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Mrs Buki or Mrs Booty?

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  • Mrs Buki or Mrs Booty?

    A while back (pre crash), I found a case of assault where a certain "Benjamin Booty" was convicted of assault in the area of Ratcliffe in 1884. I speculated at the time that Mary Kelly's "Mrs Buki" might have been a mis-hearing of "Mrs Booty", the ambiguity being caused by a glottal-stop (the characteristic Cockney quirk that makes "bottle" sound something more like "bockle"). Prompted by Chris Scott's recent excellent podcast, in which he expressed his frustration about not being able to find "Mrs Buki" (amongst others), prompted me to revive the possibility that "Mrs Booty" may indeed have been the person we're looking for.

    The relevant reference to Benjamin Booty may be found in the Times, and is transcribed below:
    The Times, Friday, 5th Sept, 1884
    Benjamin Booty, a determined-looking man, was charged with committing a murderous and unprovoked assault on James strachan, 179H. The prosecutor seemed to have received very severe injuries to his head and face, and a formidable riding whip, loaded with lead at one end, was produced in Court as the weapon with which the blows were inflicted.

    At 20 minutes past 12 o'clock on Thursday morning, Strachan was on duty in Brunswick-street, St George's, when a woman was ejected from a public-house, and owing to her disorderly conduct he had occasion to speak to her. He heard footsteps coming towards him, and before he had time to turn to see who it was he received three violent blows on the temple with some weapon, a serious wound being inflicted on him, which bled profusely. He drew his staff to protect himself, when he saw the man who had attacked him run into a house, thd door of which was open. He followed him into the passage, but did not proceed any distance and called out "Police".

    In a short time two other constables arrived, and one of them waited at the door while he and John dolan, 196H, went over the premises in search of the man witness had seen enter. After going into several rooms they saw the prisoner seated by the side of a bed, and before they spoke to him he said "It is not me, governor". Strachan said to Constable 196 "We will go and search further", and they entered the back premises, but found that there were no means of escape in that quarter.

    They went back into the kitchen, and found that the prisoner had barricaded the door. Strachan pushed violently at the door, when the priosner came out with a loaded riding whip, and struck him on the shoulder with it, at the same time using foul language, and saying that no policeman in Leman-street would take him. Dolan came to his asistance, and the prisoner at first resisted : but seeing a third constable he went quietly.

    In answer to the magistrate, Strachan said he identified the prisoner as being a tall man with a black moustache and striped shirt. No one but the prisoner entered the house until wintess and Dolan found him in the kitchen. Strachan, having proved a former conviction against the prisoner at the Sessions, the magistate [sic] said it was impossible to doubt that the prisoner had assaulted the prosecutor in a cowardly manner, and he sentenced him to six months' imprisonment with hard labour.

    Booty, not a particularly savoury character, would therefore have been banged-up with hard labour from Autumn 1884 until roughly February 1885 - leaving Mrs Booty "a woman alone". Recall that the Star of 12th November 1888 says that "[Kelly's] first experiences of the East-end appear to have commenced with Mrs. Buki, who resided in one of the thoroughfares off Ratcliff-highway, now known as St. George's-street". In fact, Benjamin Booty and his wife lived at 65, Broad Street (blue circle in map extract below), which was a direct continuation of both St George's Street (red circle) and High Street, Ratcliff - indeed, all three streets were collectively referred to as "The Ratcliff Highway" (shown by green dashed line). It's worth noting that Kelly's other known residence, Breezer's Hill, is positioned almost directly under the red circle - and is less than ¾ of a mile from where Mr and Mrs Booty lived.

    Click image for larger version

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    In 1881 at least, Mr and Mrs Booty seem to have had lodgers staying with them at #65, as the following suggests:

    1881 Census Return for 65, Broad Street, Ratcliff
    Benjamin J Booty (Head), 38, b. Limehouse. Boat-builder
    Mercy [sic? Mary] A (Wife), 35, b. Arundel
    George (Son), 10, b. Poplar. Scholar
    Susan (Daur), 5, b. Limehouse
    Florence (Daur), 3, b. Ratcliff
    Edward (Son), 1, b. Ratcliff
    Charles Shotter (No relationship to head of household given), 34, b. Kingston. Coal porter
    Catherine Johnson (No relationship to head of household given), 48, b. Middlesex
    Peter Dewhurst (Lodger), 51, b. Preston. Stevedore
    William Smallcombe (Lodger), 49, b. Bristol. Dry Cooper

    The Bootys (sans lodgers) were still living at the same address in 1891:

    1891 Census Return for 65, Broad Street, Ratcliff
    Benjamin J Booty (Head), 47, b. Limehouse. Boat-builder
    Mary A (Wife), 44, b. Arundel
    George (Son), 21, b. Limehouse. Rough-stuff cutter
    Florence (Daur), 13, b. Ratcliff. Scholar
    Thomas E (Son), 11, b. Ratcliff. Scholar
    Jane (Daur), 7, b. Ratcliff
    Zillian (Daur), 3, b. Ratcliff

    Given this continuity of tenure, it's almost certain that the Bootys were living in the same place in 1884/85 when the head of the household was in prison, and when Mary Kelly may well have first taken up residence in precisely the same area of the East End where Mrs Booty lived. Could Mrs Booty therefore have been the self-same "Buki" with whom she lodged? I believe that there's a reasonably good possibility that she was.
    Last edited by Sam Flynn; 06-24-2008, 06:38 PM.
    Kind regards, Sam Flynn

    "Suche Nullen" (Nietzsche, Götzendämmerung, 1888)

  • #2
    Hello Sam!

