Survey/Intro

[Herlock Sholmes]

I don’t know if anyone will respond but I thought I’d give it a go. Twelve questions.

1. Location (country will do but if you want, you could add your country of birth too if you want to)
2. How did you first discover the case?
3. What was the first book(s) that you read on the case?
4. If you had to pick a number what would be your choice as the likeliest number of victims?
5. Of the named suspects which, if any, do you think are the likeliest?
6. This has been asked on another thread but….if you could be given the answer to one particular aspect of the case (not who did it) what would you choose?
7. If you had the opportunity to question one of the witnesses in the case who would you choose?
8. Is there any important aspect of the case that you’ve changed your mind about of the years?
9. Do you have any pet hates about the case or how we look at it?
10. How likely/unlikely do you think it is that the case will ever be solved?
11. What books would you recommend to someone new to the case?
12. Is there anyone in the case that you feel might be worth closer investigation as a possible suspect?

[erobitha]

I don’t know if anyone will respond but I thought I’d give it a go. Twelve questions.

1. Location (country will do but if you want, you could add your country of birth too if you want to)
2. How did you first discover the case?
3. What was the first book(s) that you read on the case?
4. If you had to pick a number what would be your choice as the likeliest number of victims?
5. Of the named suspects which, if any, do you think are the likeliest?
6. This has been asked on another thread but….if you could be given the answer to one particular aspect of the case (not who did it) what would you choose?
7. If you had the opportunity to question one of the witnesses in the case who would you choose?
8. Is there any important aspect of the case that you’ve changed your mind about of the years?
9. Do you have any pet hates about the case or how we look at it?
10. How likely/unlikely do you think it is that the case will ever be solved?
11. What books would you recommend to someone new to the case?
12. Is there anyone in the case that you feel might be worth closer investigation as a possible suspect?

1) Live in Ireland, born in Ireland but grew up in SE London
2) Being raised in London, it's near impossible to not have some vague awareness of the crimes, but I did not start studying the case in any real depth until around 2019
3) I actually must have read every article, endless posts and all the Wiki entries on this website before I bought a book which happened to be The Diary of Jack the Ripper by Shirley Harrison
4) The five canonical
5) I am a Maybrickian (based on the watch) but other potential suspects I have found of interest have been William Bury
6) Why did Israel Schwartz give a false statement
7) I'd ask George Hutchison how was he able to give such a detailed description of his suspect in poor light and possible rain
8) I believed at one point Schwartz might have been telling the truth but got his days mixed up. That opinion is completely changed. it was a false statement.
9) Maybrickians being compared to UFO enthusiasts or deluded loons
10) In my opinion we already know who it is, but the evidence has not been conclusive for many and may never be for some
11) Anything by Paul Begg, Martin Fido, Keith Skinner or Donald Rumblelow
12) Nope

[Aethelwulf]

I don’t know if anyone will respond but I thought I’d give it a go. Twelve questions.

1. Location (country will do but if you want, you could add your country of birth too if you want to)
   England
2. How did you first discover the case?
   1980s two part dramatisation with Michael Caine
3. What was the first book(s) that you read on the case?
   Haven't actually read any
4. If you had to pick a number what would be your choice as the likeliest number of victims?
   9 - C5 + Tabram, Farmer, Mylett, Ellen Bury.
5. Of the named suspects which, if any, do you think are the likeliest?
   Bury
6. This has been asked on another thread but….if you could be given the answer to one particular aspect of the case (not who did it) what would you choose?
   Who was the ripper's final victim
7. If you had the opportunity to question one of the witnesses in the case who would you choose?
   Obviously Hutch is a good shout, but I would also want to question Annie Farmer
8. Is there any important aspect of the case that you’ve changed your mind about of the years?
   Originally I thought Lech was the ripper, based only the on the documentary and before I'd read up on the other suspects.
9. Do you have any pet hates about the case or how we look at it?
   The professional fence sitters do my head in a bit TBH.
10. How likely/unlikely do you think it is that the case will ever be solved?
    Never. I think someone might get something on Bury for one or more of the letters at some point (his DNA is on record). Just to satisfy my curiosity I want to know, is that Stride's blood on the Wouster letter?
11. What books would you recommend to someone new to the case?
    Will tell you when I've read some
12. Is there anyone in the case that you feel might be worth closer investigation as a possible suspect?
    No

Above

[Herlock Sholmes]

Thanks to Ero and Wulf. Now that someone has replied I’ll add my own.

