Magpie’s Blog

The Grimsby Register recently had an intriguing Ripper-related article.

A Cleethorpes writer and Ripperologist wrote to Patricia Cornwell to share his theory after having read her “Case Closed”. To his surprise Ms  Cornwell responded to him, congratulating and apparently endorsing the theory by Tony Weaver (leading us to assume that it involves Walter Sickert in some way).

Unfortunately the article is more concerned with the correspondence between Mr. Weaver and Ms Cornwell, and Mr. Weaver’s theory is not discussed in any detail.  However it will be interesting to see if any more information surfaces in the near future.

Many are aware that Casebook suffered an unfortunate meltdown that resulted in the loss of both the Message Boards and the Blogs.

Thankfully things are back up and running, and I was able to recover most of the posts that were here before the loss.  Thanks to Stephen Ryder and his Merry Minions for all their hard work getting things back up and running!

A photo of Doctor Thomas Openshaw-best known to the Ripper community as the doctor who examined the Lusk Kidney-in the midst of an operation, circa 1905.

A recent donation of Dr. Openshaw’s medals, photographs and other papers to the Royal London Hospital Archives and Museum by his grandson, led to the composition of an interesting article by Assistant Archivist Kate Hughes. While the photographs and papers now reside in the Hospital Archives as “The Openshaw Archive”, the medals are on display at the Royal London Hospital Museum, where they can be seen Monday to Friday, 10 am to 4:30 pm

The article is of interest to anyone studying the Ripper case, but in particular those whose impressions of Dr. Openshaw have been entirely formed on the basis of the Lusk kidney and his part in it’s story. Earlier Ripper books ascribed many claims to Openshaw in regards to the Lusk kidney–claims that no competent medical man could make without looking foolish. Fortunately it is know accepted that Openshaw’s actual pronouncements about the kidney were more modest and entirely plausible.

However many of us in the Ripper community are probably woefully underinformed about the life and career of this eminent doctor. While his role in the Ripper case was brief, his achievements in medicine were quite extensive, as were his social activities.

Read the article here.

To the right is a photograph of a mechanical hand designed by Dr. Openshaw during WW1. It is in the possession of the National Museum of Science and Industry.

the poste house pub - liverpool - england
Originally uploaded by paddypix

The Liverpool Echo of Jan. 11, 2008 has a pub review for The Poste House on Cumberland St. in Liverpool. The article mentions the pub’s connection to the Whitechapel Murders (ersatz though it may be) as well as an interesting account of it’s near loss to the wrecking ball.

Even though the article has little information to add to Ripper studies, it is interesting for it’s own sake and can be found here.

Another view of Scalby Manor, home of bloodhound trainer Edwin Brough.

The kennels where Barnaby and Burgho lived were located beneath the arch visible in the photo.

Photo © Copyright manonabike and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

“The newspapers report that Dr. Forbes Winslow died suddenly in London on Sunday last from a heart attack. He was in his seventieth year. Dr. Winslow, upwards of thirty years ago, made a statement to the effect that Spiritualism was driving people insane in America and filling the asylums of that country with its victims. This assertion was fully controverted at the time by the late Dr. Eugene Crowell, but it still does duty as a stock objection to Spiritualism in the pamphlets which are published by our opponents.

During recent years Dr. Winslow became convinced of the reality and value of hypnotism, and lectured for the Spiritualist societies at Merthyr Tydfil and Cardiff. In reply to a question at Merthyr he publicly stated that while at the time that he made his assertion he honestly believed it to be true, he had since learned that he was mistaken and would not make any such statement now. He was a Vice-President of the Psycho-Therapeutic Society, and gave a lecture to its members two years ago last February, in which he said that vice and bad habits could be eradicated by the use of suggestion if the victim wished to be cured. The funeral took place yesterday, the 13th inst., at Barnes. “

From: “Light”. June 14 1913

Scalby Manor, formerly Wyndgate, was built for Edwin Brough in 1885. It is here where he bred and trained champion bloodhounds, including the famous Barnaby and Burgho. Unfortunately the local council gave permission last for the building and outhouses (including the kennels) to be demolished to make way for a new hotel complex.

Latest news: following an uproar from local conservationists and two of Englond’s most prestigious Bloodhound organizations, the new owners have compromised somewhat, promising to both incorporate some of the original building into their plans and to exploit the Jack the Ripper connections through some sort of exhibit.

Stories about the pub can be found here and here

A short documentary that presents modern views of the C5 crime scenes. Interesting enough, although it doesn’t contain any new information, and there are some pretty awful spelling mistakes in the captions. I included it mostly because it shows the graves of Catherine Eddowes and Polly Nichols (right near the end).

Here’s a clip of James Mason touring the scene of Annie Chapman’s murder