Bible John (General Discussion)

[Ms Diddles]

Much obliged to Mrs D for her comprehensive knowledge of the Clyde ferries! It has been a great help to me in nailing down parts of the case that had been vague in my mind over the years.

You're welcome.

I'm glad to have been of assistance!

I just found a couple of interesting sites which documented the history of the various ferries.

Basically, you were right.

Once the Clyde Tunnel opened most of the ferries became obsolete.

Does anyone know why it was that the police had such a bee in their bonnet about BJ trying to make his way to Govan after the Helen Puttock murder?

If we're all agreeing that the evidence points more towards him making for the west end, there must presumably have been some reason for this supposition carrying so much weight for them at the time.


I agree with Barn and Mrs D that the ferry theory seems to be a red herring. Coincidentally, my thoughts on reading the previous post were exactly the same as what Mrs D has just written: that the area BJ left the bus suggests he was headed for what was (and probably still is?) regarded as the posher part of Glasgow. The area 'Kelvinside' was often used as comic shorthand for pretentiousness back in the heyday of Rikki Fulton.

Yes, there's a certain old school Kelvinside / Bearsden accent here that always makes me think of the Glasgow equivalent of Maggie Smith in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie!

It's quite distinctive and sounds slightly affected.

This ties in with BJ's taxi remark about him being an 'agnostic.' It's a slightly educated term and they way he used it was rather witty, since he was cross referencing religious belief with support for the two main Glasgow football teams. BJ being well spoken is also IIRC a feature of more than one witness. His neat demeanour and formal dress were also noted.

Yes, thinking about it that "agnostic" witticism is quite interesting.

It's a bit cleverer than your average Old Firm humour, and makes me feel he was perhaps a bit of a smart-arse!

I'd bet that this would likely have been a well-used stock response for him trotted out whenever anyone asked which team he supported.

It'd be interesting if anyone remembered an old family member/friend/colleague/neighbour who used that line!

However none of this last paragraph really points to John McInnes from what we know.

I agree.

I suppose it could just be that he "had ideas above his station" and affected a more well-heeled persona.

Without knowing more about him as a person, I'm not sure how likely that is though.

[Ms Diddles]

Did you see that site that I posted a link to on the main threads? It showed scenes from movies with ‘then and now’ photos.

Sorry, Herlock!

I must have missed that.

Where do you mean by "main threads"?

I'll have a look for it.

[Herlock Sholmes]

The fact that BJ was described as being well spoken and a "cut above" the rest of the Barrowland punters could imply west end too.

Did you see that site that I posted a link to on the main threads? It showed scenes from movies with ‘then and now’ photos.

[cobalt]

Much obliged to Mrs D for her comprehensive knowledge of the Clyde ferries! It has been a great help to me in nailing down parts of the case that had been vague in my mind over the years.

I agree with Barn and Mrs D that the ferry theory seems to be a red herring. Coincidentally, my thoughts on reading the previous post were exactly the same as what Mrs D has just written: that the area BJ left the bus suggests he was headed for what was (and probably still is?) regarded as the posher part of Glasgow. The area 'Kelvinside' was often used as comic shorthand for pretentiousness back in the heyday of Rikki Fulton.

This ties in with BJ's taxi remark about him being an 'agnostic.' It's a slightly educated term and they way he used it was rather witty, since he was cross referencing religious belief with support for the two main Glasgow football teams. BJ being well spoken is also IIRC a feature of more than one witness. His neat demeanour and formal dress were also noted.

However none of this last paragraph really points to John McInnes from what we know.

[Ms Diddles]

Good post Ms D, I agree with you.

There is no evidence that he was heading for the ferry, and yes, surely the ferrymen would have noticed a dishevelled stranger.
Charing Cross area or the west end seem a logical destination.

The fact that BJ was described as being well spoken and a "cut above" the rest of the Barrowland punters could imply west end too.

[barnflatwyngarde]

Again, I agree that this sighting was significant.

IIRC the ferry staff were questioned and couldn't recall seeing anyone fitting the suspects description.

Looking at the pictures that Herlock posted, the ferry looks pretty small and would presumably have been relatively quiet at 5am.

I find it hard to believe that the boatmen would have failed to notice a tall, slim, dishevelled sandy-haired guy.

I'm really not sure why the police were so persistent in their theory that the suspect was heading for the ferry / trying to get to Govan.

Taking all of the above into account I'm inclined to think that the whole ferry / Southside / Govan thing is a red herring.

To me it seems more plausible that the suspect got off the bus at Gray St because he lived or was staying near there (Templeton, McInnes and anyone else living in that part of the west end at the time!)

As I've mentioned previously Gray St would also be an ideal location if you wanted to cut through Kelvingrove Park / The Kelvin walkway in the dark from where you could access lots of different parts of the west end without hitting any of the main, lit thoroughfares.

Good post Ms D, I agree with you.

There is no evidence that he was heading for the ferry, and yes, surely the ferrymen would have noticed a dishevelled stranger.
Charing Cross area or the west end seem a logical destination.

