The Legend Of Mary Jane Kelly

[Wickerman]

Hi Wick.

The person who has delved the deepest into the Mrs Rees/Barbara Louise Hopkins mystery was author Paul Williams. He wrote a couple of articles about it and a podcast was made. It's a complex/sordid tale.

I looked into it at considerable length and the most reasonable explanation is that it was a case of mistaken identity and the young woman that Rees thought was Kelly must have been someone else, but the whole affair is still shrouded in considerable mystery and is well worth looking into for its own sake. It is still possible there maybe be some sort of tangential connection that could lead somewhere.

There's a long thread about it on Howard Brown's site, first started by AP Wolf, with contributions by Debra Arif, Robert Linford, Paul Williams, etc.

I recommend chasing down Paul Williams' article, if you haven't already.

Thanks RJ, I am about to get into it.

Also, I appreciate the heads-up for the thread over at Howard's site, I can see I am going to be busy this weekend.....

[Wickerman]

Paul Williams provided quite a bit of background on Rees (among other possible connections) in "The Welshman Who Knew Mary Kelly" in Ripperologist no. 160, February/March 2018.

Thats the guy!, yes I knew of an article but couldn't think of the author's name. And yes, I see I do have No.160, thanks for the reminder.

By the way, have these issues stopped? (anybody know?), my last is No.166 from Mar. 2020.

[jmenges]

The podcasts mentioned above that Paul Williams did for us:

Dr John Morgan Hopkins

https://www.casebook.org/podcast/listen.html?id=239

Mary Jane Rees

https://www.casebook.org/podcast/listen.html?id=260

JM

[rjpalmer]

Paul Williams provided quite a bit of background on Rees (among other possible connections) in "The Welshman Who Knew Mary Kelly" in Ripperologist no. 160, February/March 2018.

Cheers, Scott. I just caught up with the rest of the thread, and see you beat me to the punch.

As you say, an article well worth reading.

[rjpalmer]

I'm glad you wrote this, my first take was 'are we talking about two different Mr Rees here?', something did not quite jive. I thought I'd get back to it later. Yes, something is either garbled or there has been a misunderstanding by reporters.

Hi Wick.

The person who has delved the deepest into the Mrs Rees/Barbara Louise Hopkins mystery was author Paul Williams. He wrote a couple of articles about it and a podcast was made. It's a complex/sordid tale.

I looked into it at considerable length and the most reasonable explanation is that it was a case of mistaken identity and the young woman that Rees thought was Kelly must have been someone else, but the whole affair is still shrouded in considerable mystery and is well worth looking into for its own sake. It is still possible there maybe be some sort of tangential connection that could lead somewhere.

There's a long thread about it on Howard Brown's site, first started by AP Wolf, with contributions by Debra Arif, Robert Linford, Paul Williams, etc.

I recommend chasing down Paul Williams' article, if you haven't already.

[Scott Nelson]

Paul Williams provided quite a bit of background on Rees (among other possible connections) in "The Welshman Who Knew Mary Kelly" in Ripperologist no. 160, February/March 2018.

[erobitha]

Seems a bit neurotic. It's like a stranger on a train asking if you can solve their crossword. Maybe, maybe not. Maybe the papers upsidedown from your perspective. Hate? Behave, it's just a lack of confirmation.

It was tongue in cheek and flipant. Going off now to do an upside down crossword.

[Al Bundy's Eyes]

I've decided I think actually hate whoever she was.

Seems a bit neurotic. It's like a stranger on a train asking if you can solve their crossword. Maybe, maybe not. Maybe the papers upsidedown from your perspective. Hate? Behave, it's just a lack of confirmation.

[erobitha]

They're not dead ends, they're routes pursued and eliminated. Keep at it, who knows what's out there? She is, if only we could pin it down.

I've decided I think actually hate whoever she was.

[Al Bundy's Eyes]

Carrying on down the Swansea Marine Store Dealer route, another weird coincidence appeared.

A Thomas Retekin was arrested for fencing stolen Iron (seems to be a thing with Swansea Marine Store dealers). He had a daughter. Her name?

Mary Jane born 1860. She appears on the 1910 census as still living with him. Another dead end.

They're not dead ends, they're routes pursued and eliminated. Keep at it, who knows what's out there? She is, if only we could pin it down.

[erobitha]

Carrying on down the Swansea Marine Store Dealer route, another weird coincidence appeared.

A Thomas Retekin was arrested for fencing stolen Iron (seems to be a thing with Swansea Marine Store dealers). He had a daughter. Her name?

Mary Jane born 1860. She appears on the 1910 census as still living with him. Another dead end.

[erobitha]

A few thoughts on the above:
1) Sweeney is also a common Irish surname. Mr Rees may have known her as Sweeney or mistook the commonness of the surname. The indication he said he knew her father would suggest as being unlikely
2) But it did unearth a peculiar find. A Mary (albeit listed as being on the young side) in 1871 and 1881as suggesting she would have been just 17 in 1888
3) What I found strange was the father was called John. There was an incident involving iron. He also had two sons, one called Henry and another called John
4) Weirdly Mary drops off the census in 1891 but John senior acquires a new wife "Magaret" who is just 22

In the end all just odd coincidences once again and no viable leads.

[erobitha]

[erobitha]

[erobitha]