The Bank Holiday Murders by Tom Wescott (2014)

[martin wilson]

it's a real page turner, and beautifully written in plain English, for me always a sign of a quality book as it speaks to intention, the writer has something to say and is doing their utmost to ensure the reader can understand it.
Outside of scientific and other technical articles, I am suspicious of books that require a dictionary kept handy as it speaks to intention, the writer is saying, 'look at me! aren't I clever?'
Anyway, the English invented a game called Cricket Tom, we are no bloody good at it and a match takes the best part of a week, but that's beside the point, which is you have about half an hour to an hour of switching the radio on to get yourself moving or get on with something, otherwise you are inexorably sucked in and other than tea and biccies you are stuck there for a day.
So, whilst listening to the English batsmen proving they couldn't bat their way out of a paper bag, even if they had been on an intensive training course with Geoff Paperbagbatter, I read your book.
And I'm very glad I did.
All the best.

[GUT]

it's a real page turner, and beautifully written in plain English, for me always a sign of a quality book as it speaks to intention, the writer has something to say and is doing their utmost to ensure the reader can understand it.
Outside of scientific and other technical articles, I am suspicious of books that require a dictionary kept handy as it speaks to intention, the writer is saying, 'look at me! aren't I clever?'
Anyway, the English invented a game called Cricket Tom, we are no bloody good at it and a match takes the best part of a week, but that's beside the point, which is you have about half an hour to an hour of switching the radio on to get yourself moving or get on with something, otherwise you are inexorably sucked in and other than tea and biccies you are stuck there for a day.
So, whilst listening to the English batsmen proving they couldn't bat their way out of a paper bag, even if they had been on an intensive training course with Geoff Paperbagbatter, I read your book.
And I'm very glad I did.
All the best.

The most amazing thing about that game the English invented is that it needs 4 or 5 days without rain, to play, In ENGLAND.

Triumph of optimism over reality in my books.

[Scott Nelson]

Can I get an abbreviated summary somewhere?

[martin wilson]

Hi GUT

Well, y'know perfidious Albion and all that. Rain is our 12th man, at say, 9-150 chasing 300 we have been thankful for the heavens opening, and in best English sporting tradition we have called it a draw.
I haven't heard if Glenn 'mind that ball' McGrath has come out with his usual 5-0 yet, I did read in the Guardian that cricketing nonentity and Jack Douglas impersonator Steve Smith has opened his gigantic Australian mouth and made some hopefully ill advised comments.
Actually, he's probably right, but it's the vibe of the thing.

Sorry Tom, this properly belongs on the Druitt thread.

[martin wilson]

Trying to get back on thread after some fool derailed it with cricket nonsense.

I am aware of the commonality of names, but I do wonder if this is one of the girls.

Old Bailey online.

Elizabeth Allen. 33. Breaking peace, Wounding. 13th January 1890.

Feloniously wounding Richard Hunt, of 49 Johnson street St Pancras with intent to do him grievous bodily harm.

Full details on the OBO but essentially a domestic, both had been drinking.
and during a row Allen stabbed him in the upper lip with a knife.

Guilty. To enter into her own recognisances in £10, and to appear for judgement if called upon.

All the best.

[martin wilson]

South Wales Daily Post. 16th February 1894.

FRACAS IN A LODGING HOUSE.
A MAN STABBED.

Early this (Friday) morning a fracas occurred in a lodging house in the east end of London, during which a man named Donavon was stabbed.
He was removed to the London Hospital. His assailants are three brothers,who are known to the police.

[GUT]

South Wales Daily Post. 16th February 1894.

FRACAS IN A LODGING HOUSE.
A MAN STABBED.

Early this (Friday) morning a fracas occurred in a lodging house in the east end of London, during which a man named Donavon was stabbed.
He was removed to the London Hospital. His assailants are three brothers,who are known to the police.

Donovan and Lodging house ... mmmmm

[MrBarnett]

[ATTACH]16818[/ATTACH]

[Debra A]

Donovan and Lodging house ... mmmmm

Like lodging houses, violent crime and men named Donovan were commonplace in Spitalfields.
But at least one Donovan who had lived at 35 Dorset St in 1888-Timothy, had moved on to Mile End by 1890 with his wife and two sons.

[martin wilson]

Thanks for posting that Mr B.
I Swung and I missed, thanks Debra.
All the best.

[martin wilson]

Sorry if this is old news, but I find it fascinating that Pearly Poll and Nathan Kaminsky were discharged from the Whitechapel Union Infirmary on the same day, 12/5/1888.
All the best.

[Tom_Wescott]

Sorry if this is old news, but I find it fascinating that Pearly Poll and Nathan Kaminsky were discharged from the Whitechapel Union Infirmary on the same day, 12/5/1888.
All the best.

Hi Martin, that is rather interesting. The following is from Christopher Morley's suspect guide here at the Casebook:

Nathan Kaminski

Kaminski was born in 1865 and was a Jewish boot maker, who resided at 15 Black Lion Yard. Diagnosed as suffering from syphilis, he was treated at the Whitechapel workhouse infirmary and was discharged as 'cured' six weeks later. Author Martin Fido, in the book The Crimes Detection And Death of Jack The Ripper, suggests that Kaminski was in fact the real Leather Apron, and that John Pizer was identified in error. This hypothesis is based on the fact that Kaminski's age, race and occupation are identical to David Cohen, and therefore they must be one and the same. Fido suggests that following the hunt for Leather Apron, Kaminski changed his name and occupation prior to his attack of raving mania. Therefore, when he was arrested it was under the incorrect name of David Cohen. Fido surmises that Kaminski was the real second suspect named in the Macnaghten Memoranda, and that the name Kosminsky was used in error. Little is known about what precisely happened to Kaminski and he appears to have simply vanished from the face of the earth. If Kaminski was therefore Cohen, why were the police still on Ripper alert after Cohen's death.


Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[martin wilson]

Hi Tom

Chris Scott was a brilliant researcher and he posted in 2008 a comprehensive list of admissions/discharges from the Whitechapel Union Infirmary.
Where an earlier date is shown I take it as the date of admission.
There is no admission date for Kaminsky, but the discharge date of 12/5/1888 was a Saturday.
Counting back 6 weeks gives us an admission date of the week beginning 2/4/1888, perhaps a few days later/earlier.
If it was later this gives us the rather more speculative coincidence of the attack on Emma Smith on 3/4/1888.

All the best.

[Debra A]

Hi Martin
Nathan Kaminsky was admitted March 24th at 5.30pm.

[martin wilson]

Thanks Debra, so he's out of the frame for the Smith murder. Another theory bites the dust!
Do you know the admission date for Poll? I asked the omniscient entity if she knew Kaminsky. Perhaps a better question would have been did she know OF Kaminsky? Which raises the somewhat ridiculous possibility she was the source, or a source for Kaminsky/Kosminski as well.
Black Lion Yard connects to the Whitechapel Road by some steps apparently, and I'm thinking of the clue of the man who lived not far from Bucks Row.

All the best.