Albert Backert at the Frances Coles inquest and a sighting

[Debra A]

Debs,

Any idea where?

My money is on Canada.

Monty

Really? That makes me think you know something you're not telling Monty?!

[Monty]

Debs,

Maybe.

Monty

[Dave O]

Hello all,

It's been some time ago, but didn't Chris Scott once post census info showing Bachert living in or near Sydney Street about the turn of the century?

I cannot think of a single layman who made more appearances in the press than Albert Bachert.

[Robert]

Hi Dave

I thought that Bachert disappeared from the radar around June 1893, after his prison sentence, when he mentioned a fund for sending him abroad.

[Chris Scott]

Hi Dave and Robert
Backert is listed in 1901 living with his sister as follows:
42 Sidney Street, Mile End
Head: Flora Stiffens (Married) aged 31 born Mile End
Children:
Robert aged 6
George aged 4
Rosa aged 2
Annie M aged 1 month
Brother:
Albert Becker (sic) aged 26 born Mile End - Engraver

The surname (Becker) and the age are causes for concern but to me the following facts show that this is indeed Albert Backert.
1) We know that Albert had a sister named Flora.
"The Backerts were still at 13 Newnham Street at the time of the 1891 census:
Head
John Backert aged 50 born Meckleburg, Germany (BS) - Tailor
Wife
Georgina Backert aged 49 born Hanover Germany
Children
Albert aged 22 born Whitechapel - Copper plate engraver
Flora aged 19 born Whitechapel
Boarders
Arthur Steff aged 36 born Stettin, Germany - Mercantile Clerk
Charles Wagner born Steetin, Germany - Wine traveller
(From Cast of Thousands)
2) In 1894 Flora Bachert (sic) married Robert Charles Steffen, and I am sure that the Flora Stiffens of Sidney Street is indeed Flora Steffen, née Bachert
3) Albert trade is still shown as that of an engraver

With regard to the question of Albert's age given as 26, this is consistent with the discrepancies in earlier censuses. In cast of Thousands I wrote this:
The question of Albert's date of birth and age is not an easy one to resolve. In the 1871 data his age is given as 8 years of age, which would place his birth in or around 1863. However, I have checked the BMD registers for the period 1860 to 1865 and the only possible entry that could refer to him is the record of a William Albert Bachert, whose birth was registered in Whitechapel in the last quarter of 1860. If this is indeed the Albert Backert under discussion, then his actual age at the time of the 1871 census would have been 10 years old.

However, the extraordinary nature of the ages recorded for Backert in successive censuses make this two-year discrepancy seem positively trivial. In 1871 he is recorded as 8 years old, in 1881 he is 18 years old, in 1891 he is 22 years old and in 1901 his age is given as 26! I have in the course of my researches seen some wildly varied ages given over the course of different returns for what is undoubtedly the same individual, but this is probably the most extreme example I have encountered.

[Robert]

Thanks Chris. I wonder if the boarder Arthur Steff was related to Flora's husband.

[Dave O]

Hi Robert and Chris,

Thanks Chris, that was a good find that you made. I'm sure you've got the right person based on the points you've made. I wonder if that was the same Sidney Street where the siege happened a decade later.

Cheers,
Dave

[Monty]

Godammit!

[Chris Scott]

Here is another mention of Bachert I came across recently which I hadnt seen before
Chris

Reynolds Newspaper
3 January 1892

YESTERDAY'S LAW, POLICE, ETC.
THAMES
ANOTHER LETTER FROM JACK THE RIPPER

Albert Bachert, the chairman of the so called Whitechapel Murder Vigilance Committee, was amongst the applicants for advice. He stated he was chairman of the Committee that was formed several years ago for the purpose of discovering the author of the Whitechapel murders. A few weeks since he received a letter, signed "Jack the Ripper," stating he would shortly commence operations again. In consequence he and some friends went out on the watch during the recent foggy weather. During "their adventures" they found a number of men and women sleeping in the streets. He wanted to know whether he could call the attention of the police to these people and so have them removed to workhouses or shelters. Mr Dickinson told the applicant, who had not made his first appearance at that court, that he knew very well that the matter was nothing to do with him, and that he could not advise in cases of that sort. He would have to go to the inspector of police, or the proper authority upon such a matter.

