Escape from Buck's Row

[Chris George]

Hello all

We at Ripperologist are publishing in our August through November issues, dedicated issues on the Whitechapel murders, timed to the anniversaries. I am working on an article on "Escape from Buck's Row" for the August issue. I would be glad to take allowance of any thoughts you have on how the murderer escaped from the murder scene in the stable entrance in Buck's Row. Thanks in advance.

All the best

Chris

[DVV]

Hi Chris George,
I have always had a doubt about the man seen (or simply heard?) by Mulshaw. (I know it's difficult to believe that the murderer could have waited in the area up to 4h20, but...)
We know that afterwards, when the murders hit the headlines, many people behaved oddly on early mornings...But at the time of the Buck's Row murder, that was not the case yet.

Amitiés,
David

[Ben]

Hi Chris,

If the killer lived relatively central to the murders, as suggested by proponents of geographical profiling, Old Montague Street offered the quickest and quietest escape route back to that centre. It also meant that the killer could avoid the various police beats in the area (for example, he'd quickly cross Baker's Row before PC Mizen arrived there at 3:45am). I know it's been suggested that the killer used the arterial thoroughfares to search for victims and make good his escape, but I've never been too huge a fan of the idea, since the location of the Goulston Street apron hints at a preference for escape routes via the more secluded passages.

Best regards,
Ben

[Monty]

Hi Chris,

I think an escape route towards Brady Street is out.

Cross approached from that area as well as Paul, who stated he felt Nichols was still alive when he arrived not long after Cross. Therefore, if Paul is correct, Nichols assailant was not far away. I can’t help but feel these men would have seen someone passing by in the opposite direction.

All the killings were close to main thoroughfares, Chapman near Commercial Street, as was Kelly, Stride off the Commercial Road and Eddowes off Aldgate High Street. This makes sense as an escape as the killer would be able to mingle into the crowd, which would have started gathering as people milled to and from work (Paul and Cross were on their way to work).

Nichols was killed not far off the Whitechapel Road and this road would have been easily accessed via Woods Building, the alleyway that joined Bucks Row (at its junction with Winthrop Street) to the Whitechapel Road.

I think the main thoroughfares are important and questions if the killer was indeed local, as these routes are easy to navigate by almost anyone. Goulston Street is indeed a quite Street however it is situated between the two major roads of Middlesex Street (Petticoat Lane) and Commercial Street.

However, there is more to local knowledge than geography. There is routine of not only the locals but Police as well.

I suspect that Jack was familiar with the area and its people.

Cheers
Monty

[Fisherman]

I´m with Ben on this one. I think he would have used the smaller thoroughfares. And I believe that the Mitre Street escape is a pointer in this direction. Since we had PC:s appearing at Church passage and Mitre Street, it would seem a wise thing to do to opt for St James´place, and then use Duke Street and Stoney Lane, then opting for New Goulston Street as he probably would have exited Stoney Lane on its southern side. After that, he would use the northern side of New Goulston Street and take a left turn into Goulston Street.
If he did it that way, then he traversed Goulston Street immediately after having walked onto it, meaning that he would reach the other side of the street at about the place where the "Apron doorway" is situated.

This would provide both the most secluded and the swiftest route to Goulston Street. And, of course, if this is the way he did it, we may also venture a guess that he traversed Goulston Street because he opted for a right turn into Wentworth Street.

And, just like Ben says, if he was heading westwards from Buck´s Row, Old Montague Street is the alternative that corresponds best with this type of thinking.

All the best,

Fisherman

[John Bennett]

There were a few side streets that could have afforded the Ripper a quick escape from the scene.

As well as Wood's Buildings (a good possibility), there's also Queen Anne Street which doesn't seem to get a mention. The short road linking it with Thomas (Fulborne) Street is Trehorn Street. All seemingly anonymous thoroughfares and along with Court Street, close enough.


Ignore Brady Street Dwellings, they weren't there in 1888, but could the killer have made some escape up the side of the Brady Boys Club? Do we know where this route would have led in 1888?

JB

[Ben]

Agreed all round, Fisherman.

