Ripperologist 92: June 2008

[John Bennett]

I can't locate a canal on any map of this area. Where was it?

Your help, as always, is appreciated. - Roy

Hi Roy,

This reference to a canal is also in the A-Z (1st edition). Like you, I have never seen a canal in this part of East london, not even in maps going back as far as the 17th century.

A wharf is a fixed loading platform and is invariably associated with riverside trading.

My guess is that Essex Wharf was so named as it was indeed a fixed area for loading/unloading, but was served by a railways rather than a river. Maps show that there was a terminus of railway tracks there, often marked 'goods yard'.

Hope this helps.

JB

[Roy Corduroy]

Canal

Quoting the article on Bucks Row:

"The warehouses, almost opposite where Mary Ann Nichols was found, were wool warehouses owned by Browne & Eagle Ltd. Essex wharf comprised mainly of office buildings, and adjacent to these was the sprawling Spitalfields Coal depot. They were called ‘wharves’ as originally they were served by a canal, of which there were a large number in a network across London in the LVP."

I can't locate a canal on any map of this area. Where was it?

Your help, as always, is appreciated. - Roy

[Jon Guy]

Nice one, Captain. I have the copy in my in box for some weekend reading.

[Captain Hook]

Castle Alley

Jon Guy,

Your wishes have come true - one of them, at least. There is an article on Castle Alley in the latest Ripperologist.

Cheers
Hook (Captain).

[Jon Guy]

Thoroughly enjoyed the article on Bucks Row.

I do hope that George Yard, Castle Alley and Swallow Gardens are covered at some point in the future ?

[Supe]

Nats,

Please accept my apologies for my infelicitous phrasing in the post. I sought only to single our Smith in the sense that when I posted there was still a worthy discussion underway elsewhere on the boards about Smith and his autobiography. I had hoped that by using the plural in "autobiographies may not be the most accurate history, but they do reveal much about the mind of the writer" that it would be clear I meant the genre in general.

Indeed, as I said to you in private just the other day, it is a good possibility that Smith's main agendum in writing his autobiography was to entertain, which may have meant making good stories better. And that would be in contrast to some of the other important players in the JtR investigation.

In any case, I'm sorry I gave the impression that I was only focusing on Maj. Smith as that was not my intent. In fact, my only intent was to draw attention to Tim's darn fine article in a darn fine issue.

Don.

[Natalie Severn]

I would just like to add that while the Tumblety photograph is an amazing find, it should not obscure the fact that Tim's article is, itself, a fascinating look at Tumblety's life through his own writings (and extensive "borrowings"). As has been discussed elsewhere on these boards recently in the case of Maj. Henry Smith, autobiographies may not be the most accurate history, but they do reveal much about the mind of the writer. Tumblety's autobiographical pamphlets certainly do.

Don..

Not to gloss over the really brilliant photo find and Tim"s very interesting article,I find it very tiresome Don that by referencing Major Smith"s autobiography you are keeping going only Smith"s inaccuracies when in point of fact there are many other "inaccuracies" in the autobiographies by the other Police Chiefs--its as though only Major Smith"s autobiography presents examples of faulty memory,whereas Macnaghten and Anderson were equally guilty of the "faulty memory syndrome "in their autobiographies--- and on quite crucial information too!As I have mentioned before,at least Henry Smith had the decency to take Anderson to task over the anti-semitism that ran through his comments in the chapter that dealt with the Ripper-especially over Anderson"s ghastly "low class Polish Jews"-theory---ie the one about the shielding of the Ripper.

[Glenn Lauritz Andersson]

That's a good point, Don.

All the best

[Supe]

I would just like to add that while the Tumblety photograph is an amazing find, it should not obscure the fact that Tim's article is, itself, a fascinating look at Tumblety's life through his own writings (and extensive "borrowings"). As has been discussed elsewhere on these boards recently in the case of Maj. Henry Smith, autobiographies may not be the most accurate history, but they do reveal much about the mind of the writer. Tumblety's autobiographical pamphlets certainly do.

Don..

[AdamNeilWood]

Judging by the comments above, the discovery of the first known photograph of suspect Francis Tumblety has quite rightly earned Tim Riordan a generous round of applause, and we at Ripperologist are proud that Tim chose us to publish his outstanding research and the results in The Nine Lives of Dr Tumblety.

But that's not all for Rip 92!

In A Prize for Jeremy, Christopher T. George uses his editorial to announce our new annual competition, which we hope will generate further top-notch research and articles of the kind enjoyed so much by Mr Beadle.

We start a new illustrate series of the canonical murder sites with Buck’s Row Revisited – A brief history of Durward Street, followed by A Jolly Good Knees Up by Jane Coram, who vividly describes a night out at the London music hall.

Lavaughn Towell explains how he teaches ‘Jack the Ripper’s London’ to students at his University of Tulsa class, before we sadly say farewell to the gentleman of true crime, our own Wilf Gregg.

Jenni Pegg's Whitechapel Times and Chris Scott's Press Trawl lead to our reporting of the very latest news and reviews to round off the issue.

Would you like to write for Ripperologist? We'd love to hear from you - and you could win £100! Send your ideas to contact@ripperologist.info

Best wishes,
Adam Wood
Executive Editor,
Ripperologist

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https://www.ripperologist.info

[Jeff Leahy]

I haven't seen it, but this is a MAJOR find.
Even if I am not suspect-oriented, a photograph of Tumblety (a man previously only seen on pamphlets and press illustrations) has to be one of those curiousities that still makes this subject so fascinating to study (I wonder if Stewart P Evans fainted when he heard the news). Seems like things are happening all the time now, and I certainly like this kind of stuff.
First Lawende, now this. One wonder if Aaron Kosminki is next?

Indeed, my sincere congratulations to the researcher who stumbled over it, and to the Ripperologist for being the first to publish it.

All the best

Or a close relative....I will have to buy this one...hooked

[Simon Wood]

Hi Grave Maurice,

Normal? Define normal.

Tumblety looks like an early incarnation of Elton John who, in the early 1970s, would appear in one of those spiked German helmets.

Maybe Tumblety had an early rock band—FT and the Cottage Boys.

Regards,

Simon

[The Grave Maurice]

I'm surprised at how normal looking he is. Some of the sketches tend to make him look a tad odd. Except for the ridiculous 'tache, he was a good looking chap.

[Glenn Lauritz Andersson]

Indeed a very impressive moustache, David, but I've seen several of that kind on photos from the old Wild West, where it appears to have been a common style. Maybe it was especially popular in America rather than in the UK?
I have to say I am amazed by the technical quality of the photo. Indeed a spectacular find. I appears to be dated round 1871, from what I understand.

And look at that uniform. If that man's not a poser, I don't know who is! Certainly confirms much of what's been assumed about Tumblety's flamboyant apparence.

I am actually not at all surprised over that a photo of Tumblety finally has surfaced. Considering his attention-seeking, media-loving character, it would be odd if he hadn't used the camera at some point to show off.

All the best

[Ally]

Haven't read the mag yet, but did of course turn to take a look at the photo. An excellent find and congratulations to Tim for the find.