[Chris Scott]

Some other miscellaneous bits about Albert:

Pall Mall Gazette
24 November 1885

THREATENING A CANVASSER
Mr Albert Bachert, of Gordon house, Newnham Street, Whitechapel, a canvasser on behalf of Colonel Cowan, the Conservative candidate for Whitechapel, applied to Mr Lushington, at Thames Police Court, today for advice. Lewis Lyons, the Socialist, had, he said, continually threatened him, and he had also received letters threatening him with death. All the winows of his house were smashed, and it was anticipated during the next day or two a riot would ensue, and his premises be smashed by the Radicals and Socialists. A Mr Frederick, a Socialist, had also threatened him, and he desired protection. Mr Lushington told the applicant to go to the inspector and tell him about it.


Bristol Mercury
3 September 1892

LAW AND CRIME
At the Thames Police Court, London, on Tuesday, Albert Bachert, who was chairman of the so called Whitechapel Murder Vigilance committee during the Jack the Ripper scare, was charged with stealing upwards of £300 belonging to his father, a tailor. The magistrate, however, said there was no evidence against the accused, who was discharged.


Aberdeen Weekly Journal
2 March 1892

THE "JACK THE RIPPER" LETTERS
At the Thames Police Court, Albert Bachert, chairman of the so called Whitechapel Murder Vigilance Committee, has been among the applicants for advice from the Magistrates. He said he had received a paper signed "A.F.P." the meaning of which he did not know, and on the upper sheet a coffin and cross bones had been drawn. Applicant "believed he had an idea" who was the writer of "Jack the Ripper" letters, and he wanted to know if he met the man whether he would be justified in giving him into custody?
Mr Mead said he could not do that. If he found out who wrote the letter he could have a summons.
Backert - But he is the author of all the "Jack the Ripper" letters.
Mr Mead - What nonsense.
Backert - But what am I to do if I meet him?
Mr Mead - Leave him alone. If you have any complaints go to the police.

[Robert]

There was no shaking him off, Chris!

Do we have this one?

