Mike Covell’s Blogg

I would just like to take this opportunity to say “Thank You” to everyone who has contacted me in the last week. 

The fantastic article in The Hull Daily Mail came as a lovely surprise, as I was awaiting a call for another article, and the speed in which the article came out was so quickly that I couldn’t believe it had been published already.  The online article can be viewed here:

http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/Jack-Ripper-s-chilling-letter-Hull-newspaper/story-17819160-detail/story.html

The article also came at a time when Yesterday TV was showing reruns of Prime Suspect – Jack the Ripper, which covered the life and criminal career of Frederick Bailey Deeming.  It also featured footage of me sat at home, and on location on Hull’s Prince-street, and at Hull Prison.

As you can imagine it has been a busy week but a pleasurable one, with lots of new contacts being made. 

It was also a week which started with me being rushed into hospital again on account of my heart.  For six years I have battled ectopic beats, palpitations, and chest pains, and this Monday afternoon resulted in pains so severe that an ambulance was called.  Hopefully the problem will now be sorted but I cannot thank everyone who sent me messages, emails, tweets, and posts on social media to say “get well soon.” 

 This is just a quick post to say “Thank you.”

It is with hand on heart that I must reveal the sad news that parts of Hull Prison are to close. 

The prison, which has a long history in Hull, was an improvement on the existing prison that was situated in Hull City Centre.  The foundation stone of the prison, or Hull Borough Gaol as it was originally known, was laid by the Mayor, Mr. H. J. Atkinson on the 9^th of October 1865, with the prison opening in 1869.  It cost the Hull Corporation £89,000 and became the property of the government under the Government under the Prisons Act in 1878.  Initially the prison occupied 15 acres of land and was designed with the main corridors with cells were built as a cruciform.  This would enable the governor of the prison to stand in the centre and see down all the corridors.  At the time it was erected it consisted of cells to hold 347 prisoners, but this soon expanded to 505 cells, with 130 of these being used for females.  The architect who designed the prison died just one week before the prison was opened! 

The original Governor of Hull Borough Gaol was one Henry Webster, occasionally called Harry, who served at the Gaol from 1869 until August 1891 when he resigned due to ill health and moved to Australia.

Webster gave evidence during the Mary Jane Langley murder trial, and was also the Governor responsible for keeping Frederick Bailey Deeming in order during his nine months at the prison for defrauding Reynoldsons Jewellers on Whitefriargate in Hull.

Webster left Hull for Australia shortly after his resignation and lived down under until 1934.  Despite leaving Hull Borough Gaol on grounds of ill health, he lived to the ripe old age of 96.

Whilst Webster was in Australia he heard newspaper reports on Frederick Bailey Deeming and later identified Deeming as being known in Hull as Harry Lawson.  It was through Webster’s observations that the authorities in Rainhill were alerted to the fact that Deeming had been in the region, and through their swift acts they revealed that he had murdered his first wife and four children. 

Another notorious rogue during Henry Webster’s time at the prison was Joseph Dawber.  Dawber was the cousin of Robert D’Onston Stephenson, and was a Hull based solicitor.  He defrauded Hull residents out of their money with dodgy land deals and was eventually caught out and sent to Hull Gaol, appearing on the 1891 Census alongside Frederick Bailey Deeming.

Over the years the prison has played host to a wide range of criminals including Charles Bronson, Frankie Fraser, and Frank “The Mad Axe Man” Mitchell.

Most Hull readers will be well aware of Ethel Major’s stay at the Gaol.  Major was sentenced to death after poisoning her husband (and her dog) with her execution taking place on December 19^th 1934.  Her body is buried in the prison along with Arthur Richardson, William James Bolton, Charles William, Thomas Siddle, John Freeman, William George Smith, Robert Ernest Dalton, George Michael, and Roy Gregory.

As you can imagine the site has a long history associated with Hull, and little by little we are in danger of losing it.