[Ms Diddles]

I didn’t know that Patrick Marine Police Station used to be used as an exterior in Taggart. I think that the cells may have been used too. It’s no longer a Police Station.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/joe90bem/6156153593

I didn't know that either Herlock.

I occasionally like watching old episodes of Taggart just to spot the locations.

I'm always hoping to see one of the flats I've lived in over the years, or one of the pubs I've frequented, but it's never happened yet.

[Ms Diddles]

Mrs D,

Many thanks for the information relating to ferry crossings over the Clyde- it's fascinating social history.
So the BJ suspect on the late night bus- the dishevelled one who resembled the description offered up by Jeannie- was perhaps headed for the Kelvinhaugh Crossing, which ferry would take him over to the Govan area south of the river.

Hi Cobalt,

From what I can see the Kelvinhaugh Ferry would have sailed from Yorkhill Quay to Princes Dock, which I guess we would call Princes Quay now.

It's technically more Cessnock than Govan, but in the same general area.


Was this the best option for a man looking to put clear water between himself and the crime though? According to the historical link there were once three available ferry crossings between Earl Street and the city centre. I have no idea if they were still all operating in 1969 and whether if they did, that included a late night service which the Kelvinhaugh Crossing, near the city centre, obviously did. So I am interested in whether the BJ suspect decided to choose the Kelvinhaugh Crossing since it took him nearer to his destination in Govan, or whether it was the only service still operating. Any help much appreciated.

Well, I suppose it depends on where on the Southside you were trying to get to.

If you were headed to Govan, Linthouse or Cardonald (all southwest) you would be better off going through the Clyde Tunnel walkway as you mentioned.

If you were making for the more central southside, incidentally where Pat Docker was found (Govanhill, Pollokshields, Cathcart etc) the ferry to Princes Dock would maybe be a slightly better option.

The other ferry services heading east towards the city centre from Earl St were:

The Whiteinch Ferry (James St, Whiteinch sailing to Linthouse) which was withdrawn in 1963.

The Meadowside Ferry (Meadowside St, Partick sailing to Holm St in Govan) which was withdrawn Jan 1966.

The Govan Ferry (Ferry Rd, Partick sailing to Water Row, Govan) also withdrawn Jan 1966.

So none were operating in 1969 apart from the Kelvinhaugh one and the Yoker / Renfrew one much further west from Earl St.

The Clyde Tunnel opened in 1963 so was well established by the time of the murders. It became the main route for cars crossing the river although I believe there is a pedestrian walkway available as well. For a person moving eastwards from Earl Street, the Clyde Tunnel is an available option to cross the River Clyde some distance before Gardner Street in Partick, the place where the BJ suspect boarded the bus. So instead of walking 2.5 miles to Gardner Street to catch a bus that dropped him off near Kelvinhaugh Ferry crossing, our BJ suspect could have walked through the Clyde Tunnel and within 3 miles of Earl Street found himself in Govan just as quickly. And as it turned out, maybe attracted less attention as well.

Agree! Unless it was elsewhere on the Southside that he was making for and not Govan.


I think the sighting on the late night bus is a strong lead given its timing, the state of the passenger and the similarity to Jeannie's description. Whether the police tracked that lead down to Berkeley Street or the Govan area we do not know.

Again, I agree that this sighting was significant.

IIRC the ferry staff were questioned and couldn't recall seeing anyone fitting the suspects description.

Looking at the pictures that Herlock posted, the ferry looks pretty small and would presumably have been relatively quiet at 5am.

I find it hard to believe that the boatmen would have failed to notice a tall, slim, dishevelled sandy-haired guy.

I'm really not sure why the police were so persistent in their theory that the suspect was heading for the ferry / trying to get to Govan.

Taking all of the above into account I'm inclined to think that the whole ferry / Southside / Govan thing is a red herring.

To me it seems more plausible that the suspect got off the bus at Gray St because he lived or was staying near there (Templeton, McInnes and anyone else living in that part of the west end at the time!)

As I've mentioned previously Gray St would also be an ideal location if you wanted to cut through Kelvingrove Park / The Kelvin walkway in the dark from where you could access lots of different parts of the west end without hitting any of the main, lit thoroughfares.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Playing around with a way to upload Street View images.
It looks ok at my end, so hopefully the quality will be ok when I post it.

This is the lane at Carmichael Place where Patricia Docker's body was found.
The crime scene is at the far end of the lane.

The other end of the lane is closed off with a wooden fence.
You can zoom in to the lane to get a better view.

The striking thing is that the crime took place in a very populated area.
The risks are obvious!

Cheers Barn. It has the look of being through one of those ‘fish eye’ lenses on my iPad. I don’t know how the photo appears to others. It’s still a good picture though. Thanks for posting it.

[barnflatwyngarde]

Playing around with a way to upload Street View images.
It looks ok at my end, so hopefully the quality will be ok when I post it.

This is the lane at Carmichael Place where Patricia Docker's body was found.
The crime scene is at the far end of the lane.

The other end of the lane is closed off with a wooden fence.
You can zoom in to the lane to get a better view.

The striking thing is that the crime took place in a very populated area.
The risks are obvious!

