Robert Paul coincidence

[GordonH]

I am posting this so that there is a record of it somewhere.
On re-reading Martin Fido's book "The Crimes Detection and Death of Jack the Ripper" something on page 22 leapt out at me.

According to Fido, Robert Paul the second carman to discover Mary Ann Nichols worked in Corbett's Court, Hanbury Street. Hanbury street was, of course, the site of the Chapman killing and if I remember correctly Corbett's Court is the former name for the current Corbet Place which is very close to no 29.

I have searched high and low for evidence that these two streets are the same. Its lodged in my memory because my company has an office in Corbet Place and I had this debate with a cab driver once. I thought I would throw this piece of trivia into the mix. It might let someone develop a book with Robert Paul as a suspect!

[Simon Wood]

Hi Gordon H,

Robert Paul worked at Covent Garden market as a carman in the employ of someone based in Corbetts Court [near the junction of Hanbury and Commercial streets].

Robert Paul as suspect? No way. Following Nichols' death he was "fetched up by the police in the middle of the night" and the story he had told Lloyds Weekly News changed dramatically by the time he appeared at the inquest.

He was summoned to the inquest on two different days, and had to pay a man 5s. each day to do his work or he would have lost his place. At the close of the inquest he got two shillings, being a shilling for each day.

Net loss—8 shillings.

Regards,

Simon

[GordonH]

I was only joking about Paul as a suspect, but people have based suspects on less.

[Tom_Wescott]

Hi Gordon,

You've got a good eye for detail! Could pay off for you one day in your research.

Simon,

Great post!

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[GordonH]

And I am sure that there was a lane leading down the back of the terraces in Hanbury street that exited into Corbett's Court as it has been suggested that the killer of Chapman could have escaped over the fence. I never saw any reason for that though as going through the house would have been easier. Nevertheless it is interesting trivia.

[Lechmere]

I know this is an old thread but I have never found the Robert Paul details, such as that he was 'fetched up by the police' or how much he had to pay for a replacement. Is it from another press interview - if so can anyone direct me to it?