don't necessarily get covered

[Sandra]

When it comes to Stride, have you read "Elizabeth Stride and Jack the Ripper" by Dave Yost. It covers Liz's life from her beginnings in Sweden all the way to the night of her murder. Dave has been known as "our man in Berner Street", he has extentsive knowledge on Elizabeth Stride.
Regards
Sandra

[Pippin Joan]

From what I've read, Liz Stride had a deformity of the palate, which she must have noticed, because she fabricated a story that she had been kicked in the mouth by a another person involved in the shipwreck of the 'Princess Alice'. The whole story was a ruse to get sympathy, but there must have been something wrong with her mouth. I have never heard that it was her lip, but if it was a visible scar, it would prompt questions. However, I have read that it was observed that she spoke normally, so it didn't affect her speech. I've seen the morgue picture of her, but people don't look particularly normal after they've been murdered and are lying on a slab.

[The Grave Maurice]

Remember that nothing about a damaged palate or deformed mouth appeared in the autopsy report. The poor woman's lips certainly look swollen in the morgue photo, but that's about all we know for certain.

[Sara]

From what I've read, Liz Stride had a deformity of the palate, which she must have noticed, because she fabricated a story that she had been kicked in the mouth by a another person involved in the shipwreck of the 'Princess Alice'. The whole story was a ruse to get sympathy, but there must have been something wrong with her mouth. I have never heard that it was her lip, but if it was a visible scar, it would prompt questions. However, I have read that it was observed that she spoke normally, so it didn't affect her speech. I've seen the morgue picture of her, but people don't look particularly normal after they've been murdered and are lying on a slab.

It sounds to me as it she had a slightly cleft palate, which would give her a bit of a 'hare lip'. this runs in families; in its mildest form there person has a gap in the front teeth, in effect a tooth is missing, and in extreme form it is a total cleft both of the palate and the lip. The more severe kind may lead to speech impediments, the lesser don't. A friend of mine and her mother both have the 'gap tooth' and my friend's eldest son had quite a pronounced hare lip as a child, it had to operated on

Try some of these links: http://tinyurl.com/5qebmp

[The Good Michael]

The Police Illustrated drawing of her doesn't show any deformity, and neither does a drawing of her in the morgue. They are both available on this site. I'm sure neither of these drawings are particularly accurate, but one would think that they'd have gotten a deformity right. This reminds me of Richard the III's alleged deformities which have no basis in fact.

Cheers,

Mike

[Mitch Rowe]

There wasnt any deformity. The autopsy confirmed that. The photo is horrid. It is of Liz in death not in life. She may have had a large lower lip and if she was known as hippie lip on the streets maybe thats why. I think if she had been taken off the streets and allowed to clean up and dress nicely she would have turned out quite normal looking.