• Location (country will do but if you want, you could add your country of birth too if you want to)

Born and still living in the West Midlands of England. Known as the Black Country ( or Bury Country as Wulf would call it.)

• How did you first discover the case?

A book called The Fifty Most Amazing Crimes of The Last Hundred Years which had a ripper section by a bloke called Beaumont. It belonged to my great aunt and I hoped that she would give it to me but there was a family fall out and I never saw her again. I eventually bought the book though.

• What was the first book(s) that you read on the case?

Summing Up And Verdict by Wilson and Odell, followed by (I can’t recall what order) Uncensored Facts by Paul Begg and The Final Solution by Stephen Knight.

• If you had to pick a number what would be your choice as the likeliest number of victims?

5

• Of the named suspects which, if any, do you think are the likeliest?

Bury, Druitt, Kosminski.

• This has been asked on another thread but….if you could be given the answer to one particular aspect of the case (not who did it) what would you choose?

What was Macnaghten’s private info?

• If you had the opportunity to question one of the witnesses in the case who would you choose?

Probably Schwartz or Hutchinson. (Maybe Maxwell?)

• Is there any important aspect of the case that you’ve changed your mind about of the years?

I used to be convinced that Hutchinson must have been lying.

• Do you have any pet hates about the case or how we look at it?

Defending a suspect or theory at all costs. Evaluating evidence in ways that intentionally support one particular outcome.

• How likely/unlikely do you think it is that the case will ever be solved?

Extremely unlikely but who knows what might be around the corner?

• What books would you recommend to someone new to the case?

The usual suspect…..The JTR Sourcebook, Sugden, Begg’s Definitive History and the new A-Z when it comes out.

• Is there anyone in the case that you feel might be worth closer investigation as a possible suspect?

Is there anyone left? I’m waiting for ‘Mrs Fiddymont: The Ripper Revealed’ to hit the shelves.

[Losmandris]

I don’t know if anyone will respond but I thought I’d give it a go. Twelve questions.

1. Location (country will do but if you want, you could add your country of birth too if you want to)
   Born In Birmingham, Lived for a good while in London then moved to Alsace in France.
2. How did you first discover the case?
   Finding the Autumn of Terror on my dads bookself when I was a kid. Probably aged 13. I remember reading and being pretty hooked.
3. What was the first book(s) that you read on the case?
   See above
4. If you had to pick a number what would be your choice as the likeliest number of victims?
   Seven including Tabram and McKenzie
5. Of the named suspects which, if any, do you think are the likeliest?
   None.
6. This has been asked on another thread but….if you could be given the answer to one particular aspect of the case (not who did it) what would you choose?
   Who was MJK
7. If you had the opportunity to question one of the witnesses in the case who would you choose?
   Mrs Maxwell
8. Is there any important aspect of the case that you’ve changed your mind about of the years?
   The number of victims. Always was convinced it was just the C5, now I am not so convinced.
9. Do you have any pet hates about the case or how we look at it?
   Some of the more bonkers conspiracy theories and people being blinded to facts in chasing a particular suspect
10. How likely/unlikely do you think it is that the case will ever be solved?
    Highly unlikely
11. What books would you recommend to someone new to the case?
    Anything by Paul Begg
12. Is there anyone in the case that you feel might be worth closer investigation as a possible suspect?
    I am not really a suspect guy. More interested in some of the other characters and the history of the area.

See above!

[Elamarna]

Ok Mike, here's mine.

I don’t know if anyone will respond but I thought I’d give it a go. Twelve questions.[LIST=1][*]Location (country will do but if you want, you could add your country of birth too if you want to)

Currently in Glasgow, but born and lived for 56 years in London

[*]How did you first discover the case?

Tales from my grandfather, then BBC Barlow and Watt.

[*]What was the first book(s) that you read on the case?

The book that went with Barlow and Watt.

[*]If you had to pick a number what would be your choice as the likeliest number of victims?

Minimum of 6, max who knows

[*]Of the named suspects which, if any, do you think are the likeliest?

Anderson's suspect who ever that is.
Also consider Levy very good.