Hull Prison – Hull Daily Mail http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/history-Hull-Prison/story-17819213-detail/story.html

Hull Prison – Hull Daily Mail http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/Hull-Prison-partially-closed/story-17817494-detail/story.html

Ripper Street Review

The following was written for Spooky Isles:  http://www.spookyisles.com/2012/12/review-ripper-street/

Last night, Sunday December 30^th 2012, marked the showing of the first episode of BBC’s Ripper Street.  A long awaited show that was said to give an idea what the people in Whitechapel felt in 1889, the year after the notorious murders which were ascribed to an unknown assailant, known only as “Jack the Ripper.”

As a Ripperologist this got me very excited, and for months I would count down until showing, readying my Sky+ planner to record the series in HD, and hoping that a DVD release would soon follow. 

1889 – A brief background

1889 was a fascinating year by anyone’s standards.  Parts of a torso were washed up along the Thames between May and June 1889, leading to the discovery that the body was one Elizabeth Jackson.  Furthermore Alice McKenzie had been found dead on July 17^th 1889, and The Pinchin Street Torso was discovered on September 8^th 1889. 

The British press were still reporting on the events of the previous year, as well as the tragedies mentioned above, as well as several other Ripper Scares in Scotland, Bradford, and Walworth.  There was also a reported Ripper Scare as far away as Madrid!  With all this going on the police in Whitechapel were extra vigilant, and even they came in for a bashing, when, in September 1889, Sergeant William Thick of H Division was accused of being “Jack the Ripper.”  The year was also the year that the Cleveland Street Scandal broke, when a high class brothel was raided and Inspector Abberline was involved on behalf of the police. 

There was certainly plenty going on through the year to make the show exciting and base events around genuine events of the time. 

The Show

The show started at 21.00 on Sunday December 30^th 2012 and got off to an alright start.  The streets, buildings, and costumes looked amazing, and the over populated grime ridden backstreets of Whitechapel were really well done.  The transportation at the time was also fantastic, and nice to see onscreen.  We are quickly introduced to the two main characters, the Detective Inspector Edmund Reid (played by Matthew Macfadyen) and Detective Sergeant Bennet Drake (played by Jerome Flynn). 

We are then whisked back to Whitechapel for a Ripper tour, where the guide tells us that the Ripper crimes occurred the year before, and that we are now entering Miller’s Court.  The problem here of course, is that it looked nothing like Miller’s Court and more like a series of nondescript alleys.

The guide then finds the body of a woman laid on the floor and apparently dead.  I assumed at this point, as the show was based after the Ripper murders in 1889, that this was Alice McKenzie, but I would be proved wrong when the show revealed it was not named after any of the genuine victims but called Maude Thwaites.

By the time the police arrived a photographer is on scene, looking very shifty, and the body is laid out.  On the wall is some graffiti, similar to that found at Goulston Street which was found by PC Long at 2.55am on the morning of September 30^th 1888 after the murder of Catherine Eddowes who was discovered by Constable Edward Watkins at 1.30am that morning.  At this point my wife, who is not a Ripperologist but puts up with my Ripperological lectures turned to me and whispered “Graffiti in 1889?” 

The body was carried to a wagon and removed to Leman Street Police Station, where it was hidden in a cell and an American doctor is called.   This American, played by Adam Rothernberg, is Captain Homer Jackson, a former member of Pinkerton’s Detective Agency, and not unlike Sherlock Holmes.   At the time we meet him he is in a brothel indisposed.  This sets the tone for the rest of the show.

Eventually we meet Abberline.  The real Abberline enlisted with the Met police on January 5^th 1863, initially working for N Division, but working his way up through the ranks.  In 1888, at the time of the Ripper murders, he was working for Scotland Yard Central Office as an Inspector First Class, but after the murder of Mary Ann Nichols on August 31^st 1888 he was seconded to Whitechapel’s H Division.

Abberline was played by Clive Russell, an English born, Scottish raised, actor who played the Dorset born police inspector, as a Cockney.  It should also be noted that during this time Abberline was 46, being born in 1843, but Clive Russell is 67 years old, making Abberline some 21 years older than he actually is.  That said, the actor did not play him as a drunk or drug addict as Michael Caine and Johnny Depp did respectively, and Abberline seemed to be as one would expect, upright, stern, and a man who is respected by his peers.

