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It has been another busy month of writing and researching and it seems like I have not wrote on my blog for ages, for this I apologise, but when you see what has been achieved in the last few weeks and months I think you will understand the reason for my absence. Mary Ann “Polly” Nichols First of all let us remember the significance of today’s date, the 31st of August 2012, 124 years to the date that Mary Ann Nichols was found murdered at the gated stables on Buck’s Row, now Durward Street. I am aware of activities on both Facebook and Twitter to mark the anniversary and remember, what many have now termed, the beginning of the “Autumn of Terror,” including Tweets marking the events as they happened by several Tweeters. Current Research In the past few months my research has been mainly pertaining to the stories that appeared in the Hull press covering Jack the Ripper. This has included cataloguing hundreds of reports into chronological order by publisher, and transcribing them. More recently I was at the Hull History Centre seeking out press reports on the murders of Ada Wilson, Annie Millwood, Emma Elizabeth Smith, and Martha Tabram, to fill in a few gaps. Whilst it can be argued that there is no evidence that they were victims of Jack the Ripper, the contemporary press featured these victims and I therefore decided to feature them in my research. Luckily I came away with several reports on the victims, each of which has been transcribed and added to Jack the Ripper – Newspapers From Hell, From Hull. The Jack the Ripper Beverley Scares In recent weeks I have also been exploring the “Beverley Jack the Ripper Scares” that took place in Beverley just after 1888 and as such have made several visits to the area to take photos and visit the locations involved. Beverley is a small market town approx 10 miles from Hull. It has previously been associated with such Jack the Ripper Suspects as Frederick Bailey Deeming and Lewis Carroll, but my recent research suggests two other events that transpired in the town that provoked the local and national press into claiming that Jack the Ripper was in the town on two separate occasions. The newspaper articles have been uncovered, and transcribed and will be featured in an appendix in Jack the Ripper – Newspapers From Hell, From Hull, there has been, however, calls for me to release this chapter as a separate book for the target audience of Beverley, with the possibility of a series of lectures and walks in the town. At the minute I am undecided, but who knows. Current projects with page and word counts: It has been a busy time of writing in the past few months, and my Kindle has taken a back seat to my laptop to get as much work done as possible. I even took it camping, but heavy rains prevented me from taking it out and working! The following is a list of projects that I am currently working on, several of which are finished. Jack the Ripper – Newspapers From Hell, From Hull. A look at the articles published regarding the Whitechapel Murders in the Hull press during the “Autumn of Terror.” Articles featured also include the 1873 Thames Torso Murders, The Gateshead Murder, The Grimsby Jack the Ripper Scare, The Beverley Jack the Ripper Scares, with previously unpublished material on Frederick Bailey Deeming, Thomas Sadler, Florence Maybrick, The Baccarat Scandal, Robert D’Onston Stephenson and many more people associated with the case. Also featured are reports from 1889 – 2012 that were featured in the Hull press on the case. Appendices include material on the Hull Police, Hull Press, and an A – Z of people involved in the case. Fully Referenced, Source List, Bibliography. 217 Pages, 177,069 words Jack the Ripper – From Hell, From Hull? Vol I A look at Robert D’Onston Stephenson, his birth, life, and time spent in Hull, with chapters covering his time at the Hull Customs, his family, his time spent in Brighton, London, and his writing career. Features a wealth of unpublished material including letters and information gleaned from primary sources. Fully Referenced, Source List, Bibliography. 351 Pages, 265,919 words Jack the Ripper – From Hell, From Hull? Vol II A look at Frederick Bailey Deeming’s links to Hull with never before published material from Hull, London, and Australia, including trial files, correspondence, and press reports. Popular theories are explored, discussed, and in many cases debunked. Fully Referenced, Source List, Bibliography. 216 Pages, 179,094 words Jack the Ripper – From Hell, From Hull? Vol III A look at 8 other suspects previously named as Jack the Ripper with links to Hull, from the doctor that worked her, to the writer whose family held positions of importance in the City. Each suspect chapter is filled with previously unseen material, press reports, and primary sources gleaned from archives across the UK. Fully Referenced, Source List, Bibliography. 68 Pages, 51,268 words The Preston Murder of Mary Jane Langley An in depth look at the life and death of Mary Jane Langley, killed between Hull and Preston, and whose death remains unsolved to this day. Crammed with previously unseen material, including press reports from 1891 – 2012 on the case. Also included is an A – Z of people involved, filled with primary sources, census returns, BMD information, and material gleaned from Humberside Police. Appendices include a look at the history of Hull prison, and material on another murder on the same lane 100 years later. Fully Referenced, Source List, Bibliography. 167 Pages, 132,541 words Mike Covell’s Haunted Hull A look at some of the allegedly haunted locations within the Hull boundary, from haunted pubs, to clubs, education centres, shops, theatres, and many more locations. Each location has a full history gleaned from trade directories, the census, BMD information, newspapers, and firsthand accounts. Popular myths are explored, discussed, and their origins traced. Fully Referenced, Source List, Bibliography. 211 Pages, 135,315 words Mike Covell’s Paranormal Hull A look at the odder side of Hull’s history, from strange mirages, to appearances of Jesus, superstitions, folklore, falls from the sky, satanic rituals, fortune tellers who get it wrong, and a Hull ships search for Noah’s Ark! The book uses primary sources, newspapers, and interviews with eyewitnesses to present an open ended presentation of the weird and wonderful in Hull. Fully Referenced, Source List, Bibliography. 122 Pages, 93,667 words Mike Covell’s Paranormal Hull – Paranormal Press A collection of stories in the Hull press covering all manner of ghostly stories and tales of terror in Hull. Over 30 newspapers were consulted to bring together a large collection of stories dating from 1800 to 2012. Each story is linked to primary sources on the people, places, and events that are featured. Fully Referenced, Source List, Bibliography. 86 Pages, 64,048 words Cryptozoologic-Hull A look at Hull’s history of weird and unusual creatures, from mermaids, to “Little Doug,” beached whales, sea serpents, big cat sightings, and escaped monkeys! The book is packed with eyewitness accounts, newspaper stories from 1800 to 2012, maps, and rare photographs of these cryptozoological wonders. Fully Referenced, Source List, Bibliography. 71 Pages, 55,295 words UFOlogic-Hull A massive collection of UFO reports, eyewitness accounts, press reports, official documentation, and cases across Hull from as early as 1800 to 2012. Read about the massive moon like structure that hovered over Hull, the Airship Scares in the early 1900’s, the National Archives Files on Hull’s sightings, and the mystery of the “Hull Hum.” Featuring photographs, maps, and eyewitness accounts. Fully Referenced, Source List, Bibliography. 54 Pages, 39,750 words |
Aug 31
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