[*]This has been asked on another thread but….if you could be given the answer to one particular aspect of the case (not who did it) what would you choose?

When did Seaside Side Home ID occur

.[*]If you had the opportunity to question one of the witnesses in the case who would you choose?

If just Witness then Schwartz.
If anyone connect Swanson.

[*]Is there any important aspect of the case that you’ve changed your mind about of the years?

I started off believing in Druitt as the only contender, but I was only 13.

[*]Do you have any pet hates about the case or how we look at it?

People who insist their suspect is the ONLY Suspect.
People who knowingly present false information, and attempt to rewrite history and facts.

[*]How likely/unlikely do you think it is that the case will ever be solved?

Highly unlikely, but never say never.

[*]What books would you recommend to someone new to the case?

Begg , CSI Whitechapel is a great intro.
The Facts for a more in-depth.

Sugden is dating, but still worth reading.

The Ultimate Source book.

Tom Wescott for those who want to go a stage further.

On suspects , House, Malcom and I'anson.

And of course a certain book with Bucks Row in the title

[*]Is there anyone in the case that you feel might be worth closer investigation as a possible suspect?

Many are worth a second look.

8203;[/Quote]

Steve

[Herlock Sholmes]

Thanks Tristan the Brummie and Steve McBlomer. (Has someone written a book with Bucks Row in the title then Steve?)

[FrankO]

Hi Mike,

Nice questions! Here are my answers.

1. Location (country will do but if you want, you could add your country of birth too if you want to)

Born and raised in Heemskerk, Holland, about 25 km from Amsterdam near dunes & beach and now for almost 3 years in Tuscany, Italy with the Italian missus.

2. How did you first discover the case?

I don’t recall exactly, but I'm quite sure the film with Michael Caine was part of it.

3. What was the first book(s) that you read on the case?

Jack the Ripper, An Encyclopedia by John J. Eddleston.

4. If you had to pick a number what would be your choice as the likeliest number of victims?

Four for sure, then 3 possibles in order of likeliness (to me): Tabram quite closely followed by Stride, then a bit of nothing and then MacKenzie. It wouldn’t surprise me if it would ever turn out that Annie Millwood and Ada Wilson were early victims of his.

5. Of the named suspects which, if any, do you think are the likeliest?

I’m not much of a suspect man, the only (relatively) more serious persons of interest would be Hutchinson and Lechmere.

6. This has been asked on another thread but….if you could be given the answer to one particular aspect of the case (not who did it) what would you choose?

The Lusk letter is just too intriguing.

7. If you had the opportunity to question one of the witnesses in the case who would you choose?

One would be too little, but if I’d have to choose, then maybe Mizen.

8. Is there any important aspect of the case that you’ve changed your mind about of the years?

Not really.

9. Do you have any pet hates about the case or how we look at it?

I don't care much for posters who treat others with arrogance, condescension or sarcasm. Life's too short for that, there are more important matters.

10. How likely/unlikely do you think it is that the case will ever be solved?

Highly unlikely.

11. What books would you recommend to someone new to the case?

Sugden, The Ultimate Sourcebook and Jack the Ripper and the Irish Press by former poster Alan Sharp.

12. Is there anyone in the case that you feel might be worth closer investigation as a possible suspect?

Not that I know of.

Cheers,
Frank

[Herlock Sholmes]

Cheers Frank.

[Svensson]

Ok, let's go!

1. Location (country will do but if you want, you could add your country of birth too if you want to)
   born in Germany, lived in SW London (-ish) for 30 years, currently residing in North Holland.
2. How did you first discover the case?
   From the age of 14/15 onwards, my parents did away with the babysitter when they went out on a saturday night. one particulary dark winter's night, there was a double-bill on TV. The Fearless Vampire Killers followed by Michael Caine's Ripper. I grabbed my parents' 12" b/w TV and brought it into my room. I watched both programs largely hiding under the blanket. Retrospectively, it was a glorious night
3. What was the first book(s) that you read on the case?
   Dunmo
4. If you had to pick a number what would be your choice as the likeliest number of victims?
   7. the CN5, plus Tabram plus one so far unknown woman.
5. Of the named suspects which, if any, do you think are the likeliest?
   Kozminski
6. This has been asked on another thread but….if you could be given the answer to one particular aspect of the case (not who did it) what would you choose?
   Why the mutilations?
7. If you had the opportunity to question one of the witnesses in the case who would you choose?
   Lawende.
8. Is there any important aspect of the case that you’ve changed your mind about of the years?
   That he was clever. I now think he was just lucky.
9. Do you have any pet hates about the case or how we look at it?
   Nope.
10. How likely/unlikely do you think it is that the case will ever be solved?
    It will never be "solved" in the modern sense.
11. What books would you recommend to someone new to the case?
    Dunmo
12. Is there anyone in the case that you feel might be worth closer investigation as a possible suspect?
    Lechmere