[Herlock Sholmes]

I didn’t know that Patrick Marine Police Station used to be used as an exterior in Taggart. I think that the cells may have been used too. It’s no longer a Police Station.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/joe90bem/6156153593

[Herlock Sholmes]

I was curious as to what the ferry looked like. According to someone in the chat, this is the Kelvinhaugh Ferry.

https://www.shipsnostalgia.com/media/clyde-passenger-ferry.92614/

And it looks like that boat has been preserved.

https://www.blipfoto.com/entry/2269167174138462510

[cobalt]

Mrs D,

Many thanks for the information relating to ferry crossings over the Clyde- it's fascinating social history.
So the BJ suspect on the late night bus- the dishevelled one who resembled the description offered up by Jeannie- was perhaps headed for the Kelvinhaugh Crossing, which ferry would take him over to the Govan area south of the river.

Was this the best option for a man looking to put clear water between himself and the crime though? According to the historical link there were once three available ferry crossings between Earl Street and the city centre. I have no idea if they were still all operating in 1969 and whether if they did, that included a late night service which the Kelvinhaugh Crossing, near the city centre, obviously did. So I am interested in whether the BJ suspect decided to choose the Kelvinhaugh Crossing since it took him nearer to his destination in Govan, or whether it was the only service still operating. Any help much appreciated.

The Clyde Tunnel opened in 1963 so was well established by the time of the murders. It became the main route for cars crossing the river although I believe there is a pedestrian walkway available as well. For a person moving eastwards from Earl Street, the Clyde Tunnel is an available option to cross the River Clyde some distance before Gardner Street in Partick, the place where the BJ suspect boarded the bus. So instead of walking 2.5 miles to Gardner Street to catch a bus that dropped him off near Kelvinhaugh Ferry crossing, our BJ suspect could have walked through the Clyde Tunnel and within 3 miles of Earl Street found himself in Govan just as quickly. And as it turned out, maybe attracted less attention as well.

I think the sighting on the late night bus is a strong lead given its timing, the state of the passenger and the similarity to Jeannie's description. Whether the police tracked that lead down to Berkeley Street or the Govan area we do not know.

[Herlock Sholmes]

It’s a frustrating part of the case Barn. We have, according to the cold case detectives, McInnes being picked out by the fourth person in the taxi…Alexander Hannah, and one of the Barrowland bouncers and yet nothing from Jean. I think it’s worth remembering though that we can’t be sure how good was his sighting. Part of the time through a mirror, then perhaps as he turned to receive the money then when he saw John walk over to Helen. This certainly doesn’t negate or diminish his identification but I just think it’s worth considering.

Garcia said that McInnes had been brought to the police station four times but he hadn’t been picked out. Is it possible that he was put in front of Jean and she failed to pick him out?

Has anyone considered the following though?

During the cold case investigation Jean was shown a photograph of McInnes and said that there were similarities but that she didn’t think that it was him. Alexander Hannah picked him out put pointed out that he looked older in the photograph. That was because the photograph was taken a few years after the murders after McInnes had been arrested for other offences. So…might not Jean have narrowly rejected the same photo as being of the man in the taxi because it was taken when that man was slightly older and looked slightly different?

[barnflatwyngarde]

There’s plenty of inexplicables in this case NW and some of it can’t fail to lead some to conclude that the police might have been keen to cover something up (whether that was actually the case or not) Perhaps it could be said that even if McInnes’s teeth had matched the description given by Jean it might have been suggested that many men might have had front teeth that crossed slightly? The suggestion from the podcast is that Jean never actually saw McInnes which is almost impossible to explain without a sinister explanation. So we have the police clearly looking for John Irvine McInnes no more than 48 hours after Helen’s body was found. McInnes’s own cousin said that this was because of a Moylan’s card found at the crime scene. How can he not have been put in front of Jean? She is THE witness in the case.

Another possible explanation might have been (and I’m taking into consideration that DI Johnston had been told by a fellow detective officer that Jean had said that she wasn’t sure how much help she could be as a witness because of how drunk she’d been - something that she later denied) that maybe Jean saw McInnes but couldn’t pick him out?

What keeps getting batted around re this case is just how reliable is Jeannie's evidence re what Bible John looked like and what he said in the taxi.

You are correct that according to Det Joe Jackson Jeannie wasn't sure how much use she would be because she "had a bucketful last night".
However Jackson also says that he thought that Beattie "kept something back" in relation to Bible John.
Whether this was something about his appearance, or something he said is not known.

However on page 127 of "Dancing With the Devil" Joe Beattie says:

"Jean remains the best, most reasoned witness I have ever worked with, she had a real eye for detail and was meticulous in her description and recollection of events.
Over long periods of time I constantly quizzed her about everything that happened; she reiterated the same detail time and again, not all of which was made public-we liked to keep some things back and out of the public limelight." (My emphasis)

So Joe trusted Jeannie's statements, and made it clear that she provided thim with some information that would probably be a "clincher" if the killer was ever confronted.
This backs up Joe Jackson's suspicion that Beattie was holding something back.