The murdered woman lead the team on a rollercoaster ride through the East End of London, to high class brothels, illegal bare knuckle fights, and through the shady world of Victorian pornography.  As the plot developed, the pornography ring turned into a high class snuff movie ring, with prostitutes removed from the streets, only to be made to star in pornographic snuff movies, to be killed off, and dumped back on the streets to make it look like “Jack the Ripper” had returned.  The main nemisis in the story is Sir Arthur Donaldson, who is played with relish by Mark Dexter.  Ripperologists will remember Mark Dexter in From Hell (2001) playing the dual role of Albert Sickert and Prince Edward Albert Victor.  

Whilst there were a few references to the original Ripper murders, I found the links few and far between.  The costumes and sets were fantastic, the pace was slick, and the script had a few stand out moments, the fire in the photography dark room being one, but overall I felt let down.    

Here is hoping that the second episode makes up for the lack of Jack.

On Monday November 26^th 2012 I set off from Hull on the Hull to Beverley train with a view to visiting the East Riding Archives, at the Treasurers House, Beverley.  The reason for the trip was two fold.  The first part of my research was aimed at investigating a local paranormal mystery that is relevant to the Sculcoates area of Hull.  As Sculcoates fall under the jurisdiction of the East Riding Council, many of the records are kept at the East Riding Archives.  The second leg of my research trip was to investigate two Jack the Ripper scares that had occurred in Beverley during the 19^th century.

Jack the Ripper Scares

I first discovered the two scares in The Hull Daily Mail archives and searching further a field discovered more reports in the National press, I was, however, hoping to find the source material from Beverley, so at some point a trip across to the archives was on the cards.  The two reports were from the years 1891 and 1894 and covered two unsavoury characters that had visited Beverley and been arrested after Jack the Ripper Scares in the district. 

At the East Riding Archives I searched the old back issues of The Beverley Guardian, which at the time was published every Saturday.  It wasn’t long before the search turned up several articles from 1891 and 1894.  In the past The Beverley Guardian has provided me with details on Frederick Bailey Deeming, under his alias Harry Lawson, and in their February 1890 editions featured announcements of his marriage at St. Mary’s Church in Beverley.  His subsequent career in Hull, and trial for fraud also featured, as well as his arrest in Australia and trial for murder.  The Beverley Guardian was also a great source of information in the search for material on Mary Jane Langley and her unsolved murder on the outskirts of Marfleet and Preston.  Having the local slant on these cases proved valuable as it mentioned other names and locations as well as being more in depth.   

The Paranormal Mystery

Without giving too much away on this little mystery, I visited the archives to obtain several historical documents from the early 19^th century that shed new light on an age old mystery.  I have been investigating and researching this particular location for years now, but with little published about it, and less written on the internet I decided to find the historical documents that pertain to the location when it was first mooted and eventually built.  A couple of books have tackled this location, but they give very little in the way of historical facts.  My aim was get back to the local acts that made the construction of this location and start researching the history from that point.

In the East Riding Archives search room I was very pleased to be shown several historical documents dating back to 1817 that showed the meetings and acts that were set in place for the construction of this location.

Readers of my blog will know how often my work in one aspect of Hull’s history will cross over into another.  Last week I was tasked with researching the histories of several properties in Hull which had alleged paranormal activity.  One such property had, what was best described as, “A female apparition” so the quest was on to find historical evidence of females on the site especially those that had died a tragic death that might leave behind memories that could cause a haunting. 

It took less than an hour to find a lady who was tragically killed on the property when she fell over, however, it was during the search for other deaths at the location that I came across an article on Frederick Bailey Deeming. 

One of the main problems with Deeming is his use of aliases, a problem that has led some researchers to believe that there could be more material on Deeming available, albeit with a different name.  The second problem is the Victorian British press and their inability to spell these names.  Last week the article I discovered was under Deeming’s alias, Harry Lawson, however, today I searched for similar articles from other press sources from the same period and discovered 14 articles pertaining to Frederick Bailey Deeming. 

The articles, found in The Hull Daily Mail, The Hull News, The Hull Daily News, and The Hull and East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Times, cover the year 1890, from the months April, July, and September.  They feature Frederick Bailey Deeming under the aliases of,

Frederick Deening, Frederick Denning, Harry Lawson, and Henry Lawson, and cover his trial against Messrs Reynoldson’s, of Whitefriargate, Hull. 

