Fairy Fay and the pub in Mitre Square

[TrapDoorSpider]

Most of the old newspaper accounts of Fairy Fay mention that she was "taking a short cut home after visiting a pub in Mitre Square." And yet the detailed diagrams of the buildings surrounding Mitre Square, drawn by the police after the murder of Catherine Eddows, don't show any public house in Mitre Square.

What do you make of this? We know (or at least suspect) that the newspapers made up the whole story of Fairy Fay. Did they make up the pub, too?

[Monty]

TrapDoorSpider,

There was no pub in the square at the time of the murders, however there was a pub in St James Place. And there could be the confusion.

That said, I feel it was a case of misreporting and conjecture taken from the streets.

Monty

[Shelley]

Can anyone check if this might be the foundations of the name ' Fairy Fay ' ' May be taken from a verse of a popular song called Polly Wolly Doodle ' that starts: ' Fare thee well my fairy fay '........

[Monty]

Shelley,

Mr Stewart Evans is the man to ask. He has mentioned the very same song to me....I even got a rendition, though he will deny it.

Monty

[Suzi]

And of course the mention in Gilbert and Sullivan's 'Iolanthe' 1882. The Fairy Queen sang directly to one Captain Shaw,the chief of the fire brigade, a well known ladies man, sitting in the middle of the front row on opening night, 'Oh Fairy Fay think you because...' much to the amusement of the audience and no doubt to the mortification of Capt. Shaw!
As a by the by Captain Sir Eyre Massey Shaw established a new rank system and uniform on his appointment and did much to improve the service. He was well known throughout society and was good friends with the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII), who enjoyed being taken out to the scene of large fires (Interestingly).

[Shelley]

Shelley,

Mr Stewart Evans is the man to ask. He has mentioned the very same song to me....I even got a rendition, though he will deny it.

Monty

Mr Stewart Evans,
Could i please have a rendition of the song with the ' Fairy Fay ' bit in it?
P.S.
' I am not, repeat, not asking for serenading '

[caz]

Hi Suzi,

Poor old Captain Shaw apparently had to pretend it was all innocent fun and not (ahem) rise to it. Bet he was squirming. Didn't his lovely long hose get a mention at some point, or is that just me letting my imagination get the better of me? Heeeeee

I wonder if he modelled for that wonderful beermat I showed you on Saturday night. Bottoms up!

Love,

Fairy Fay
(my mother's nickname for me when I was but a sweet young thing)
XXX

[Suzi]

He heeeeeeee wasn't it something about 'Could your brigade, with cold cascade quench my true love I wonder' heeeeee!!
Yep bet he did!!- the one that could only be improved (!) with a few red biro lines heee

[Shelley]

And of course the mention in Gilbert and Sullivan's 'Iolanthe' 1882. The Fairy Queen sang directly to one Captain Shaw,the chief of the fire brigade, a well known ladies man, sitting in the middle of the front row on opening night, 'Oh Fairy Fay think you because...' much to the amusement of the audience and no doubt to the mortification of Capt. Shaw!
As a by the by Captain Sir Eyre Massey Shaw established a new rank system and uniform on his appointment and did much to improve the service. He was well known throughout society and was good friends with the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII), who enjoyed being taken out to the scene of large fires (Interestingly).

Suzi,
This could be taken a different way entirely, you know. As we all Know the Prince of Wales was a bit Tumbelty inclined, not to mention the ' fairy ' bit it tops the lot ( still Victorians had a different prespective on that word...or was it it's humble beginnings of new rank of word?). But that mention of Chief Fire brigade! and enjoyed being taken out to the scene of large fires Well, say no more!

I've just left the thread ' From Hell a Graphic Novel ' and it was along the same lines there about phallic symbols etc, except my post was from hell and graphic, and possibly septic too!

[Sam Flynn]

Mr Stewart Evans, Could i please have a rendition of the song with the ' Fairy Fay ' bit in it?

