Grapes?

[JacknJill]

In the movie From Hell starring Johnny Depp as Abberline, Jack uses grapes to attract Eddowes. Is this an idea of the producers or is there really some evidence of grapes being used to attract the victims?

[Grim]

I've always wondered this too, does anyone have information on this?

[Stewart P Evans]

None

In the movie From Hell starring Johnny Depp as Abberline, Jack uses grapes to attract Eddowes. Is this an idea of the producers or is there really some evidence of grapes being used to attract the victims?

No, none whatsoever.

[Magpie]

The grapes idea came largely from Stephen Knight's "JtR, The Final Solution" and therefore is included in virtually even reiteration of the Masonic Conspiracy theory.

So SPE is right, but it wasn't the producers of From Hell who came up with the idea, either.

[Limehouse]

It is interesting that the police appear to have interviewed a man called Packer, who claimed to have sold grapes to a man shortly before Stride's body was found. Some accounts mention a grape stalk being found in Stride's hand (or nearby) when she was found and yet, as far as I know, no grapes were found in her stomache contents or if they were, it was not mentioned in the post-mortem notes. However, we ARE told what Kelly's last meal was. We may therefore conclude that either Packer lied, or the person he sold grapes to was not the murderer and accounts of grape stalks being found in Stride's hand were fanciful extrapolations eminating from the Matthew Packer story.

[JacknJill]

Very well put Limehouse. Loved the "fanciful extrapolations eminating from the Matthew Packer story." Very nice wording. I have heard the part about her having been found with grapes in her hand but again - I couldn't find any confirmation. It would have come from somewhere but I'm guessing it's based more on a rumour or someone's imagination than much else. I can't help but wonder it's exact origins though.

[BLUE WIZZARD]

Lets Take A Vote

When I signed on to this site, my intentions were to be on this site for a short while.

However after a while I began to like it here, not just because of Ally, but also because of all of you; my visit here really made my day.

My brother was a regular on this site and after he died I was curious as to why he talked about this site so much.

So here I am checking it out, and now I understand.

Now I’m going to do something that I like to do and that is put this to a vote.

All those who would say, don't let the door hit you on the way out. Just vote yes or no.

All those who want me to stay on. Just vote yes or no.

I will tally up the vote and do the honors. My mind is already made up, the vote is just an ego trip.

Please do not make my SOB story influence the vote. I just added it to give a reason why I signed on to this site in the first place.

Sense I had only planed to stay a short while, the kick me out will not bother me.

Well maybe a little.

I’m looking forward to the count. Either way.

Ally need not apply I already have your vote. And if I may say you really have big boots.

Thanks

BW

[Tom_Wescott]

BW...I don't think this thread was entitled Sour Grapes.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

P.S. Grapes play no part in the murders.

[Cap'n Jack]

There are actual historical and provable precedents showing that it was a very common practise indeed for clients to treat their 'gay' lady friend to fresh fruit.
I was able to find a murder case involving a prostitute and her client - astonishingly similar to the Stride murder but some years earlier - where fruit was purchased from a vendor like Packer, and consumed by the woman prior to her murder.
I think this is available to read on the Forums.
The grapes are largely unimportant detail to Stride's murder, but the dismissal of the grapes is important to those who would have Stride as a victim of the Ripper, rather than a simple domestic.
It is politics and greed.
But not for nice black grapes.

[Tom_Wescott]

That makes no sense, AP. If Stride were a domestic killed by Michael Kidney, then Packer was STILL lying, since the description he gave in no way resembled Kidney. Bottom line is, Packer lied and there were no grapes involved.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Mascara & Paranoia]

Despite Matthew telling a Packer lies, I think his fabricated story about selling grapes to Stride and allegedly Jack is where the whole theory stems from. There's no truth to it at all.

[Tom_Wescott]

Yes, Packer is the origin of the grapes nonsense, and Le Grand pulling his planted stem from the gutter the next day. This then got picked up by Stephen Knight for his book, because Sir William Gull happened to like grapes!

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Cap'n Jack]

Let's do it with ABC bricks then, Tom.
Kidney killed Stride because she was with another man.
The other man bought her grapes.

[Tom_Wescott]

That's a nice theory, AP, although completely unsupported by evidence and...in fact...refuted by the police investigation itself. But you keep pimping your Kidney story, because any idea endorsed by you is likely only to add credibility to the opposing view.

Tom & AP

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[Sam Flynn]

Yes, Packer is the origin of the grapes nonsense

... he was obviously a stalker.