George Henry Matthews 1894

[Robert]

Hi Debs and Rob

This is hard, because the numbering system in Thomas St seems to have been designed by Ernie of the premium bonds.

In 1881 at number 13 there was a large Hyams family.

In 1901 at number 4 - though it should say 14 - there was a Joseph Reeve, club manager. Might be a relation.

Re the business of walking through the streets bloodstained, well I guess AP's been saying that for years. It adds a little boost to those who think Jack was on the disorganized side, anyway.

[Debra A]

Thanks Robert, was there a Catherine Hyams in the Hyams family at Thomas Street? She was aged 25 in 1895 when the prosecution occured. I suppose she could have been a married woman though.
Sarah Ann Matthews got 2 months hard labour for keeping a disorderly house at 5 Thomas Street in 1895.

I think George and Sarah Moffatt and George and Sarah Matthews are the same people. Apart from their ages matching up, in the 1891 census posted by Robert, the Matthews have a lodger named Kent aged 22, and in 1881 there's a George and Sarah Matthews (no sign of the Moffatts in 81 as far as I can tell) living in Duke St Bethnal Green with 3 lodgers named Kent, one matching up to the lodger in 1891.
Like Rob, I wonder if the Matthews/Moffatts were around in 1888 in Thomas Street, and I wonder if any of the Whitechapel victims ever used these types of coffee shop brothels to take clients to. Bella Freeman (Poolman) the 'notorious' brothel keeper also owned coffee shops and the assault on 16 year old Sarah Schwartz in 1885 occured in a similar place as far as I remember.

[Robert]

Hi Debs and Rob

No Catherine Hyams, I'm afraid.

Well, coffee shops or stalls seem to crop up more than once, don't they, with Sims's story, and one of the early Jewish suspects causing a fracas near a coffee stall. Didn't Stride once run a coffee place - can't remember if it was a shop or a stall.

[Rob Clack]

Hi Debs, Robert

Are you sure the address of the club is 14 and not 4? There is a club at number 4 shown on the Goad Map I posted which is bang opposite numbers 5 and 7. I can't check the rest of my Goad maps as I'm down me mums. There was renumbering done but that was pre 1881 when the Whitechapel Underground Statiuon was being built.

Your right about Stride I think it was a Coffee House in Poplar (Upper North Street if I remember correctly). Like Debs I think it would be a good idea to check the locations of these Coffee Houses. I'll try and check some directories later in the week. George Moffatt is listed as a Wardrobe Dealer at 5 Thomas Street in the 1889 Directory (which means he would have been there late 1888.), but there's no mention of the Coffee Shop, but I'll try and find out when it first turns up.

Rob

[Robert]

Hi Debs and Rob

Here's the 1901. Maybe, since presumably they enumerated it as they walked, Vallance St will offer a clue. It is technically 4 and there is no other 4,but it looks a bit out of place. I think the name is "Reeve." Find My Past makes it "Nevre" but you can see the 'N' in "Naty" below is different.

[miss marple]

Ada Reeve

Ada Reeve was a very famous music hall and pantomine star. Who made films in later life.Her father Charles Reeves real name was Samual Issacs.
Miss Maple

[Robert]

Thank you Miss Marple, and here she is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC2vZ9_GAeY

[Rob Clack]

Hi Debs,

I've ordered a copy of Ada Reeve's book and will report on anything of interest. Hopefully quite a bit.

Hi Robert,

I just checked my 1890 Goad Map and there isn't a 14. I think the problem was that after the Whitechapel Station was built they didn't bother renumbering the the street so there was a jump from 4 to 16 on the eastern side.

Rob

[Robert]

Thanks Rob. That would explain it.

[Rob Clack]

Here's some photos of Thomas (now Fulbourne) Street.

East side Nos. 5 and 7 are the nearest building.


Here's a close up. The middle entrance is number 5


This is the east side, the nearest building is No. 4 where the club was.


Rob

[Debra A]

Thanks again Rob!
How far approx. would this part of Thomas Street have been from Buck's Row?
I was skmming through some newspaper accounts of Polly Nichols murder the other day and one of the witnesses was asked by police if she knew of a disorderly house in the area.

Thanks Robert and Miss marple for the stuff on Ada Reeve.

[Rob Clack]

Hi Debs,

It was within spiting distance.

I took this from the side of the club:


And this is from the corner with Durward Street.


Rob

[Robert]

Thanks Rob. Blimey, these buildings aren't works of art but they're pretty well preserved, considering.

[Rob Clack]

Hi Robert,

I think they are sturdy enough. Just need a bit of TLC like all of us.

Rob

[seanr]

I stumbled on this same case again. I haven't found much discussion about it apart from this thread. There's a somewhat detailed account on this 'Whitechapel Murder' in the Weekly Despatch (London) from Sunday 25 November 1894. I'm struck by the claim from the accussed sister that he'd said he had 'ripped up Marie and Sarah'.