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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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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