[Herlock Sholmes]

Cheers Svensson.

[Ms Diddles]

I don’t know if anyone will respond but I thought I’d give it a go. Twelve questions.

1. Location (country will do but if you want, you could add your country of birth too if you want to)
   
   Born in Yorkshire, but have lived in Glasgow for the last 30 years.
2. How did you first discover the case?
   
   I kind of became aware of it as a child with all the centenary hoo-hah and the Michael Caine film.
3. What was the first book(s) that you read on the case?
   
   Patricia Cornwell
4. If you had to pick a number what would be your choice as the likeliest number of victims?
   
   Hmmm! I swither on Tabram, Stride and Mackenzie, but am pretty definite on Nichols, Chapman, Eddowes and Kelly, so it varies between 4 and 7.
5. Of the named suspects which, if any, do you think are the likeliest?
   
   I'm with you on Bury, Druitt and Koz as the most likely of the named suspects, but there aren't many I rule out completely. I have a long suspect list, but actually think it was probably Mr Unknown.
6. This has been asked on another thread but….if you could be given the answer to one particular aspect of the case (not who did it) what would you choose?
   
   Did Caroline Maxwell really see MJK?
7. If you had the opportunity to question one of the witnesses in the case who would you choose?
   
   Maxwell as above. Second choice Hutch.
8. Is there any important aspect of the case that you’ve changed your mind about of the years?
   
   Oh, as a child I was definitely sucked into the idea of the mysterious top-hatted toff lurking in the thick fog. As stated I now think he was just some wee unknown nobody with a nasty streak.
9. Do you have any pet hates about the case or how we look at it?
   
   I find it strange when people talk in definites when we actually know so little about the case.
   
   There's nothing wrong with speculating!
10. How likely/unlikely do you think it is that the case will ever be solved?
    
    For it to be conclusively solved to everyone's satisfaction, zero.
    
    For something new to be uncovered which tips the balance in favour of a particular suspect enough for most of us to agree that they are odds on favourite, slim but not impossible.
11. What books would you recommend to someone new to the case?
    
    Sugden, Rumbelow, Begg.
12. Is there anyone in the case that you feel might be worth closer investigation as a possible suspect?

They have been pretty much done to death!

A closer look at some of the members of the vigilance committee could be interesting, as there's a possibility Jack would be among their number.

[Herlock Sholmes]

They have been pretty much done to death!

A closer look at some of the members of the vigilance committee could be interesting, as there's a possibility Jack would be among their number.

Thanks Ms D. Good answers. So we have 2 in Glasgow. Isn’t Barn in Glasgow too? How many do you need for a coven of ripperologists?

[Ms Diddles]

Thanks Ms D. Good answers. So we have 2 in Glasgow. Isn’t Barn in Glasgow too? How many do you need for a coven of ripperologists?

Yeah, Barn is here and I think we have Fantomas too.

So, as far as I'm aware the Glasgow contingent stands at four.

One more and we could start a five a side team!

[S.Brett]

1. I live in (Western) Germany, born and grown up in Eastern Germany (near the Polish border)
2. Think Iīve watched some TV reports as a child/youth, it is possible that I also have read an article in a (East German) magazine during that period
3. Das Tagebuch von Jack the Ripper (James Maybrick)
4. 7 victims
5. "Kosminski", Cohen and Levy
6. The Seaside Home- identification, when did it take place?
7. The PC near Mitre Square
8. I am always open-minded. Today I am not convinced that Schwartz (nor Lawende) was the Seaside Home- witness
9. Misplaced ambition I donīt like
10. Who knows...
11. All the books that I have read
12. Steven Blomer. No one knows how old he is. He knows too much.

Karsten