Did the 5 canonical victims know each other?

[Sam Flynn]

Indeed, Mike - these weren't by any means the professional painted ladies conjured up by the term "prostitute", which is why the term is misleading. These women would as likely beg, steal, borrow or undertake a menial job as they would take to the streets on an occasional basis. In that sense, it's even a stretch to lump all of the C5 under the heading of "casual prostitutes" - they were middle-aged, drunken, poverty-stricken vagrants for the most part.

As Sam pointed out, Unfortunates is a term that is used to describe women without consistent financial support from either a man, a family or conventional employment. Divorcees, unmarried women, widows, ....the act of prostitution was for many their last resort each day I would imagine. Do you think Annie felt like being out soliciting...or that Mary Ann Cox was eager to solicit in the rain and gain only infrequent warmth from her room and its fire in early November?

And even a "pro" like young Mary Jane expressed to a friend that she wished her life was much different.

They prostituted themselves to survive...to earn bed money, food money, money for clothing...and sadly many for the booze that came with the pick-up process in many pubs, or after when the deed was done and a few coins in the skirt pocket.

Best regards.

[Nothing to see]

Instead of revealing your ignorance by adopting that insulting and hectoring tone, why don't you go and read up about it?

Son, sorry Sam, you need to get over the fact that not everyone agrees with everything you say.

Adults are prepared to discuss topics. Like the fact that Jack's victims were pros. Professional, semi, or occasional.

Like I said. You have proof they weren't pros provide it.

I thought you were an upright guy. Obviously, I'm wrong.

[Sam Flynn]

Well then, what were they? Housewifes? Homemakers?

A distorted perception? In your mind, OK maybe. The truth. They were hookers. Professional, semi, occasional. That's what they were. If you want to prove they weren't, then go for it. I'll take a bet you can't.

Instead of revealing your ignorance by adopting that insulting and hectoring tone, why don't you go and read up about it?

[Nothing to see]

I also disagree with calling them "prostitutes" - it perpetuates a somewhat distorted perception of what the majority of these women were.

Well then, what were they? Housewifes? Homemakers?

A distorted perception? In your mind, OK maybe. The truth. They were hookers. Professional, semi, occasional. That's what they were. If you want to prove they weren't, then go for it. I'll take a bet you can't.

[Sam Flynn]

We both agree, I think, that it's possible the pros knew each other but not probable.

I also disagree with calling them "prostitutes" - it perpetuates a somewhat distorted perception of what the majority of these women were.

[Nothing to see]

Add to that the fact that few of these women were "pros" in the conventional sense (i.e. they would not have met up with fellow "Ello, dearies" on a regular basis, or shared the same "patch" night after night) and the "reasons" for their being anything other than faces in an enormous crowd become ever more difficult to defend.

We both agree, I think, that it's possible the pros knew each other but not probable. Knight's theory is about the only one that deals with this. And that's a load of cr**.

But say, two of them met each other. How would that be a basis for Jack to go after them?

Actually, that's not a bad idea for a new thread. I'm sure Jack went for opportunity, not the person.

Anyway. If there is any proof that any of the pros knew each other, I'd be interested.

[Sam Flynn]

Again, I think it's possible the pros knew each other but I can't prove or disprove it.

Add to that the fact that few of these women were "pros" in the conventional sense (i.e. they would not have met up with fellow "Ello, dearies" on a regular basis, or shared the same "patch" night after night) and the "reasons" for their being anything other than faces in an enormous crowd become ever more difficult to defend.

[Nothing to see]

I doubt they knew each other, or if they did they just walked past one another every once in a while. That's the same as expecting me to know everyone in the area I live, and it's not as big or as crammed as Whitechapel was back in the 1888. In some of the old pictures there's hundreds (probably literally) of people in one shot of a street or a market or whatever.

Agreed. I walked those streets in Sept/Oct last year and to think of that mass of humanity existing in that small area is mind boggling. There were so many people. And their lives were so fluid. It's not like they put down roots and bought or rented places to live. Their lives were day to day, survival. I don't accept the Stephen Knight and everyone else who's jumped on the bandwagon idea of the doctor/Freemason/ royal conspiracy.

Because, so far, that's the only theory about the pros knowing each other that's had any legs.

[jason_c]

They may have known each other by sight.

There is no record of any victim having mentioned a friend being killed by the Ripper. Kelly told no-one that a friend of hers had been killed by JtR. Neither did Eddowes, Stride or Chapman.

[Mascara & Paranoia]

I doubt they knew each other, or if they did they just walked past one another every once in a while. That's the same as expecting me to know everyone in the area I live, and it's not as big or as crammed as Whitechapel was back in the 1888. In some of the old pictures there's hundreds (probably literally) of people in one shot of a street or a market or whatever.

[Nothing to see]

Another example:

Flower and Dean Street had a total of 31 common lodging houses in 1888, registered to have 1127 lodgers in total.

Considering it is reckoned that many such places illegally exceeded their quota, who are you going to 'know' out of that lot?

Good point and I thought the dots were informative. So many people living, maybe 'existing' is a better word, on a hand-to-mouth casual manner, moving constantly. Again, I think it's possible the pros knew each other but I can't prove or disprove it. If there's definitive, absolute proof that there was a link between two or more of them, then that would change the mix. But...until that proof is offered to scrutiny, then I'll continue to believe what is a reasonable theory: possible they could have known each other, not probable.

[Mr.Hyde]

Mr.Hyde

Oooh... about 30 tops, I'd guess, AP - vocationally speaking, that is. As to "circumstance-driven" streetwalkers, vagrants or occasional prostitutes - like Dark Annie - a few more.

Pimps - hardly any, if any at all. Carrion needs no butcher.

No offence intended.
Your last sentence-Carrion needs no butcher-straight out of JTR's philosophy.
Ever read Spinoza and Carlyle?
Lenin and Hitler did.
Again,no offence meant-pure synchronicity!

[John Bennett]

Another example:

Flower and Dean Street had a total of 31 common lodging houses in 1888, registered to have 1127 lodgers in total.

Considering it is reckoned that many such places illegally exceeded their quota, who are you going to 'know' out of that lot?

[Sam Flynn]

How many of those dots are prostitutes?

Oooh... about 30 tops, I'd guess, AP - vocationally speaking, that is. As to "circumstance-driven" streetwalkers, vagrants or occasional prostitutes - like Dark Annie - a few more.

Pimps - hardly any, if any at all. Carrion needs no butcher.