Mike Covell’s Blogg

As a child I had always had an intrest in the Paranormal and the Unexplained.  My father would collect books and I would sit and read them , assimilating every case study and fact.  By the time I was 16 I was at college and working, my book collection began to expand and included works on UFO’s, Ghosts, and True Crime.

In 2006 I was diagnosed with a heart condition, and had to rest, I had worked all my life and was a little bored at the prospect of having to spend so much time at home.

My Wife told me to do something, get a hobby, I think now she regrets ever saying it!

I began writing Haunted Hull and spoke to several people in the area who had suffered with paranormal encounters, visiting shops, hotels, pubs, and museums.  Noticing several people mentioning “Jack the Ripper”

I knew a little about the legends of the Ripper spending time in Hull but never really took notice.

So, with Haunted Hull on the back burner, I decided to investigate.

My first candidate was Robert D’Onston Stephenson who was born here and lived in Hull for many years, his grandfathers business is still in operation albeit doing a different line of work.

There were of course others who had links to the City of Hull,  and I would look at each suspect, checking the facts of the stories, visiting the places they had links with and taking photo’s, getting hold of maps, and getting the bigger picture.

It was at this moment in time I joined Casebook and the Jtr Forums to gain more knowledge and speak to like minded people.

Eventually I set up a couple of small amateur sites but wanted more.

In 2007 I was offered the Role of Historian for Yorkshire Paranormal, which was great until my health got worse.

I decided to put the Paranormal on the back burner until I was well enough to give it my all, concentrating on researching the Ripper.

A task that has taken me to London, Whitechapel, Islington, Bridlington, Beverley, and all over my home town of Hull.

On my journey I have amassed thousands of photos, maps, newspaper articles and much much more, now bursting from several big black files!!

I was offered a place on the Rippercast Podcast,

A role as Moderator on the jtr forums. 

I won £100 on a Hull Daily Mail Website for Articles I had written on the Ripper’s Link to Hull. 

And my first article was published in Ripperologist.

It couldn’t be better!!

Mike Covell