The articles are currently being transcribed and will be inserted in Jack the Ripper – From Hell, From Hull? Volume II

Last night I ran a free ghost walk in Hull with an idea of covering ghosts, local legends, historical mysteries and true crime.  The initiative was set up after a number of local groups hiked up their prices and started feeding people false histories and made up stories passed on from generation to generation with little historical proof to back them up.

The affair was very low key, with only friends and family, who had inboxed me on Facebook or Twitter, and as such numbers were kept to a minimum, and I was able to control anyone who came along. (Sick of nutters turning up and threatening people)

The idea was to meet at Hull’s Holy Trinity Church a location associated with William Wilberforce, Richard Stephenson Snr, and a great number of plague and cholera victims, at 7 o’clock on Halloween.  As always I turned up early, just in case people turned up early.  I was glad that I did.

As I was stood waiting a gentleman, aged in his late 50’s early 60’s, stumbled out of a local pub and was stood resting against the church wall.  He stood up, brushed himself down, then proceeded to run across the square, drunk as a skunk but rather amusingly doing aeroplane impressions with his arms.  It was all for naught though, as soon as he hit the roadway, which is still covered in sets, he literally went flying!  He hit the floor with a thump and was out cold. 

Being the only (sober) person in the square I made my way over to the man, and started asking if he was ok, he failed to respond.  With that a lady came out from local hairdressers and asked if I needed assistance.  She saw his condition, and called for an ambulance.  As I tried getting a response, I noted that his nose was pouring with blood, and his glasses smashed in bits on the floor.  He mumbled but refused to leave the road.  At this point I had to start diverting traffic, whilst watching his condition, and keeping an eye on anyone arriving for the walk. 

Luckily, two Humberside Police PCSO’s came into the square, and I called them over.  They could not get the man to his feet, but he was mumbling “Leave me alone, go and enjoy your night,” but I still couldn’t leave him.  Within minutes a paramedic arrived and they began treating the man, who I felt happy to leave now.  As I left I walked over to the pre arranged meeting place and met with several people who I had arranged to meet. 

The tour began, and I won’t give out details, but it lasted an hour, took in over 30 locations associated with paranormal activity, murders, witchcraft, and a number of sites associated with “Jack the Ripper” letters, “Jack the Ripper like conduct,” and a number of sites associated with “Jack the Ripper” suspects.  Attendees were informed of the stories, primary sources, and how the myths and legends of the area have developed over the years.  The rain stayed off for the night, and despite the wind and cold, it was a great night with a few laughs and a few coincidences.  At one point I was discussing several witches in the Hull area, when two ladies walked passed wearing full witches attire for Halloween.  On another occasion we were stood outside a pub when the Ghostbusters theme tune by Ray Parker Junior came on.  All in all an eventful night.

A short while ago I picked up a couple of copies of IGLOO BOOKS Jack the Ripper – The Memorabilia Collection. The book, written by Rupert Matthews, and is published by the aforementioned IGLOO BOOKS, 2012. The book, which has document wallets, is very similar to Richard Jones’s Jack the Ripper – The Casebook, (2008, Andre Deutsch or 2010, Sevenoaks) in that it contains several document wallets containing facsimile reproductions of letters etc. Whilst Richard’s book had more in it, in both written word and documents, Rupert’s book is a nice collection of material, photographs and facsimile documents, including a suspect list, letter, police report and map of Whitechapel and Spitalfields with locations pin pointed. The book is also in a nice hard magnetic sleeve which protects the contents.

Rupert’s book currently has the RRP of (UK) £17.99, (US) $35.00, and (Can) $35.00, however, British Ripperologists can pick the book up from ASDA for just £5.00!!!

But that’s not all. IGLOO BOOKS, which has also released similar titles in the range on Elvis, Formula 1, Events that changed the world, and British Steam, has also released a volume entitled Conspiracy Theories. The book, written by Will Bryan, also contains facsimile documents, newspapers, postcards and posters covering a wide range of conspiracies from JFK, to Titanic, Nessie, Crop Circles and other weird and wonderful cases. Among the many cases is that of Jack the Ripper, asking the age old question, “Who was Jack the Ripper?” The topic covers just two pages, one of which is photographs, but arrives at no conclusion, and whilst it names some popular suspects named over the years, it fails to land on one suspect. Despite this, the page is stamped with “Case Closed” on the end of the page.

