Jack the Ripper's address - 14 Dorset Street!

[Chris Scott]

This was a new one on me - a Yarmouth letter giving a Dorset Street address for Jack!
This is from the Ipswich Journal of the 2 Nov 1888

[Howard Brown]

Nice find Chris.
It's funny how the newspapers automatically assumed threatening letters were hoaxed. They couldn't be certain, but they sure acted that way.

By the way....who did live at 14 Dorset Street ?

[Chris Scott]

Thanks How
I havent looked up who actually lived at 14 Dorset Street...

[Howard Brown]

Chris:

Nina is gonna give it a stab now.

[Chris Scott]

I have found 14 Dorset Street in 1881. It was a house of multiple occupancy but not a lodging house. The tenants were overwhelmingly but not exclusively Jewish.
I havent found the premises in 1891.

[Howard Brown]

That was quick,buddy...
None of 'em were named Brown, were they ?

[Howard Brown]

Nina tells me after looking through "Will The Real Mary Kelly ?" by some fellow named Chris Scott....that Caroline Maxwell & her husband, the lodging house deputy, lived at 14 Dorset Street in 1888.
In your book, you mention not being able to place either Maxwell at 14 Dorset Street in the 1881 or 1891 censuses.....

Its on page 92
Terrific book in case you haven't got a copy, folks.

[Chris Scott]

Nina tells me after looking through "Will The Real Mary Kelly ?" by some fellow named Chris Scott....that Caroline Maxwell & her husband, the lodging house deputy, lived at 14 Dorset Street in 1888.
In your book, you mention not being able to place either Maxwell at 14 Dorset Street in the 1881 or 1891 censuses.....

Its on page 92
Terrific book in case you haven't got a copy, folks.

Oops:-) Red face here - well it was a long time ago and I am getting old, buddy - I must read the book again!!! But interesting that this hoaxer would give the Maxwell address.... and this news article was a week BEFORE the Kelly murder

[Howard Brown]

Chris:

That someone, the author of the missive, would randomly ( ? ) pick out Dorset Street as their address and only be 12 street numbers off the location of the actual murder is a little alarming, isn't it ?

Out of all the streets in the East End, this fellow chose Dorset Street.
Not only that, but a week before a next murder was committed, and on that very street.

What are the odds on this ?

[Chris Scott]

Hi How
I had a PM asking me to check the date and that it was not AFTER the Kelly murder.
Below is the page header for this article, confirming that it WAS published on 2nd November 1888.
Chris

[Chris Scott]

In 1881 there were a number of households at 14 Dorset Street. The list below is the HEADS OF HOUSEHOLD ONLY. The total number of residents listed at this address in 1881 is 39.

1881
14 Dorset Street
Heads of household:-
Sampson Muhealcharsky aged 67 - Hebrew Teacher
Isaac Cohen aged 36 - Finisher
Mary Milmsky aged 37 - Tailoress
Isaac A Rogers aged 40 Cab Driver
Alfred Leach aged 48 - Stationer
Miriam Milmsky aged 30 - Buttonhole maker
Richard Milton aged 40 - Warehouseman (unemployed)

If anyone can find a listing for 1891 for 14 Dorset Street that would be useful.

[Chris Scott]

Nina tells me after looking through "Will The Real Mary Kelly ?" by some fellow named Chris Scott....that Caroline Maxwell & her husband, the lodging house deputy, lived at 14 Dorset Street in 1888.
In your book, you mention not being able to place either Maxwell at 14 Dorset Street in the 1881 or 1891 censuses.....

Its on page 92
Terrific book in case you haven't got a copy, folks.

There are two sources for that address for Caroline Maxwell and her husband.
1) The witness statement made by Maxwell on the day of the murder (9 November) starts as follows:-
"Statement of Caroline Maxwell, 14 Dorset Street Spitalfields, the wife of Henry Maxwell, a lodging house deputy..."
2) The testimony of Maxwell at the Kelly inquest on 12 November starts as follows:-
"Caroline Maxwell, having been sworn, deposed as follows: I live at 14 Dorset Street, my husband's name is Henry Maxwell, he is a lodging house deputy."

[Debra Arif]

1891 listing for 14 Dorset St
This is an FMP transcript and not my own.
#14 Dorset Street is listed after 85 Commercial Street.

108 IRONS, William Head Widower M 32 1859 Carman
Hoxton, London
108 MUMFORD, Annie Servant Single F 23 1868 General Servant
Spitalfield, London
108 MUMFORD, Alice Daughter Single F 0 1891
Spitalfield, London
109 HARN, Samuel Head Married M 45 1846 Shoeblack
Lambeth, London
109 HARN, Charlotte Wife Married F 25 1866 Domestic Servant
Lambeth, London
110 KNIGHT, Henry Head Married M 38 1853 Saw Dust
Bethnal Green, London
110 KNIGHT, Louisa Wife Married F 40 1851
Wiltshire
111 SMITH, James Head Married M 41 1850 Genrl Dealer
St Lukes, London
111 SMITH, Louisa Wife Married F 40 1851
Camberwell, London
112 ANSON, W H Head Married M 23 1868 Docker
Shoreditch, London
112 ANSON, Sarah Wife Married F 19 1872 Laundress
Hoxton, London
113 JOYCE, Mary Anne Single F 12 1879
Guildford, Surrey
113 BROWN, Anne E Single F 35 1856
London, City Road
113 BUTLER, Florence Single F 17 1874
Ireland Dublin
113 SMITH, Helen Single F 24 1867
Yarmouth, Norfolk

[Chris Scott]

Naughty Debs!
Now you shouldn't be doing this when you are not well - you should be getting better!
But thanks anyway!

[Howard Brown]

Very nice, Debs !
Ditto to you, Chris....and also for confirming the date of the missive.