Pennington St. in Old Bailey Cases 1880-1895

[Robert Linford]

I can't say, Gary.

[Gary Barnett]

Think there are one or two more. Here goes...

Ah, yes, 97 Pennington Street, however that fits in...

This is James Harnett's prison mugshot ('John' is obviously an error). His mother was a Driscoll from Palmer's Folly (Bluegate Fields). Can't find anything yet on John Neil, but there was a John Neal of the right age living in Lavender Place in 1891 with some Sullivans from Bluegate Fields.

[Anna Morris]

John (James) Harnett looks tough. Looks like he has a scar on the top of his head.

[Gary Barnett]

John (James) Harnett looks tough. Looks like he has a scar on the top of his head.

'2 scars each side of head' according to his prison record, plus the ubiquitous tattooed dots on his arm.

[Gary Barnett]

The other interesting tidbit in the Colman case is that Hilda Poppie had insured her life and assigned the policy to Hermann Gunther. The only witness to her killing was Martha Powell, whom Agnes Davy stated had lived with Gunther at 5, Artichoke Hill, the pair of them them sleeping in the front parlour there. Both Powell and Gunther denied this.

Colman claimed to have been drugged and said there were both men and women in the room when the incident occurred.

[Robert Linford]

Extremely interesting, Gary. But how much would such a policy be worth? I don't suppose she could have paid much into it.

[Gary Barnett]

Extremely interesting, Gary. But how much would such a policy be worth? I don't suppose she could have paid much into it.

Gunther might have done so, or Powell.

What benefit would there have been to Poppie to do so? Although, according to Powell, Poppie was not paid, but was allowed to fleece the customers, so she could have afforded to. Poppie was allowed to rob Powell's guests blind and keep the proceeds. Powell was unaware that there was a ready supply of whisky in her own house.

So, to recap: no. 5 was a brothel run by Powell. Agnes Davey who had lived there some time previously said the establishment had then been run jointly by Powell and Gunther and they had both slept in the front parlour. They were at pains to deny this, although Powell was quite happy to admit the house had been run as a brothel for 4 years and Gunther admitted having been charged with running no. 5 as a brothel. It was supposedly Poppie who got the clients drunk and stole their money. Poppie, out of the goodness of her heart no doubt, took out an insurance policy in favour of Gunther - the man who did not have a professional or personal relationship with her employer.

It all stacks up (like a pile of last week's herrings).

[Gary Barnett]

And perhaps the strangest thing of all is Colman insisting on shaking hands with Gunther and his son before the police carted him off.

If it wasn't for the fact that Fred (The Weasel) Wensley was involved, I might suspect there was something suspicious about it all. ;-)

[Robert Linford]

I'll have to reserve judgement. That or call in Edward G Robinson.

[Anna Morris]

And perhaps the strangest thing of all is Colman insisting on shaking hands with Gunther and his son before the police carted him off.

If it wasn't for the fact that Fred (The Weasel) Wensley was involved, I might suspect there was something suspicious about it all. ;-)

Fred Weasely? I knew there had to be some truth to Harry Potter!

[Gary Barnett]

The Weasel

http://spitalfieldslife.com/2011/01/...ue-the-weasel/

[Gary Barnett]

Hi Gary


In 1901 he is listed as Harry and he's at 4 Beccles St, the house of what looks like the two marriage witnesses, John and Maria Brown.


I'll take a look at the German name - probably Von Klinkerhofen or something.

Of course, Beccles Street is in Limehouse, next to Rich Street, Jamaica Passage and Gill Street.

I found Mathilde (Matilda) Thorsen, Brescher’s first wife, in Ship Alley in 1891. She was, therefore, almost certainly a Highway unfortunate. I’ve sent off for her death cert. Given Brescher’s previous, I’m a bit suspicious of her dying just a few months are they married.

I wonder what happened to John Miller, Brescher’s landlord at 79, Pennington Street in 1891. He had been at the address in 1881 and it had the appearance of a brothel then.

[Robert Linford]

That might be him at 2 Johns Hill STGITE 1901 but can't be sure.

[Gary Barnett]

That might be him at 2 Johns Hill STGITE 1901 but can't be sure.

Yes, I think it probably is. A cage-maker. For Jamrach, I wonder?

[Robert Linford]

There's a John Miller, carpenter, age 65 born Germany lodging at 101 P(?)ennington St in 1911 but he's given as single.