Room 13 Miller's Court

[dixon9]

fantastic thread,been through (apologise if it had been stated)the posts and could not see a question i would like to ask.

Its regarding the windows,could they open,as we open our windows today?
Sorry if a silly question.

Dixon9
still learning(as you can see)

[harry]

Richard,
You are correct in stating a piece of string could have been attached to a latch.This would overcome both the extent one would have to reach in,and preventing possible injury on the broken pane.
The term,'Leave it on the latch',was quite common in years gone by.

[Wickerman]

Reading Rob House's book, Jack the Ripper, Scotland Yard's Prime Suspect, Rob covers the squalor of the East end and includes a couple of quotes.

"Every room in these rotten and reeking tenements houses a family, often two. In one cellar a sanitary inspector reports finding a father, mother, three children, and four pigs!"
Bitter Cry of Outcast London, Mearns, 1883.

"Not only was one room deemed sufficient for a poor man and his family, but I learned that many families, occupying single rooms, had so much space to spare as to be able to take in a lodger or two".
People of the Abyss, London, 1903.

These quotes, which we've all read before, reminded me of the 1891 census records for Mary Kelly's room, No. 13 Miller's Court.
Mary had this room to herself in 1888, yes she had an occasional sleepover when she was not sharing with Barnett, but in 1891 the census records five people living in this same 12ft x 12ft room (approx).

Resident at Room 13.
- Thomas Kelly, age 35, Waterside Laborer, born Spitalfields.
- Ann Kelly (Wife), age 29(?), - , born Ireland.
- Elizabeth Harper, Widow, age 39(?), Needlewoman.
- James Harper, Brother, age 48(?), Firewood Bundle Maker.
- Mary A. Clark, Widow, age 69(?), Laundress.
- Charles Clark, Son, age 13, Scholar.

A couple of interesting side points:
Ann Kelly, also born in Ireland and living in Mary Kelly's room 3 yrs after her death?
The name 'Mary Clark' was used in place of 'Mary Kelly' in one of the earliest Jack the Ripper movies, 1959.

Aside from the trivia, five people living in this small back parlour is really hard to appreciate when we are accustomed to thinking of Room 13 occupied by one woman (or one couple).

Regards, Jon S.