I've done the Mitre Square to Northern Goulston Street walk many times, and the route you've outlined takes a very short time indeed, provided you're familiar with it and and avoid taking a wrong turn (which a first-timer would doubtless be vulnerable to). Emerging from New Goulston Street, I immediately noticed the distinctive stone carvings above the (then) Wentworth Model dwellings on the opposite side of the road (and this was before I figured out which doorway was the "correct" one!).

If your guess is correct that he continued onto Wentworth Street, it may be of some significance that the street gives directly onto Old Montage Street (discussed in post #2). In fact, take a left out of Goulston Street, keep walking, and you'll end up at Baker's Row and the entrance to Buck's Row where PC Mizen learned of the Nichols murder from Cross and Paul.

All the best,
Ben

[Monty]

Fisherman,

Theres no indication he took a right turn at Wentworth Street.

Besides, this is a Bucks Row thread no?

Monty

[Fisherman]

Monty!

There is no safety in assuming that he ever visited Goulston Street, just as there is no guarantee that he was the guy who cut that part of apron from Eddowes. We only speculate that he did so, since there are clear indications of it.
And any description of an escape route from Bucks Row or any other murder place ascribed to the Ripper will be made up of the same stuff - speculation. More or less well-grounded.

You will of course have noticed that I wrote "if this is the way he did it, we may also venture a guess that he traversed Goulston Street because he opted for a right turn into Wentworth Street." The word "if" carries weight here, for what I am saying is that IF he came into Goulston Street from New Goulston Street, then we know that he must have traversed it to get to the "Apron Doorway" side of the street. And I think it belongs to the well-grounded type of speculation to point out that the only choice of the three offered if he was travelling north on Goulston Street (taking a left turn, proceeding straight forward or taking a right turn into Wentworth Street) that logically called for a traversing of the street, is the right-turn alternative.
As for this being a thread about Bucks Row, I have noticed it. The Mitre Street escape was something I used to make a comparison between the two venues, since I thought it applicable and useful, the way comparisons often are. No more than that.

All the best, Monty!

Fisherman

[Ben]

Hi Monty,

Just a quick one before we return East. I wouldn't say there's "no" indication that he turned right onto Wentworth Street. It could be argued that there was no need to cross the street if he was continuing north onto Bell Lane.

Cheers,
Ben

(Edit: Fish beat me to it!)

[John Bennett]

And personally, I reckon an escape via the railway line (ie, over the wall in Bucks Row, the stable yard or Winthrop Street) is very unlikely. It's a substantial distance to fall (a good 30-40 feet) straight onto the platform or tracks of the East London line.

I think Jack would have had a bit of trouble getting up after that one.

JB

[Monty]

Fisherman & Ben,

Points taken Guys.

Monty

[ChrisGeorge]

And personally, I reckon an escape via the railway line (ie, over the wall in Bucks Row, the stable yard or Winthrop Street) is very unlikely. It's a substantial distance to fall (a good 30-40 feet) straight onto the platform or tracks of the East London line.

I think Jack would have had a bit of trouble getting up after that one.

JB

Thanks for your thoughts everyone.

John, I would agree that it would have been a drop down to the tracks directly over the wall from the stable yard so that does seem an unlikely escape route. Nonetheless the police did search the railway line and the nearby goods yard so they were cognizant that the killer could have found a way down to the railway lines to effect an escape. They did come up empty handed though so that fact and the absence of blood in nearby streets as well helps to make the mystery of the murder and the killer's escape all the more intriguing.

All the best

Chris

[Simon Wood]

Hi Chris,

Back through the Buck's Row gates of Brown's stable yard [locked and bolted from the inside] followed by a quick stroll through to Winthrop Street and away.

Job done.

Regards,

Simon

[Jon Guy]

Hi Chris,

Back through the Buck's Row gates of Brown's stable yard [locked and bolted from the inside] followed by a quick stroll through to Winthrop Street and away.

Job done.

Regards,

Simon

Hello Simon

Interesting thought !!

Barber`s the slaughterhouse,Winthrop St, backed directly onto Browns stables