McCarthy Family

[Brenda]

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I was just bitterly disappointed with how the situation turned out. Even if her story had ended up being nothing more than a tall tale passed down through the family, it is still a "contemporary" tall tale, and at the very least we could have learned some new facts about the McCarthys and maybe even about Mary Jane herself. Which is more than we have now, right? It wasn't like she was just some random out to trick us all, this was McCarty's great grand-daughter, and Coral was vouching for her authenticity as far as that. I don't know Coral personally but I've been on these boards for years and I do know she has a sterling reputation. IMHO people here really jumped the gun and lashed out when Fiona said she knew who the ripper was. They were not kind at all in demanding that she present her scientific proof right at that very moment. It is my understanding she is an elderly lady, she seemed to be a bit shy, and most importantly she was a visitor who didn't know the ways of these boards. I was horrified at how she was treated. We missed a wonderful opportunity to hear some Ripper stories that have been passed down through several generations, whether they turned out to be fact or not. Certainly most of us missed a chance to see a picture of McCarthy, I didn't even realize that had happened.

I just feel like some here are so desperate to be considered esteemed scientific Ripper experts that they forget a small but important thing called manners.

I hardly ever post and I don't mean to fuss, but I really wanted to hear what Fiona had to say, and I felt like I got robbed of that chance.

[Stephen Thomas]

She had the photo because she is John McCarthy's great-grand daughter!

Indeed, Coral. Like you I had the enormous pleasure of hearing Fiona's quite excellent talk at the WS meeting and also of viewng the family photo which is a charming studio shot showing John McCarthy (looking a very impressive man) with his son Stephen and Fiona's father as a small boy. At the next meeting I had a very nice chat with her and the sooner her book appears the better.

[coral]

In my last email from Fiona she informed me that the book is still an ongoing project.

Her half-sister died a couple of years ago and left her some papers which her nephew has only just passed over. I presume that these papers are pertinent to the book.

Coral

PS In my previous posting I referred to posters as being 'septic' as that is what they were - poisonous. One poster even admitted he/she had registered under a 'nom-de-plume' just so the he/she could have a go at Fiona which ultimately lead to Fiona disappearing. What a shame for all of us.

[claire]

It's a shame. There are plenty of people here who have firm and unshakeable views on the identity of the killer, and so the argument that Fiona's assertion about his identity was cobblers seems to whiff of jealousy to me. There are (compared to the interest in the cases) relatively few people who can claim a direct link to an aspect of the case and, frankly, the McCarthy clan story is interesting enough in itself. They played a direct role in shaping those East End neighbourhoods, and that alone is worth learning about. But no. There always have to be people who roll the eyes and go, oh yeah, another fraudster--when most of that response is driven by insecurity about not having possession of concrete facts themselves. Especially unpleasant given that Fiona is an older lady who may not feel wildly confident in the virtual world (my dad prints out emails and posts them, for pity's sake). Still. Perhaps many people are more interested in proving their own prowess with regard to the cases rather than learning anything new.

[jason_c]

I cant believe what im reading. No-one stopped Fiona posting, it was her own decision. She's an adult, not a 6 year old child with learning difficulties.

Yes, some of what she said was interesting, some of it was self important grandstanding. She was hinting that McCarthy was a night owl, and that she knew who the Ripper was. That is when Fionas story began to grate with me.

[richardnunweek]

Hi,
Fiona is not the only person that had ancestry to the case doing a ''runner''
we should not forget J Hutchinson, daughter in law to Toppings brother who joined this site , only to be frowned upon .
I understand why people get annoyed with the ''dangling carrot'', we are members of this site, because of a united intrest in this case, and the 'I know who it was , not only that, why he did it' statement which Fiona commented , did nothing for her credibility to many.
I appeciated that a book have may been in the pipeline, so I respected that, any book on the McCarthy clan , complete with snippits of ''oral history'', would be fascinating to any one intrested in east end history.
Let me be the first to speculate.
I believe that McCarthy thought the killer was the man that was seeking out Mary Kelly, and who he injected from the court, it could well be that Fiona told us that in her posts.
Regards Richard.

[Wickerman]

Hi Wickerman

She had the photo because she is John McCarthy's great-grand daughter!

