Albert Bachert aka Alfred Charrington

[Gary Barnett]

Thanks, Gary.

So I guess the answer to my question, "this can't be a coincidence, can it?" is...

…"uh, yes it can be!"

I'll put that in my pipe and smoke it.

Sorry, RJ, it was a great idea - and just the sort of thing AB might have done. 👍🏻

[R. J. Palmer]

There was a 42-year-old Frederick Charatan, an Austrian born tobacco pipe maker, living in Leadenhall Street in 1891.

Thanks, Gary.

So I guess the answer to my question, "this can't be a coincidence, can it?" is...

…"uh, yes it can be!"

I'll put that in my pipe and smoke it.

[Jerry Dunlop]

In regards to the alias "Charrington", I've noticed an oddity in Bachert's 1881 census entry, at No. 13 Newnham Street, Whitechapel, that I haven't seen anyone else mention.

While all this trouble is going on with Bachert, there's a Russian living at the same address that is going by the name of "Frederick Charraton."

This can't be a coincidence, can it? If the "Skeleton" Bachert is using the name "Charrington," perhaps in sarcastic homage to Frederick Charrington, the ex-Brewery magnate who is trying to shut down the music halls, what are the odds that a man in the same house would be named Frederick Charraton? The name certainly doesn't sound very Russian (nor does "Harrison," the other roomer).

Is "Charraton" a rendering of "Charrington" from a census taker who can't understand the man's accent? Or is Bachert using the alias of a slightly older fellow lodger? Are these Russians "Harrison" and "Charrington/Charraton" also part of the 'Army,' or is it just a strange coincidence? Rhetorical questions, but it's kind of odd.

Good eye, btw, R.J.

[Gary Barnett]

Thanks Gary.

That information led me to this (https://pipedia.org/wiki/Charatan). Almost has to be the same guy as Mansell Street and Prescott Street were all in the same block at Newnham Street.

Guess we can coin him as "Pipeman". lol

The same guy or perhaps his father if he opened his business in 1863?

[Jerry Dunlop]

There was a 42-year-old Frederick Charatan, an Austrian born tobacco pipe maker, living in Leadenhall Street in 1891.

Thanks Gary.

That information led me to this (https://pipedia.org/wiki/Charatan). Almost has to be the same guy as Mansell Street and Prescott Street were all in the same block at Newnham Street.

Guess we can coin him as "Pipeman". lol

[Gary Barnett]

There was a 42-year-old Frederick Charatan, an Austrian born tobacco pipe maker, living in Leadenhall Street in 1891.

[Anna Morris]

Sheraton is a surname historically clustered in Durham, UK. It seems like there should be a French origin like 'Cheriton' but though some of the surname databases offer such spellings, there is NO information. One suggested a Jewish equivalent is Charatan but again there is no background.

People of different nationalities moved in and out of Russia so to a certain extent, being Russian at that time had some similarities to being an American. I considered how the name would be spelled in Cyrillic. It could be easily spelled but it does not seem to me to be a name originating in Russia.

For the purpose here, it looks like the Durham origin might be of interest if any of this has any helpful information deciphering Charrington, etc.

[R. J. Palmer]

A Complication??

Yes, I just noticed the date of 1890.
Apparently some recognised him as both Backert and Charrington in 1886 when he was speaking with the fair dealers and conservatives against the socialists as both surnames were used in different newspapers.

In regards to the alias "Charrington", I've noticed an oddity in Bachert's 1881 census entry, at No. 13 Newnham Street, Whitechapel, that I haven't seen anyone else mention.

While all this trouble is going on with Bachert, there's a Russian living at the same address that is going by the name of "Frederick Charraton."

This can't be a coincidence, can it? If the "Skeleton" Bachert is using the name "Charrington," perhaps in sarcastic homage to Frederick Charrington, the ex-Brewery magnate who is trying to shut down the music halls, what are the odds that a man in the same house would be named Frederick Charraton? The name certainly doesn't sound very Russian (nor does "Harrison," the other roomer).

Is "Charraton" a rendering of "Charrington" from a census taker who can't understand the man's accent? Or is Bachert using the alias of a slightly older fellow lodger? Are these Russians "Harrison" and "Charrington/Charraton" also part of the 'Army,' or is it just a strange coincidence? Rhetorical questions, but it's kind of odd.

[Joe Chetcuti]

Mick Priestly wrote a chapter on Bachert in the "Who Was Jack The Ripper?" book. A part of it reads:

"...the 1871 census shows the Bachert family living at 49 Duke Street; inside the city boundary, opposite St. Botolph's Church and only seven doors from where Joseph Lawende made his witness sighting on the night of Catherine Eddoes' murder."

[R. J. Palmer]

I'm not sure what to make of the term "publican's bail," but it's somewhat suggestive...

The devil in me can't help but remark that Bachert appears to have grown up just around the corner from Mitre Square, at No. 49 Duke Street.

[R. J. Palmer]

Gary,

I'm wondering if there was an Army prior to the Skeleton Army organized by Bachert. In one of the first clips I posted, Alfred Charrington says in his letter to the Daily News, " You state that the Skelton Army was first begun at Hackney. This is also not true, for I first founded an opposition Salvation Army at Whitechapel some four years ago which has grown to the great organization of the present day..." This would be in 1879 as the paper this came from was dated in 1883.

Jerry, here is an incident involving Bachert and what is presumably the Skeleton Army that pre-dates the others mentioned on this thread. ELO, 16 April 1881, p. 7.

Albert Bachert aka Charrington is fined 40 shillings or 14 days for what appears to have been a very violent assault. Best not walk home from a Salvation Army meeting without a cudgel.

[Jerry Dunlop]

Yes, I just noticed the date of 1890.
Apparently some recognised him as both Backert and Charrington in 1886 when he was speaking with the fair dealers and conservatives against the socialists as both surnames were used in different newspapers.

Yes and isn't it odd that no one mentions this at all over the years until 1892 when it is written as a matter of fact statement in a news report. Backert had his name all over the papers during the murders and not one report states that he was involved with the Skeleton Army or the Salvation Army. They always referred to him being involved with the Vigilance Committee, though.

[Debra Arif]

Could very well be Debs. That would make sense to me.

I know the 3rd article I posted was from Oct,1890 when Backert was claiming he wasn't Charrington. The news reporter seemed to be onto him at that point yet seemed content with the answers Backert gave. I think the address at 13 Newnham Street that constantly cropped up in the papers at the time of the murders had to ring a bell with somebody by this point. That is, seeing it matched the address of "Colonel Charrington".

Yes, I just noticed the date of 1890.
Apparently some recognised him as both Backert and Charrington in 1886 when he was speaking with the fair dealers and conservatives against the socialists as both surnames were used in different newspapers.

[Jerry Dunlop]

Also around this same time in November, Backert was notified by the police of writing chalked up on blank wall on Newnham Street.

[Jerry Dunlop]

I just read another thread from about a year ago and Howard was discussing Backert and ripper letters. Howard made an interesting observation in a case against Backert that was presided over by Mr. Mead. Backert received 3 months and no letters appeared for that time. Once Backert was released, Mr. Mead received a ripper letter. It also happened to contain a drawing of a coffin which I thought was interesting in light of this thread.

I also found a ripper letter that came from Weston-super-Mare on November 19th, 1888. That is supposedly the starting ground of the Skeleton Army. "Towards the end of 1881 in Weston-Super-Mare a rag tag bunch of libertines, drunkards, publicans and brothel-keepers began an organised opposition to the Salvation Army; the Skeleton Army." Interesting that Weston-super-Mare is very near Bristol.