Unsolved murders in London 1884 - 1904

[jerryd]

Not a murder - but a truly weird knife attack by two women - or possibly crossdressed men - on Lady Florence Dixie, 1883.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article97519828

Thanks for posting this, Ausgirl,

Wasn't it believed to be an assassination attempt by the Irish Land League? If I remember right, she was pro Irish Home Rule and a woman's rights advocate? Her name came up in the tangled web of Oscar Wilde in some research I did awhile back. Her brother or close relative was involved in the Wilde issue somehow. I'll have to look back at my notes.

[Ausgirl]

Not a murder - but a truly weird knife attack by two women - or possibly crossdressed men - on Lady Florence Dixie, 1883.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article97519828

[Ausgirl]

Body of young girl posted in the mail.. weird one from 1883:

" distinctly recollect the 'day, Monday, December 11, as we were busy preparing for Christmas. It was about the middle or the day when a respectably-dressed man, wearing a high hat, and I should think between 30 and 40 years of age, came into the shop and brought the box, saying be wanted the parcel sent to Abbey Road, St. John's Wood. He did not seem like a working man but more like a tradesman or good business man. I could tell that by his manner. I do not believe be had carried the box far himself, as he appeared to be accompanied by a rougher sort of man, who seemed as though he had been carrying the box for the other.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article75651164

[Ausgirl]

This is from 1880 - but! so interesting! Body in a barrel in a cellar, unidentified and stabbed in the heart - The Harley Street Mystery:

Professor Pepper, of St. Mary's Hospital, said he had come to the conclusion that the body was that of a woman, and measured 4ft 10ii. The age was certainly over 30--perhaps over 40. The.probable cause of death was a stab just above the heart, and a hidden knife has been discovered with which it is supposed the deed was committed.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/38260893

Reminds me of Deeming.

[miss marple]

I know she is outside the time line but the Great Coram St murder of Harriet Buswell 27 in 1872 has certain similarities with the ripper. Harriet sometime known as Clara Burton, was a part time prostitute and theatre girl. She bought a gentleman friend back to her lodgings on Christmas Eve. She paid the landlady 9 shillings rent out of half a sovereign and received a shilling change. She had been in debt the previously few months, pawning her valuables. She took the gentleman up to her second floor back for the night. They had previously been to dinner and bought some fruit they took up to the room.An apple with a bite out was found in the room but not in Harriets stomach.
Next morning she was found on the bed with her throat cut, she was stabbed below the left ear and a wound on her windpipe large enough to put a man's hand in. The man had left and taken the key to the room.
He was described by various witnesses as a foreigner, possibly German age about 23 with three days growth of stubble,a swarthy, blotchy complexion, dark clothes, billycock hat, dark overcoat and boots.
He had taken her purse. The police were incompetent. He was never traced.

Miss Marple

[martin wilson]

MANCHESTER (Harpurhey) MURDER. 1st January 1880.

Victim. Sarah Jane Roberts 19, domestic servant at Westbourne Grove, off Rochdale Road.

Cause of Death. 5 head wounds inflected by blunt instrument.
Arrests. Robert Haild alias Thomas Wait 30, coal dealer 17 John Street Harpurhey, arrested for perjury and suspected of the murder. Discharged.
Confessions. 26/3/1880. Richard Blake, licensed pedlar. Charged at Marylebone Police Court on own confession. Scotland Yard authorities found confession to be untrue.
February 1882. Edward Lynch private 2nd Kings Own Regiment in Calioba, India. Disccharged.
June 1882. William Nightingale Thomas 33, native of Manchester, did not deny charge but said he couldn't remember what he said the night before. further information required.
February 1880 'A Repentant Sinner' Confession letter sent to editor of a newspaper in Ashton Under Lyme.
Other. Letter, signed W.Wilson Oldham road decoyed Richard Greenwood, owner out of the house leaving only his wife who was ill in bed and Sarah Jane in the house.(see Ann Hancock below).

MYSTERIOUS MURDER AT BOW. 12th January 1884.

Victim.Ann Hancock.
Cause of death. Neck wound, as if by knife which was twisted round.
Other. Decoy letter, from the inquest 'Evidently written by a woman and was to the effect that some of the deceased woman's tenants were about leaving without paying their rents'.

All the best.

[martin wilson]

14 August 1880.

Eliza Barlow, 17. servant.
Cause of death.Decapitation. found in a box.
Arrests. Anne Maria Martin, 56, of York Road Lambeth, described as eccentric in her habits, found in a state of insanity and confined at Her majesty's Pleasure.

Not unsolved, but interesting.

All the best.

[martin wilson]

Hi Uncle Jack.

I am looking at unsolved murders in the decade 1880-1890 at the moment, I hope you don't mind if I extend your parameters a little to include those I find interesting.

MURDER AT WESTMINSTER.

Victim. Emily Novel, 32, 7 Artillery Square Westminster. 29/12.1883. between 12.30 and 1.30 a.m. Indoors at place of residence.
Cause of death. Concussion and strangulation by compression.
Arrests. Frederick Harris, unemployed carman and her live in partner. Thomas Jackson Froggat Chrispin, sailor. (both discharged)
Other. Two witnesess, Martha Duggan and Clara Hubbard saw Emily in the company of a very tall man in one press report and a man in a long dark overcoat cordrouy trousers and a felt hat dented in the centre. Duggan heard an altercation at approx 1.30 and saw the man leave staggering as though drunk.
Silk handkerchief (inquest) Silk muffler/scarf ( press reports) left behind, claret blue (plum coloured) ribbed with black and white stripes.

All the best.

[Uncle Jack]

I really thought there would be more knife attacks than this in London....I am most surprised.

[The Good Michael]

There was one little boy murdered and something about the milk delivery man maybe having done it, but it was unsolved...ca 1890.

Mike

[GUT]

G'day Adam

You say you know all the known ones, so do you want to know about the ones no one knows about?

[sdreid]

I assume that you have Annie Austin (1901) since it gets mentioned in context with JtR sometimes. You also had Amelia Jeffs in Greater London during 1890 but she was strangled, I believe - sorry but that's about all I can think of at the moment.

[Uncle Jack]

Hi there everyone. I have a request for an article I'm writing soon. It is about other unsolved London Victorian murders, around the years 1884 to 1904. Have anyone got any they can tell me about? I know all the known ones, such as the Whitechapel murders and torso victims. I'm more interested in similar style Ripper/knife murders but anything else will be welcome. I'd like to compile a list of unsolved London murders please. Also I'm looking for unsolved knife murders during this same period in Hastings and surrounding areas, if possible. Thanks in advance guys