Coral

Thankyou Coral.
I don't suppose she identified which John McCarthy?
There were two John McCarthy's at 27 Dorset St. in 1891, one born in Spitalfields who was a General Shop Keeper, the other born in Dieppe, France, who was a Grocer. It appears both were in their forties.

Regards, Jon S.

[coral]

Hi Wickerman

Fiona's ggf is the one born in Dieppe.

Fiona's book is still 'work in progress' as she has just received a chest of letters and documents that belonged to her late half-sister. This half-sister lived with JM for the last 12 years of his life - so who knows what is in the chest!

Coral

[The Good Michael]

I cant believe what im reading. No-one stopped Fiona posting, it was her own decision. She's an adult, not a 6 year old child with learning difficulties.

Yes, some of what she said was interesting, some of it was self important grandstanding. She was hinting that McCarthy was a night owl, and that she knew who the Ripper was. That is when Fionas story began to grate with me.

this is exactly right. When her unsubstantiated innuendo was questioned, she ran like Brave Sir Robin. There were no vicious attacks on her. I remember saying something like, "With all this talk of knowing this and knowing that and no evidence to back it, something smells of kippers." Nothing too offensive there. Anyone who felt she knew who the Ripper was, was not thinking with their brains, but wishing for something that wasn't going to happen.

Mike

[Chava]

I'd agree with that. If she 'knows' who the killer was and wants to keep it for a book, then don't come on here and hint about it. That's just coat-trailing. And I'm not going to excuse her because of her advanced years. I'm a lady of advanced years myself, and have no difficulty maintaining my position in a board argument. As for the box of goodies from her sister, I think it would be an interesting cache. But I'm prepared to bet that the identity of the man who killed MJK is not in there. Unless it really was McCarthy himself and he penned an 'Idunnit!' letter which the family kept under wraps. In which case I would like the apologies of the board for all the nasty things you guys said when I pointed out that Mr McM had means and opportunity and a lot of unanswered questions around in the MJK killing!

[coral]

this is exactly right. When her unsubstantiated innuendo was questioned, she ran like Brave Sir Robin. There were no vicious attacks on her. I remember saying something like, "With all this talk of knowing this and knowing that and no evidence to back it, something smells of kippers." Nothing too offensive there. Anyone who felt she knew who the Ripper was, was not thinking with their brains, but wishing for something that wasn't going to happen.

Mike

Obviously you are feeling guilty as you remember your exact wording from several years ago. But dont worry - you were not the only one to be obusive and offensive.

Coral

[Chava]

Forgive me, Coral, but this isn't Mrs Joyful's Raffia Work Class for Tinies. Abuse and offence have been part of this board for years and years and years and yet we survive it all. I've argued with Michael many times and I don't think what he just quoted himself as saying is either abusive or offensive. If someone comes on this board and says they know who Jack the Ripper is, then they have to come prepared to fight their corner. Someone who comes on here and says she has new information or whatever, and then runs away because she's not treated like porcelain china, weakens her position immeasurably in my opinion. I read Ms Rule's book about Dorset Street and liked it a lot. But I don't like it when she expects to be treated differently to other posters.

[coral]

Hi Chava

You are really confused.

Fiona RULE wrote a book called 'The Worst Street'. Brilliant book.

Fiona KENDAL-LANE is related to John McCarthy being his great grand daughte - no book yet!

Two different people.

Coral

[Chava]

Thanks Coral. That makes me feel much better! Because Fiona Rule's book about Dorset Street was really good and I didn't think the woman who wrote that could be capable of the kind of ridiculous behaviour that you describe from Fiona Kendal-Lane.

[The Good Michael]

Obviously you are feeling guilty as you remember your exact wording from several years ago. But dont worry - you were not the only one to be obusive and offensive.

Coral

Coral,

You know I feel guilty? I assure you I have no concern over what I said. I remember because people pointed fingers at me when it was the woman's own lack of backbone that made her leave the threads. I don't remember the exact words, but I do remember the harmless gist of the message, and I remember the idiots who suggested I ran off a poor old woman. Never happened. She took off because she couldn't back up her claims, and idignant outrage is so much easier to conjure up than proof.

Mike