Thames Torso Murders

[PC2267]

What's the common consensus were the Thames torso murders the work of the same offender?

[Fisherman]

What's the common consensus were the Thames torso murders the work of the same offender?

Which murders are you asking about? If you read Gordin, you will find that he excludes the 1873-74 murders and adds the Salamanca Place torso in 1902. If you read Trow, the early murders are included while the Salamance Place torso is not mentioned. So basically, itīs a question of which to include and which to exclude, and before we know which murders you are asking about, it is difficult to answer.

[John Wheat]

What's the common consensus were the Thames torso murders the work of the same offender?

To PC2267

The common consensus is that the Thames Torso Murders from 1887, 1888 and 1889 were of the same hand. My personal belief is that the torso murders of 1873, 1874 and of 1884 were quite possibly by the same perpetrator. The Salamanca Place Torso in 1902 I think is unconnected to any of the other murders.

Cheers John

[PC2267]

Which murders are you asking about? If you read Gordin, you will find that he excludes the 1873-74 murders and adds the Salamanca Place torso in 1902. If you read Trow, the early murders are included while the Salamance Place torso is not mentioned. So basically, itīs a question of which to include and which to exclude, and before we know which murders you are asking about, it is difficult to answer.

Apologies Fisherman, yes I had intended to include the 1873-74 cases with the 1887-89 and 1902. The thing that interests me the most is the fact that it's a virtual unknown subject. If the killer was the same person then he was far worse than Jack, surely?

[PC2267]

To PC2267

The common consensus is that the Thames Torso Murders from 1887, 1888 and 1889 were of the same hand. My personal belief is that the torso murders of 1873, 1874 and of 1884 were quite possibly by the same perpetrator. The Salamanca Place Torso in 1902 I think is unconnected to any of the other murders.

Cheers John

Thanks John. I assume that prior to 1873 and after 1902 then no other cut up bodies were found? Was `he` in fact the first serial killer in history, `he` is certainly virtually unknown and in the shadow of Jack!!

[John Wheat]

Thanks John. I assume that prior to 1873 and after 1902 then no other cut up bodies were found? Was `he` in fact the first serial killer in history, `he` is certainly virtually unknown and in the shadow of Jack!!

To PC2267

The 1887-1889 and to a certain extent the 1884 and 1873 and 1874 bodies have things in common however the 1902 murder seems to be very different to the other murders. I don't believe any other Torso's found in the Thames have the same hallmarks. I don't believe the Thames Torso Killer was the first serial killer in history but I agree he is virtually unknown and in the shadow of Jack.

Cheers John

[Trevor Marriott]

To PC2267

The 1887-1889 and to a certain extent the 1884 and 1873 and 1874 bodies have things in common however the 1902 murder seems to be very different to the other murders. I don't believe any other Torso's found in the Thames have the same hallmarks. I don't believe the Thames Torso Killer was the first serial killer in history but I agree he is virtually unknown and in the shadow of Jack.

Cheers John

Are you suggesting that every torso that was found between the dates you quoted was the subject of murder?

If you are, please show the evidence which corroborates your belief and shows how they were murdered.

https://www.trevormarriott.co.uk

[Debra A]

To PC2267

The 1887-1889 and to a certain extent the 1884 and 1873 and 1874 bodies have things in common however the 1902 murder seems to be very different to the other murders.
Cheers John

I agree about the 1902 case, John. There had been some attempts of disposing of the body previously by burning (maybe in the pottery kiln she was found close to I sometimes wonder?!) before the dumping. It seems like the dump was almost as a panic last attempt to get rid of the remains.

[Fisherman]

Apologies Fisherman, yes I had intended to include the 1873-74 cases with the 1887-89 and 1902. The thing that interests me the most is the fact that it's a virtual unknown subject. If the killer was the same person then he was far worse than Jack, surely?

Okay! Well, then Iīd link the Rainham case of 1887 with the Whitehall case of 1888 and the Horsleydown case (Elizabeth Jackson) of 1889 as the ones that seem most connected to me.
After that, Iīd add the Pinchin Street as likely the work of the same man, but I would be less certain.
Owing to the remove in time, I think the Battersea and Putney cases are less likely to belong to the series than the three I listed originally - but I do not rule them out at all.
The Salamance Place torso from 1902, however, I would be more inclined to rule out.

If I was to sloppily list the cases in a percentage credibility that they belonged to the same man, I would start out with Rainham, Whitehall and Horlseydown and give them a 95 per cent rating. Then I would say 75-80 per cent on the Pinchin Street torso as well as the Battersea and Putney cases, and then I would go for 10-15 per cent when it comes to the Salamanca Place torso.

The Tottenham torso, I would place in the same range as the Battersea, Putney and Pinchin Street cases.

It does not get much more unscientific than that - but thatīs how I see it, justaboutish.

[John G]

Whitehall, Jackson and Rainham I am about 95% certain of. Pinchin Street around 90%, but that's only because there's a small chance JtR was responsible. Tottenham I would estimate at around 75-80% and the earlier Battersea and Putney cases I would put in the 50-60% range. Salamanca Place, I would also estimate at 10-15%.