How Brown
10-22-2005, 04:46 PM
Back in late 2002, Ripperologist Magazine contained a description of the speech that noted Ripperologist Andy Aliffe gave regarding information he had discovered regarding Robert Stephenson at a Cloak and Dagger club meeting, held in June of that same year.
I recently came across a cassette copy of that speech.
In Ripperologist Magazine,issue # 42,August, Mr. Adrian Morris recounts the speech into an article which I also have.
Mr. Aliffe,during the speech and at the outset,as a matter of fact,stated that he did not believe Robert Stephenson was Jack The Ripper. He does,to our benefit, think he is an interesting character.
Mr. Aliffe describes how prior researchers dismissed Stephenson,going so far as to say he never existed. However,Mr. Aliffe did his homework and by going to the PRO in Kew...he found ,what he told me personally,...a lot of goodies on Stephenson.....In fact,they are still there.
It was also good to hear that Mr. Aliffe has a copy of the O'Donnell manuscript . The 375 page manuscript was missing one chapter,according to Andy in his speech,which he evidently showed the other attendees' of the C+D meeting. From the sound of it,Andy presents a good speech as the audience enjoyed Andy's biographical account of Sudden Death.
Hopefully one day,he or perhaps someone else with a copy of this seminal work on RDS will reproduce it for likeminded D'onstonites..
Andy described how he tracked down the son of Bernard O'Donnell,Peter,who had his fathers copy of the O"Donnell in his loft.
Andy pointed out that not only were Stephenson's family involved with seed crushing, but members of his family were involved with the Raynor and Stephenson ship firm. To top it off,a branch of the Stephenson family was involved with the local newspaper.
This may have explained why when Stephenson claimed that he had been shot in the thigh and claimed that this event was covered in local papers, researchers,unable to find mention of this shooting,dismissed Stephenson as a liar. However,as Andy proved,with his discovery of the Bridlington Quay-Observer article that proved he was shot,we see Stephenson was not lying.
In short, Stephenson's family ties to the newspaper may have squashed or suppressed news relative to this shooting.
Andy further discussed the Paris-based schooling of the young Stephenson,who learned medicine,toxocology,and mesmerism there.
In Munich,prior to his involvement with Garibaldi's Italian campaign, Stephenson,along with a friend Karl/Carl Hoffman studied chemistry and dabbled in psychology.
Again,Mr. Aliffe mentioned no degree attained. However, it may be noteworthy to remember that in the early 1890's,Stephenson,along with Cremers/Collins did start up their own cosmetic firm. Chemistry learned in Munich would definitely be an asset to a preparer of perfumes,as Stephenson was in his participation at the Pompadour Cosmetique Company.
Mr. Aliffe described the fact that RDS stayed at the home of a relative of the man who wrote the story "Sweeney Todd" during his young years,prior to going off to fight with Garibaldi. Stephenson stayed at 4 River Terrace,North Islington, with one of the Prest family. Thomas Prest wrote "Sweeney Todd"
Mr.Aliffe cautioned that we shouldn't read too much into the claim that the fact that Stephenson was performing amputations in the field during the Italian campaign and suggested prisoners be shot, was indicative of a zeal for killing.
During this campaign in Italy,Stephenson encountered a group of ruffians giving a hard time to a village peasant woman, who was known as Mal Occhia, or "bad eye". Bad Eye laid one of the ruffians low with a glance and RDS inquired as to how this was done with earnest. Andy posited that Stephenson may have used the nickname, "Sudden Death" as a result of his inquiry into peasant crackpot voodoo from this woman.
One of the reasons I was so interested in getting a copy of this discussion by the man who discovered the O'Donnell and who had found material at Kew,which supercedes any other Stephensonian scholar is this:
In the written article,in Ripperologist,at the bottom of page 17 Mr. Morris claims Mr. Aliffe declared that Stephenson acquired a law degree.
In listening to the tape,it is clear that Mr. Morris made a mistake. Mr.Aliffe does not claim that Stephenson acquired a law degree.
What Mr. Aliffe says is that Stephenson acquired a medical degree.
I will ask Andy from which institution this medical degree was acquired a.s.a.p.
Of particular interest to me was the written reports that Andy recited,regarding Stephenson's sinecure at Customs House in Hull from 1863-1868.
In December of 1863, Stephensons' superiors graded him as intelligent,among other things....
In 1864,the same general appraisal of being of "high ability" is mentioned.
1865 and 1866 see the same assessment of RDS at Customs House..."attentive,efficient,and on time...".
However, 1867 was a watershed year for RDS.
It is during this year that the relationship between Louise,the woman in the Ada legend, and Stephenson, enabled RDS to cross the Rubicon into a hedonistic life. Andy recants the comments that are included in reports of RDS behavior during this 1867-1868 period by his superiors. RDS' association with prostitutes and his drinking are mentioned,but.....
Stephenson is NOT mentioned by Mr. Aliffe to have obtained venereal disease at any time in this speech. Where does this claim come from ? Why is it perpetuated to this day by other RDS writers and researchers? I maintain that it only enables other researchers to make Stephenson more sellable. Along with the arrest myth and other areas that if objectively discussed would fall apart.
Stephenson's sinecure at Customs House for 5 years also is strange for someone with a medical degree. Its inexplicable for someone who was so disciplined for 4 years to stay at Customs House without USING this degree. Mr.Aliffe's facts come straight from documents regarding how RDS was percieved by his superiors. They,not you or I,claim that by their very words,that RDS was a good worker and an attribute to the firm.
Mr.Aliffe,once again,says that additional information is at PRO in Kew.
Unfortunately,I do not have all of Mr.Aliffe's June 2002 speech,as the tape stopped at the point where the 1880's were about to be discussed.