Doubtless not a patch on Stewart's "cover version", but possibly the next best thing...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE2ZdZVO2r4

[ChrisGeorge]

Most of the old newspaper accounts of Fairy Fay mention that she was "taking a short cut home after visiting a pub in Mitre Square." And yet the detailed diagrams of the buildings surrounding Mitre Square, drawn by the police after the murder of Catherine Eddows, don't show any public house in Mitre Square.

What do you make of this? We know (or at least suspect) that the newspapers made up the whole story of Fairy Fay. Did they make up the pub, too?

Fairy Fay was an invention of journalist Terence Robertson in an article entitled "Madman who Murdered Nine Women" that appeared in Reynolds News on October 29, 1950. The statement about the pub in Mitre Square shows how well he "researched" the piece. His description of the finding of her body appears to draw upon descriptions of the finding of other bodies during the Whitechapel murders. I covered the career of Mr Robertson and the creation of this phantom victim in "The Strange Career of Terence Robertson and the Origin of 'Fairy Fay'", Ripperologist 73, November 2006. The article can be accessed in pdf form from Adam Wood's site here.

Chris

[Shelley]

Doubtless not a patch on Stewart's "cover version", but possibly the next best thing...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE2ZdZVO2r4

Hi Sam,

Cheers for the song. It seems to be American with the Mention of Louisiana and railroad track.

Lyrics:

Oh i went down south
For to see my Sal
Singin' Polly-Wolly-Doodle all day

My Sal she's a spunky gal
Singin' Polly-Wolly-Doodle all day
Fare thee well
Fare thee well, my Fairy Fay
For i'm going to Louisiana
For to see my Susyanna
Singin' Polly-Wolly-Doole all day

Oh a grasshopper sitting
On a railroad track
Singin' Polly-Wolly-Doodle all day
Just pickin' his teeth
With a carpet tack
Fare thee well
Fare thee well
Fare thee well, my Fairy Fay
For i'm going to Louisiana
For to see my Susyanna
Singin' Polly-Wolly-Doodle all day

There wasn't any public house in Mitre Square.

[Suzi]

Hi Caz

'Ere we go!

Fairy Queen-

Oh the fire that glows with heat intense
I turn the hose of common sense
And out it goes at small expense
We must maintain our fairy law
That is the man on which we draw
In which we gain
A Captain Shaw

Oooooh Captain Shaw (with a look at said Captain!!)
Type of true love kept under
Could thy brigade with cold cascade
Quench my great love I wonder!

( NOT all that happy in the front row I reckon!) he he

There we are!!!


OK the PWWDATD was great and G &S had it in 1882 - (and Caz did too!)................NOT in 1882!!!!!!!!!........... An interesting name though our FF....whether she was there or not- and that's before we get to any soldiers!!! (Private Willis????)




Iolanthe is always worth a listen/watch anyway!!!!

[Suzi]

All G & S fans MUST have this- a serious singalong!! Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm that doesn't seem to work Google Gilbert and Sullivan Archive Home Page aaaagh!! had a day of technology crapping on me!!!

Yep that works!!!!!!! x

Then click on Web Opera and off you go!!!!!!

[Shelley]

Hi Caz

'Ere we go!

Fairy Queen-

Oh the fire that glows with heat intense
I turn the hose of common sense
And out it goes at small expense
We must maintain our fairy law
That is the man on which we draw
In which we gain
A Captain Shaw

Oooooh Captain Shaw (with a look at said Captain!!)
Type of true love kept under
Could thy brigade with cold cascade
Quench my great love I wonder!

( NOT all that happy in the front row I reckon!) he he

There we are!!!


OK the PWWDATD was great and G &S had it in 1882 - (and Caz did too!)................NOT in 1882!!!!!!!!!........... An interesting name though our FF....whether she was there or not- and that's before we get to any soldiers!!! (Private Willis????)




Iolanthe is always worth a listen/watch anyway!!!!

Suzi,

This seems a love song for what conjours up in the mind ' The Blue Cockatoo' the boys brigade. I'll bet The Prince of Wales just loved it....Literally! Still i would have thought instead of Private Willis, Private Parts would have been invited to join in....Hee