How strange is this

[Sam Flynn]

I just stumbled upon this thread and I noticed it stops in 2016. I find the implications intriguing, certainly in regards to Mrs. Maxwell. Anybody know anything more about this?

As Richard Nunweek, who started this thread, pointed out in his first post: "It should be mentioned that by the 2nd November, Dorset street had been mentioned in the press, as Chapman had resided there, and Kate rumoured to have lived in the shed".

Indeed, Dorset Street was quite (in)famous before the Ripper murders, and I shouldn't be surprised if it was mentioned reasonably frequently in the press as a street renowned for dossers and criminals, outside of the reports of the murders of Annie Chapman and Catherine Eddowes. If a hoaxer wanted to pick a Spitalfields street likely to harbour a murderer, then Dorset Street would have been an obvious choice. No genuine murderer is very likely to give away their real address, so one must assume that a hoaxer simply plucked the number 14 out of thin air - 14's as good a number as any - and the fact that this was where Caroline Maxwell lived could easily be coincidental.

Incidentally, it seems that the letter in question was sent even earlier than 2nd November, as I've found reference to it in the Eastern Daily Press of 31st October.

[richardnunweek]

Hi Sam.
Yes indeed Dorset Street was known as a rough area, also Flower and Dean street , and Thrawl Street , and many more locations in that area.
It is a coincidence indeed that Number 14 Dorset Street was opposite Millers court. the location of the next murder,
It is a coincidence indeed, that Mrs Maxwell resided there, who claimed to have seen a dead woman alive.?
As you say no killer in his right mind would inform the police where he was staying, but ''It was sent to a different police force,'' and Millers court was not mentioned as the intended murder scene.
Indeed it is entirely possible that the area was under supervision , but surely only at night [ when the Ripper always struck.
If Mrs Maxwell did see Kelly on the morning of the 9th,and she was accosted by her killer in daylight hours. then any surveillance would have been lifted
I believe we should not dismiss this letter as a 'Red Herring' it may be very important to the case.
Regards Richard.

[New Waterloo]

Hi All

There was another letter addressed to the city police:

I put you to the job what you are looking for. Go to Hart St WC near the buttes ??? to live with the name Jaffa and Co. about 3 yrs ago people used to live there before. I don't know if they live there now
Watch that place and try our communication and find out where at the people moved from there. If they are moved and if you can't find out nothing, search the cellar and all the private places and secret dens and gangways and watch the house in Great Yarmouth, 51 King St. When you search in London ?????? you must search in Yarmouth in the same ways and find out all the communication with their friends and ???
Watch there if ?????????????? then you will hear things that since do ??? and the same time look for kinds of murder that shouldn't be happening and watch the house in ???????? What is a friend to me there if ??????

Can we assume the ripper was residing between the piers in Yarmouth (51 King Street).

Could it be too much of a coincidence that he was also living between the Britannia and wellington in Spitalfields?

Hello Natasha,

Would you be able to give a bit more detail about this letter to the City Police. When it was sent and how you found it. It mentions 51 King Street the home of the Kemp family I believe. A Clergy Gentleman. Havnt got details in front of me but I think many years after JTR the building became a working mans club or something like that. Quite a grand house for that street and now apartments I believe. (Not grand in the very large sense but more substantial than many on that street).

There are many connections between Yarmouth and the International Working men,s club in Berner Street. Yarmouth and Norwich were seats of anarchist activity at the time of JTR.

Thank you

NW