I'm happy that Mr.Aliffe went to the trouble of sharing his work with us. It was a fine presentation.
I recently came across a cassette copy of that speech.
In Ripperologist Magazine,issue # 42,August, Mr. Adrian Morris recounts the speech into an article which I also have.
Mr. Aliffe,during the speech and at the outset,as a matter of fact,stated that he did not believe Robert Stephenson was Jack The Ripper. He does,to our benefit, think he is an interesting character.
Mr. Aliffe describes how prior researchers dismissed Stephenson,going so far as to say he never existed. However,Mr. Aliffe did his homework and by going to the PRO in Kew...he found ,what he told me personally,...a lot of goodies on Stephenson.....In fact,they are still there.
It was also good to hear that Mr. Aliffe has a copy of the O'Donnell manuscript . The 375 page manuscript was missing one chapter,according to Andy in his speech,which he evidently showed the other attendees' of the C+D meeting. From the sound of it,Andy presents a good speech as the audience enjoyed Andy's biographical account of Sudden Death.
Hopefully one day,he or perhaps someone else with a copy of this seminal work on RDS will reproduce it for likeminded D'onstonites..
Andy described how he tracked down the son of Bernard O'Donnell,Peter,who had his fathers copy of the O"Donnell in his loft.
Andy pointed out that not only were Stephenson's family involved with seed crushing, but members of his family were involved with the Raynor and Stephenson ship firm. To top it off,a branch of the Stephenson family was involved with the local newspaper.
This may have explained why when Stephenson claimed that he had been shot in the thigh and claimed that this event was covered in local papers, researchers,unable to find mention of this shooting,dismissed Stephenson as a liar. However,as Andy proved,with his discovery of the Bridlington Quay-Observer article that proved he was shot,we see Stephenson was not lying.
In short, Stephenson's family ties to the newspaper may have squashed or suppressed news relative to this shooting.
Andy further discussed the Paris-based schooling of the young Stephenson,who learned medicine,toxocology,and mesmerism there.
In Munich,prior to his involvement with Garibaldi's Italian campaign, Stephenson,along with a friend Karl/Carl Hoffman studied chemistry and dabbled in psychology.
Again,Mr. Aliffe mentioned no degree attained. However, it may be noteworthy to remember that in the early 1890's,Stephenson,along with Cremers/Collins did start up their own cosmetic firm. Chemistry learned in Munich would definitely be an asset to a preparer of perfumes,as Stephenson was in his participation at the Pompadour Cosmetique Company.
Mr. Aliffe described the fact that RDS stayed at the home of a relative of the man who wrote the story "Sweeney Todd" during his young years,prior to going off to fight with Garibaldi. Stephenson stayed at 4 River Terrace,North Islington, with one of the Prest family. Thomas Prest wrote "Sweeney Todd"
Mr.Aliffe cautioned that we shouldn't read too much into the claim that the fact that Stephenson was performing amputations in the field during the Italian campaign and suggested prisoners be shot, was indicative of a zeal for killing.
During this campaign in Italy,Stephenson encountered a group of ruffians giving a hard time to a village peasant woman, who was known as Mal Occhia, or "bad eye". Bad Eye laid one of the ruffians low with a glance and RDS inquired as to how this was done with earnest. Andy posited that Stephenson may have used the nickname, "Sudden Death" as a result of his inquiry into peasant crackpot voodoo from this woman.
One of the reasons I was so interested in getting a copy of this discussion by the man who discovered the O'Donnell and who had found material at Kew,which supercedes any other Stephensonian scholar is this:
In the written article,in Ripperologist,at the bottom of page 17 Mr. Morris claims Mr. Aliffe declared that Stephenson acquired a law degree.
In listening to the tape,it is clear that Mr. Morris made a mistake. Mr.Aliffe does not claim that Stephenson acquired a law degree.
What Mr. Aliffe says is that Stephenson acquired a medical degree.
I will ask Andy from which institution this medical degree was acquired a.s.a.p.
Of particular interest to me was the written reports that Andy recited,regarding Stephenson's sinecure at Customs House in Hull from 1863-1868.
In December of 1863, Stephensons' superiors graded him as intelligent,among other things....
In 1864,the same general appraisal of being of "high ability" is mentioned.
1865 and 1866 see the same assessment of RDS at Customs House..."attentive,efficient,and on time...".
However, 1867 was a watershed year for RDS.
It is during this year that the relationship between Louise,the woman in the Ada legend, and Stephenson, enabled RDS to cross the Rubicon into a hedonistic life. Andy recants the comments that are included in reports of RDS behavior during this 1867-1868 period by his superiors. RDS' association with prostitutes and his drinking are mentioned,but.....
Stephenson is NOT mentioned by Mr. Aliffe to have obtained venereal disease at any time in this speech. Where does this claim come from ? Why is it perpetuated to this day by other RDS writers and researchers? I maintain that it only enables other researchers to make Stephenson more sellable. Along with the arrest myth and other areas that if objectively discussed would fall apart.
Stephenson's sinecure at Customs House for 5 years also is strange for someone with a medical degree. Its inexplicable for someone who was so disciplined for 4 years to stay at Customs House without USING this degree. Mr.Aliffe's facts come straight from documents regarding how RDS was percieved by his superiors. They,not you or I,claim that by their very words,that RDS was a good worker and an attribute to the firm.
Mr.Aliffe,once again,says that additional information is at PRO in Kew.
Unfortunately,I do not have all of Mr.Aliffe's June 2002 speech,as the tape stopped at the point where the 1880's were about to be discussed.
I'm happy that Mr.Aliffe went to the trouble of sharing his work with us. It was a fine presentation.