Scholes of the Yard: The Casebook of a Scotland Yard Detective 1888 to 1924

[The Station Cat]

Anyone read this one yet?

Not sure how much there is about jack the Ripper in it?

But sounds like it might be an interesting read........

[Pcdunn]

Found this at the author's website:

"Detective Inspector Scholes joined the Metropolitan Police in 1888, just before the Jack the Ripper Murders plunged the East-End into the public consciousness. This is his story of the crimes and criminals he met during his illustrious career spanning nearly 40 years, from lowly Police Constable Scholes to lofty Detective Inspector Scholes of Scotland Yard. In 1913 Scholes left the Met Police and joined the fledgling Port of London Authority Police Force as Detective Inspector. It was here, in 1922, that Scholes boarded the SS Morea and took possession of love letters written by Edith Thompson to her young lover Frederick Bywaters. The letters would be instrumental in sending the two lovers to the gallows for the murder of Percy Thompson, Edith's husband. The case still resonates today, but was Edith Thompson innocent of murder, as some suggest, or a calculating, desperate woman, who was ultimately responsible for the deaths of two men in the primes of their lives?"

"Due for publication on Kindle, Kobo and in Paperback in early October"

Author G.S. Burroughs writes nonfiction and biography. Sounds like an interesting read, as you say.

[The Station Cat]

Found this at the author's website:

"Detective Inspector Scholes joined the Metropolitan Police in 1888, just before the Jack the Ripper Murders plunged the East-End into the public consciousness. This is his story of the crimes and criminals he met during his illustrious career spanning nearly 40 years, from lowly Police Constable Scholes to lofty Detective Inspector Scholes of Scotland Yard. In 1913 Scholes left the Met Police and joined the fledgling Port of London Authority Police Force as Detective Inspector. It was here, in 1922, that Scholes boarded the SS Morea and took possession of love letters written by Edith Thompson to her young lover Frederick Bywaters. The letters would be instrumental in sending the two lovers to the gallows for the murder of Percy Thompson, Edith's husband. The case still resonates today, but was Edith Thompson innocent of murder, as some suggest, or a calculating, desperate woman, who was ultimately responsible for the deaths of two men in the primes of their lives?"

"Due for publication on Kindle, Kobo and in Paperback in early October"

Author G.S. Burroughs writes nonfiction and biography. Sounds like an interesting read, as you say.

I agree, I believe he started his career in D Division, I hope the book devotes a bit to his time as a PC seconded to H Division during the hunt for the Ripper. But the rest of it sounds good as well mind.

[The Station Cat]

Took a gamble and bought a copy................

I can confirm that the first chapter of the book is devoted to his time as a PC seconded to H Division (page 15 to page 42).

[Pcdunn]

Took a gamble and bought a copy................

I can confirm that the first chapter of the book is devoted to his time as a PC seconded to H Division (page 15 to page 42).

Good to know! Thanks for the information, SC.

[Herlock Sholmes]

I’ll be interested in your review when you’ve finished it SC. It’s only 8.99 + 2.99p+p on Amazon. Might be worth a go

[The Station Cat]

Well gentleman, having read the first chapter, I must say from a Ripper point of view I'm very disappointed!!!!

This chapter covers the Ripper killings and offers no new insight and just skirts round the facts of the case.

Makes several tantalizing mentions from Scholes's personal memoirs and of his encounters with the populous of Whitechapel during his time seconded to H Division, but then doesn't go into any further detail!! (I have tried to find out whether these memoirs were ever published, but have been unable to do so, would be interested to know whether they exist or not).

It appears that on the night of the double event Scholes was on "foot patrol on Tabbard Street on the wrong end of Mile Road", but doesn't go into any more detail which I found very frustrating!!! I assume he must have disclosed this fact in his memoirs? I have been unable to find a Tabbard Street in Whitechapel (only one in Southwark) and as for the wrong end of Mile End, I can only assume what that is supposed to mean? I take that that he must have been sent to Arbour Street, which from a research point of view is interesting to know.

The author also makes mention of the fact that the only personal documents she has of Scholes is a scrap book of old newspaper cuttings that have been passed down the generations of her family, which is curious considering her mention of "in his memoirs", I can only further assume that these memoirs were published separately, which makes one wonder why write this book at all?

She several times reiterates that Scholes was drafted into H Divison along with hundreds of other bobbies and yet when talking about Alfred Long's involvement in the case, doesn't mention that he had also been drafted in from elsewhere which I thought was a missed opportunity to strengthen her point about hundreds of bobbies being drafted into H Division from all over London.

Perhaps the later chapters on other crimes will be better, I'll report back in due course........but as I say if your only interested in the Ripper case save your money, this book isn't for you.

[BDivision]

Thanks for your interest in my book, 'Scholes of the Yard.' I'm sorry you found it of no interest to Ripper enthusiasts but I was very careful not to promote it as such. My great grandfather was a lowly beat bobby in 1888 and played almost no part in the investigation. I added it because he was there at the time, and whether you know all there is to know about Jack the Ripper, or not, many people do not, and I added the chapter purely as an introduction to criminal London in the late 19th century.
Quote: "I have attempted, then, in some small way, to lead you through the Whitechapel Murders as they appeared to PC Scholes as he made his way through the dark and dangerous streets of ‘Jack the Ripper’s’ London as a rookie police constable. I propose no solution. For me, the Whitechapel Murders remain a source of immense interest because no-one knows who did it. The mystery is the legend."
If I may answer two questions that were proposed? Did the memoirs exist? Yes, they did. They were not published as a book and I never said they were. They were published in the World's Pictorial News in 1924. There are photographs of the cuttings on my website: www.gsburroughs.com
Why write the book? I have a more global interest in London and it's criminal past than just the Ripper murders. My grandfather met some of the most fascinating criminals that held London in its awe at the turn of the century and I wanted to bring them to life for a new audience. He met 'Jill the Ripper' aka Mrs Pearcey, and knew Milsom and Fowler, two of the last three to be hanged in Britain's last triple execution. He was involved in the Camden Town Murder (with echoes of Jack the Ripper even now) and was the policeman who boarded the SS Morea in 1923 and seized love letters written by Edith Thompson to her lover Freddie Bywaters which sent them both to the gallows. I have proposed a solution to the Camden Town murder and question the legitimacy of the hanging of Mrs Thompson, which I regard as the greatest miscarriage of justice of the 20th century.
If you wish to read the Ripper chapter without buying my book please go here http://www.gsburroughs.com/ripper-story/
Kind regards, GS Burroughs

[Pcdunn]

Hello, BDivison, welcome to Casebook.

Many of us here are interested in other Victorian mysteries and law enforcement of the period. Station Cat, for example, is fascinated by the constables serving in Whitechapel during the murders.

I think your grandfather's story sounds very interesting, and I commend you for writing a book about him. Good luck with it!

[The Station Cat]

Hi B Division,

As PCdunn has said, I am indeed fascinated by the bobbies serving in Whitechapel during the Ripper period, I'm like a sponge for information. I would be very interested to hear ANYTHING your GGFather had to say about his time down there. Things that might seem unnoteworthy to other enthusiasts, are like the Holy Grail to me. Would it be possible to share your GGFather's notes/memoirs from his time on the beat down there? PM me if you like?

Finally there just remains to welcome you to the forum, I'm sure you'll get as much pleasure out of being a member of it as the rest of us have.

[The Station Cat]

Stuff like this is to me, is like what finding ancient papyrus in the Egyptian desert must be like to archaeologist . It poses as many questions as it answers and is enthralling!!!!

[The Station Cat]

Scholes's memoirs of his time in Whitechapel, from the World Pictorial News.....