Albert Bachert aka Alfred Charrington

[Jerry Dunlop]

This was a real surprise to me. The first article I found stated Backert was "late" of the Skeleton Army. The second one I found after the first indicates he was actually the founder and General of the Skeleton Army under the alias Alfred Charrington. Check the address out at the bottom of the second article(13, Newnham Street, Whitechapel).

London Evening News and Post
April 8, 1892



Guardian
February 7, 1883

[Jerry Dunlop]

Here is Backert lying in 1890 about his alias.

Evening News and Post
October 13, 1890

[Jerry Dunlop]

Joshua Rogan had started a thread regarding the Skeleton Army, here.

http://forum.casebook.org/showthread.php?t=10554

[Jerry Dunlop]

Didn't Charrington (the actual brewer) own the Three Nuns?

[Jerry Dunlop]

One last post for the evening, sorry. The Skeleton Army marched under a banner with a Skull with Crossbones. Their motto was Blood and Guts/Thunder. "'Skeletons' used banners with skulls and crossbones; sometimes there were two coffins and a statement like, “Blood and Thunder” (mocking the Salvation Army's war cry "Blood and Fire") or the three Bs: “Beef”, “Beer” and “Bacca” - again mocking the Salvation Army's three S's - "Soup", "Soap" and "Salvation".[Charles Jeffries Wikipedia]

This is a Ripper letter from October 9, 1888. Notice the Skull and Crossbones, the word BLOOD spelled out, a coffin and a skeleton drawn to the right. Coincidence? Or from Bachert? Bachert was an Art engraver and would be talented with drawing skills I would think. The messy writing doesn't match the somewhat artistic drawings.

[Gary Barnett]

Fascinating stuff, Jerry.

It seems the 'Skeleton Army' was a country-wide phenomenon, with the most unlikely places, such as the small Devon town of Honiton, being hotbeds of skeleton activity. As early as 1883 it was being said that its leader General Charrington was a young engraver's apprentice.

[Debra Arif]

Excellent find, Jerry. Fascinating stuff.

[Sam Flynn]

Fascinating, Jerry. Some great finds there.

Re the skull/coffin letter, I don't think that the drawing is particularly brilliant. It's reasonably competent, but not to the point where it would require the skills of a professional artist to pull it off. That said, if it were by Bachert, it could have been a "rush job" or a double-bluff, I suppose.

[Gary Barnett]

Didn't Charrington (the actual brewer) own the Three Nuns?

I think it would have been Hoare and Co in the 1880s. They were taken over by Charringtons in 1933.

http://breweryhistory.com/wiki/index.php?title=Hoare_%26_Co._Ltd

[Gary Barnett]

Fascinating, Jerry. Some great finds there.

Re the skull/coffin letter, I don't think that the drawing is particularly brilliant. It's reasonably competent, but not to the point where it would require the skills of a professional artist to pull it off. That said, if it were by Bachert, it could have been a "rush job" or a double-bluff, I suppose.

Or a 'one-off'?

[Howard Brown]

Excellent work, JD....thank you !

[Sam Flynn]

Or a 'one-off'?

Not that it's likely that Bachert would have called it that in 1888

[Jerry Dunlop]

Thanks for all the replies. Here is more to the Evening News clip from October 13th, 1890. Wonder who the butcher and his friend were? I'm thinking it could have been Piser. I say this because Bachert is using the surname of a brewer. The public house owners were some of the backers behind the Skeleton Army due to the fight against the tee-totaler, salvationists. I will look later today but the Skeleton Army had several assaults at the "Eagle" on Old City Road, I believe. I seem to recall Bachert was arrested for assaulting a butcher? I also seem to recall Piser hanging out on City Road which I always thought was odd. I saw a clip last night that I wasn't sure was important but it mentioned Frederick Charrington and a pub named the Golden Eagle I think? I will look it up when I get home. Then this clip here states Bachert had a good character reference from Detective Thicke. Also the Romford statement makes me wonder if the friend of the butcher may have been Hutchinson? Just random thoughts folks. Hang with me a minute!

[Debra Arif]

There's a historical summary of the effects of this East End Skeleton Army in The War Cry of 1919 here Under the heading Jubilee and Liberty:


Interesting references to the role of the police, particularly Superintendent Arnold.

[Howard Brown]

Good find, Debs...thanks !