Will’s book currently has the RRP of (UK) £17.99, (US) $35.00, and (Can) $35.00, however, British Ripperologists/Conspiracy Theorists can pick the book up from ASDA for just £5.00!!!

In 2005 Euan Macpherson released The Trial of Jack the Ripper – The Case of William Bury 1859-1889, with Mainstream Publishing Company.   The book was well written, well researched, and well received by Ripperologists, with many supporting the theory, which was first put forward in 1889.  One thing the book was lacking was an index.  Granted, they are not always important, but for many researchers who love nothing more than quickly picking up a weighty Ripper tome and flicking straight to a quote or reference these indexes are worth their weight in gold. 

Luckily, David A. Green was on hand to help with this, and in 2009 published the second in a series of indexes for Jack the Ripper titles that are missing indexes.  The index was invaluable, and quite rare, with only 50 published.  Being able to slide the index into the back of the original title and use it as a reference tool is fantastic, and the time and effort that has gone into producing them is outstanding, especially as David never asks for payment, and sends them out at his own expense.

2005 also saw the release of the excellent The First Jack the Ripper Victim Photographs, by Robert J. McLaughlin.  Robert is a great researcher, writer and gentleman who I had the pleasure of chatting to on numerous occasions on the Rippercast podcasts set up by Jonathan Menges.   The book, published by Zwerghaus Books, was a very limited edition, with all copies being snapped up, and recent sales of the book reaching four figure sums!  Sadly, Robert’s book also failed to include an index, so David A. Green set to work again. 

Earlier this month David contacted me again, and informed me that the index to Robert’s book was complete, and again very kindly offered to send one to my home.  Again the work that has gone into the index is outstanding, and it is well presented, with cover piece and even an illustration.   Once again only 50 of these were made.

I cannot thank David enough for these, and they certainly cut down time in researching specifics of the case.  I must also thank Rob for sending me a free signed copy of his ultra rare book back in April 2008. 

Thank you gents.

This week has seen some interesting developments in Ripperology in the field of television drama. 

Whitechapel

First of all ITV has announced that Whitechapel will return for a fourth series.  The show previously tackled Jack the Ripper, The Krays, and a series of East End crimes from the Ratcliffe Highway Murders, to the Thames Torso Murders.  Details on the new series are a little sketchy at present, with ITV revealing that a six episode series has been given the green light, so let’s hope that Chandler, Miles and Buchan are back together for more mysteries and murders. 

The news can be seen here:

Stage: http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/37447/itvs-whitechapel-commissioned-for-a-fourth

Radio Times: http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2012-09-24/whitechapel-series-four-to-begin-filming-later-this-year

Ripper Street

The BBC’s Ripper Street is also making headlines with the announcement that Canadian and Norwegian television companies have bought the rights to air the show abroad.   

The News can be viewed here:

BBC News:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/worldwide/200912ripper.html

The Irish Film and Television Network: http://www.iftn.ie/distribution/DistributionNews/?act1=record&only=1&aid=73&rid=4285386&tpl=archnews&force=1

Jack the Ripper’s Ghost

The Telegraph this week asked “Are the Houses of Parliament Haunted?” in an online article.  The piece, written by Donald Strachan, claims that the “the ghost of Jack the Ripper threw himself off Westminster Bridge.”

The Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/in-the-know/london-cultural-attractions/9560088/houses-parliament-haunted.html

Just been for a walk to the local newsagetns and discovered that the October issue of True Detective, is on sale and features an article on Jack the Ripper.

The article, written by Griffith S. Salway, covers the life and alleged candidacy of Alonzo Maduro. The article, it was said, was written and featured in True Detective in March 1949, with a colour cover for the American edition, and a black and white cover for the British edition. The article, which covers 5 pages, features reproductions of both covers and a brief up to date introduction.

The issue is on sale now for £2.90