    An interesting possibility, no doubt!

    But, like you have told yourself, people were talking about Mary having a kind of "speech impediment!"

    And you, Sam, suggested the impediment (or "impediment") to imply to Welsh kind of speaking!

    But on the other hand, if we presume her story being true in the following sense: she had been in London for about four years.

    In that case she may well have already adopted some Cockney features to her speech!

    All the best
    Jukka
    "When I know all about everything, I am old. And it's a very, very long way to go!"

    Comment


    • #3
      Hi Sam,

      There were a lot of Chinese in and around Whitechapel/Ratcliffe Highway/Limehouse in 1888, and they were into all sorts of things.

      If the lady in question was Mrs Huā shù—which translates from Chinese as 'bouquet'—how might the pronunciation of her name sound to English ears?

      A shot in the dark, I'll admit but, hey, we've all trodden on thinner ground in our time.

      Regards,

      Simon
      Never believe anything until it has been officially denied.

      Comment


      • #4
        Hi Jukka,

        I'm not suggesting that the "Mrs Buki" story came from Kelly herself, or from Kelly via Barnett - because that doesn't appear to be the case. I'm not sure who the actual source was, but it was probably Elizabeth Phoenix or Mrs Carthy, Kelly's former landlady at Breezer's Hill. Whoever it was - Phoenix or Carthy - their information certainly seems to corroborate and expand upon Barnett's perfunctory account of Kelly's time in and around the Ratcliffe Highway.
        Kind regards, Sam Flynn

        "Suche Nullen" (Nietzsche, Götzendämmerung, 1888)

        Comment


        • #5
          Hello Sam!

          I didn't mean the origin of Mrs. Buki.

          I meant, that she possibly arrived to London ca. 1884.

          Yes, the timeline seems to fit with Barnett's!

          And, to put it this way; since (if we believe MJK to be an Irish living for years in Wales) Mary became bilingual, then she could very well adopt Cockney to her speech too!

          All the best
          Jukka
          "When I know all about everything, I am old. And it's a very, very long way to go!"

          Comment


          • #6
            Hi All,

            I wonder if the fancy goods importer at No. 12 was married.

            Kelly Street Directory 1882—

            Click image for larger version

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            Regards,

            Simon
            Never believe anything until it has been officially denied.

            Comment


            • #7
              Thats a good observation, Simon.I"ve not seen the name in print before.Thanks for that.Also Devonshire Street is parallel to Brushfield Street,which was, I seem to remember, where Mrs.Buki lived[?].
              Norma
              Last edited by Natalie Severn; 02-09-2010, 06:21 PM.

              Comment


              • #8
                Hello Simon!

                An intriguing possibility.

                Since MJK was known as "an artist of no mean degree", maybe she and mrs. Buki had some common interest with litography. Though, the only known piece of art by MJK was singing the "Violet" before her death...

                All the best
                Jukka
                "When I know all about everything, I am old. And it's a very, very long way to go!"

                Comment


                • #9
                  Hi All,

                  Here's Paul Buki again, this time from Kellys 1880 Directory of the Watch and Clock Trade.

                  Camomile Street is off Bishopsgate and runs into Bevis Marks.

                  Click image for larger version

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                  Regards,

                  Simon
                  Never believe anything until it has been officially denied.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Simon Wood View Post
                    .

                    If the lady in question was Mrs Huā shù—which translates from Chinese as 'bouquet'—how might the pronunciation of her name sound to English ears?

                    Are you 'aving a larf, Simon?

                    Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
                    allisvanityandvexationofspirit

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      A child called Kasche Buki was born in East London in 1900. 'Buki' could have been a short form of something like 'Bukowski' which is a not-uncommon Polish/Russian/Jewish name. Then there's 'Bucci' (pronounced 'Buchi'). There are a few around in the last half of the 19th Century. I haven't found any 'Bucchi' families--and that would be pronounced 'Booky') but it's a common enough Italian name. There might have been Bucchi around the East End...

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Hello chava!

                        Well, to which direction that first-name could indicate?! Since I don't have a proper knowledge of hebrew first-names, of course I cannot say for sure, but it sounds like one...

                        But to make it clear; I don't believe in any kind of religious connections in this Ripper case!

                        All the best
                        Jukka
                        "When I know all about everything, I am old. And it's a very, very long way to go!"

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by j.r-ahde View Post
                          Hello chava!

                          Well, to which direction that first-name could indicate?! Since I don't have a proper knowledge of hebrew first-names, of course I cannot say for sure, but it sounds like one...

                          But to make it clear; I don't believe in any kind of religious connections in this Ripper case!

                          All the best
                          Jukka
                          No, I never thought you did!

                          I'm guessing that 'Kasche' is Jewish or East European. It's not a name I've ever come across anywhere before and it's not a recognized Hebrew name as far as I know, but the 'che' at the end might suggest such an origin.

                          Honestly I don't know!

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Just bumping this thread to politley ask that perhaps we can move the discussion on Mrs. Buki over here?

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Indeed

                              Originally posted by Debra A View Post
                              Just bumping this thread to politley ask that perhaps we can move the discussion on Mrs. Buki over here?
                              Hi Debs,

                              This does seem to be the appropriate venue, until such time as we find that Mrs Buki was, in fact, a cross-dresser who served as a Kelly in the Scots Guards

                              I'm still drawn to a Mrs Buke, with a typesetter misreading the last letter as an 'i'. Boring, perhaps, but entirely possible, I think.

                              Regards, Bridewell.
                              I won't always agree but I'll try not to be disagreeable.

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