Book release. 'Jack the Ripper, The Works of Francis Thompson'

[Richard Patterson]

'Jack the Ripper, The Works of Francis Thompson'

Release Date: 28 Feb 2017
Paperback: 397 pages
Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
SBN-10: 1786934493 ISBN-13: 978-1786934499
Product Dimensions: 20.3 x 12.7 x 3.6 cm

Francis Thompson in 1888. He was an ex-medical student with a dissecting scalpel, and a history of mental illness and trouble with the police. He had just broken up with a prostitute and had written about cutting women's stomachs open.At the same time, a few yards from his refuge, a woman was knifed, as part of a spate of prostitute murders, which one coroner said was by someone who had considerable anatomical skill and knowledge.Richard A. Patterson sets out a compelling case for English poet Francis Thompson as the prime suspect for Jack the Ripper in this must-read for Ripperologists the world over.

http://www.francisjthompson.com/

[GUT]

I haven't got around to it yet, but promise I will soon

[John G]

Francis Thompson is my favourite suspect so I also promise to get round to buying the book. Unfortunately, I've just got so much to read at the moment!

Just out of interest, Richard, Paul Begg stated in his book review that it was obvious Thompson hated prostitutes. Is this evidenced by his poems, such as the Nightmare of the Wiches Babies? Didn't he write a poem just after the Whitechapel murders about a man who murders prostitutes?

[Richard Patterson]

Hi John,

That Thompson hated prostitutes is evidence by the fact that he wrote, poems, plays, letters, and stories about killing women and, in particular, prostitutes. My book analysis and shows excerpts of these. However, to answer your question, no. After the murders Thompson, to my knowledge, did not write a poem about a man who murders prostitutes. He did write about killing women, but not in the form of a poem. The Nightmare of the Witch Babies, which he talked about disemboweling corrupt women, was, as you may be already aware, written in 1886.

I am glad you will get around to reading my book, even if it may take some time.

[Richard Patterson]

I will be very interested in what your conclusions are after you read it GUT.

[Harry D]

Francis Thompson is a curious one but I'm not just seeing him as the Ripper. Most tortured artists/poets/musicians etc. channel their inner-demons through their particular medium.

[Richard Patterson]

Those prostitutes who were led to their deaths were not seeing that the man they were with was Jack the Ripper either. Artists do channel their inner demons through their poetry. Just like many serial killers. Israel Keyes, Dennis Nilsen, Joel Rifkin, Ted Bundy, Jack Unterweger, Dennis Rader, and the Zodiac Killer, all wrote poetry too. Unlike most tortured souls, Thompson, with a history of mental illness, and surgical experience, lived down the street from Mary Kelly, carried a knife, and was on the streets seeking out a prostitute who had wronged him. If I’m reading your comment correctly Harry D, I think your saying that because Thompson also wrote about ripping the stomachs of prostitutes open, we should think him less a suspect.

[Varqm]

" Thompson, with a history of mental illness, and surgical experience, lived down the street from Mary Kelly, carried a knife, and was on the streets seeking out a prostitute"

Is this proven? If it is, a good candidate.The thing is how many people in the East End, at that time, had knife skills,and could and did roam around in Whitechapel at night/early morning. And if the killer was not from the East End (I believe he was but of course not certain) the number would be higher.It is easy to pick on one.
The Virchow method is also a good argument but it is not clear to me how methodical the killer was in getting at the organs.It appears more towards a slash and grab with some skill and experience.But if this satisfactorily proven Thompson's candidacy would even be better.

I do not think mental illness (there's a lot of variations) is necessarily a requirement as to who was Jack.

[Richard Patterson]

Having a mental illness is not necessarily a requirement to be Jack the Ripper but being of sound mind certainly wasn’t. Possessing medical skill might not be necessary either but having this skill, given the debate on whether the Ripper had medical knowledge that continues to this day, would not lesson a suspect’s candidacy. Are my statements proven? Proof is dependent on sources. That Thompson had a history of mental illness is derived from a statement of his uncle’s. That he had medical experience comes from the daily registrar of student attendance, from his medical school, that shows he had several years. That Thompson carried a knife and lived down the street from Mary Kelly, comes from Thompson’s own words given in a letter and an article. How many people in the East End had knife skills and roamed around in Whitechapel? To give a number is speculation, but I know of one I can name and Thompson also had not just the skill, but the knife, troubling history with the police, and an intimate knowledge of prostitutes and how they conducted their trade.

[Varqm]

Fair enough.It's interesting.
The question "Is it proven" was only referring to whether he lived near Mary Kelly,my mistake.It's important,an eye-opener, as far as I'm concerned.