OLD BAILEY JUNE 29th 1891

525. CHARLES LAWSON, alias CARL LARSON (20), was indicted for , and charged on the Coroner's inquisition with, the manslaughter of Carl Johan Petersen.
MESSRS. GILL and BIRON Prosecuted, and. MR. GRAIN Defended.
ROSIE COHEN (Interpreted). I live at 20, Jamaica Place, Limehouse—on Monday, 25th May, at twelve at night, I was in the West India Dock Road, near the Great Eastern Hotel, in company with Mary Green—I saw some persons in front of the hotel; the prisoner was one of them—I saw him strike the deceased in the face, and he fell—I saw him on the spot when he was dead—I afterwards saw three men taken into custody by the police—afterwards I saw a number of men at the police-station, and I picked out the prisoner as the man who knocked the deceased down.
Cross-examined. I said before the Coroner that there were five men; one said to the other, "Here he is!" and then another man gave the deceased a blow in the face, and he fell on the back of his head, and the—
See original
same man kicked him while he was on the ground—I saw four or five people fighting.
MARY GREEN (Interpreted). I live at 20, Jamaica Place, Limehouse—on 25th May, about twelve at night, I was near the Great Eastern Hotel—I saw the deceased, Petersen, there—I joined Cohen outside—I saw Petersen come out of the hotel; the prisoner, who was one of three men said, "I can see him here;" and I saw him strike the deceased on the face, and he fell—I afterwards picked out the prisoner at the station—I said there, "I can't say whether it was a blow or a push which the prisoner gave him.
ALBERT BACHERT . I am an engraver, of Gordon House, Newman Street, Whitechapel—on 25th May, about twelve, I was close to the Great Eastern Hotel—I saw six or seven people pushing and shoving; they seemed to be all slightly the worse for liquor—one of them seemed rather the worst, he staggered against a shop and one of the others tried to hold him up; he pushed him away and staggered towards the kerb; he was about to fall again, and another man tried to hold him up again, and he gave him a push; he then received a blow on the head, I could not say who from; I did not see the man's face, and at the moment he fell, about half or. three-quarters of a yard from the kerb, another person in the crowd kicked him—I could not identify the prisoner.
Cross-examined. The prisoner was not the man who kicked; I swear that—I could not swear who struck the blow.
JOHN ALLEN (KR 71). I was in the West India Dock Road about twenty-five minutes to twelve, and saw the prisoner and some others quarrelling and fighting—the prisoner had been drinking—I and another constable separated them, and they went towards the Great Eastern Hotel; a quarter of an hour after the same lot came out and passed down the road; there appeared to be a general fight amongst them—I saw the prisoner deliver a deliberate blow at the deceased, who immediately fell to the pavement, his head coming in violent contact with the ground—the prisoner ran into the road; I ran after him and took him back to the deceased; he was bleeding from the nose and mouth, and was insensible; he was taken to the hospital—the prisoner had a mark on his forehead and on his neck, and he complained of having been struck.
NOT GUILTY .

[Chris Scott]

Hi Robert
Many thanks for that - not one I'd seen before
Our Albert certainly got around and I'm sure we haven't seen the last of him!
The material I found on Albert some years back when I was preparing the Cast of Thousands is at

http://www.casebook.org/ripper_media/book_reviews/non-fiction/castofthousands.albert-backert.html

but much has come to light since then.
The two questions I would love answered are
- Did he eventually emigrate?
- When did he die?
Regards
Chris

[Chris Scott]

It seems that the Whitechapel crimes were not the only murder case in which Albert involved himself:

Lloyd's Weekly
5 October 1890

THE KINGSLAND MURDERS
At the Thames Police Court on Monday, Albert E Backert, who took a prominent part in forming a vigilance committee during the excitement caused by the Whitechapel murders, asked Mr Mead's advice. He said he had been writing to the newspapers respecting the Kingsland murders, and a few days since one of the friends of the murdered men came round to his house with the intention of "paying" him. He wished to know if the men again came to his house if he could give them into custody before they assaulted him. Mr Mead said if the men threatened applicant he could obtain a summons against them, but the best thing would be to complain to the police.

[Robert]

Chris, I'm sure I spotted him in the celestial court room scene from "A Matter Of Life And Death."

[Chris Scott]

On October 12 and 13 1890 there appeared many reports of the sensational Backert version of the Lodger as allegedly told to him by an unnamed woman. Full versions of this are in the Press Reports section or in the Cast of Thousands link above.
However, Albert wrote a follow up as follows:

Pall Mall Gazette
13 October 1890

JACK THE RIPPER'S LODGINGS
Mr Albert Backert, chairman of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee, writes regarding his letter of Saturday:-
From the information I supplied to a Lloyd's News reporter he was able to trace the woman and get a statment from her. I swear positively that every word mentioned in my letter was said by her, although I notice in the newspapers this (Sunday) morning that several passages have been contradicted - in fact, the woman appeared so upset that I firmly believe she does not now remember what she really did say.

I havent yet tracked down this Lloyds interview with the woman, but sopme of the content is hinted at in this short passage from the Western Mail of 13 October:
In reference to the above letter (i.e. the letter from Backert about the lodger) a correspondent of Lloyd's has had an interview with the woman who made the statements respecting an alleged captain, and learns that the latter left the place named some months ago and has married. His family are highly respectable.