The Devil's Derelicts

[Debra Arif]

Has anyone got/read this 1905 (detective fiction?) book or know anything about the author? Thanks

[Howard Brown]

Did some looking, came up with nothing so far Debs....sorry.

[Paul Kearney A.K.A. NEMO]

He appears to have written this Deb, about the war, though the intro seems to imply it is a set of prison stories...

http://www.archive.org/stream/reminiscencesofg00fryerich/reminiscencesofg00fryerich_djvu.txt

I thought he sounded familiar but I think I've read about a politician called William Vernon Harcourt

I'd imagine they are related

[Debra Arif]

Thanks for looking, How. I didn't have much luck either apart from finding a couple of reviews of this book.
What struck me was although this was probably fiction, the fact F C Vernon Harcourt was said to be a criminologist made me wonder if it was based on real life encounters? Harcourt also wrote other books, a couple about criminal and prison life.

This sentence in the advert for the Devil's Derelicts caught my eye, as it was written in 1905, around the same time Jabez was writing about having the 'Ripper' pointed out to him in prison:

"The Vampire" in which the writer relates the history of an extraordinary criminal with whom he was brought in contact, and while he does not make an assertion on the point, he clearly suggests that this man is the author of the Whitechapel horrors...

[Phil Carter]

Hello Nemo, Debs,

I have mentioned this at sometime before, can't remember when, where or to whom.. but somebody should have a look in the Bodleian Library, Oxford. The papers of Sir William Harcourt are all there.. correspondence with just about anybody.. including those concerning F.C.Vernon Harcourt (papers from 1899-1912)

http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/dept/scwmss/wmss/online/1500-1900/harcourt/harcourt.html

I have this odd feeling that many a precious stone may be found in here.

kindly

Phil

[Paul Kearney A.K.A. NEMO]

That did pass through my mind Deb when I just read "...There is no type of
offender, no form or. aspect of prison life, which Mr. Vernon Harcourt has not studied and turned to account in his vivid and fascinating volume...

The prison stories are obviously fictionalised but may produce some interesting speculation

A biography of this guy would be nice

[Debra Arif]

He appears to have written this Deb, about the war, though the intro seems to imply it is a set of prison stories...

http://www.archive.org/stream/reminiscencesofg00fryerich/reminiscencesofg00fryerich_djvu.txt

I thought he sounded familiar but I think I've read about a politician called William Vernon Harcourt

I'd imagine they are related

Thanks Nemo. I think there is also one just about prisons and penal reform....I know it has 'bars' in the title, but I have forgotten the full title at the moment.

I think he probably was related to William Vernon Harcourt, his name appears once in the index Harcourt family papers, but it doesn't give much away:

http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/dept/scwmss/wmss/online/1500-1900/harcourt/harcourt.html

His name was Frederick C Vernon Harcourt. I'm unable to find what the C stood for...possibly Claude?

[Debra Arif]

Thanks Phil also...I'm a very slow typer so our posts crossed.

[Phil Carter]

F.C.Vernon Harcourt

Hello all,

I happened to look up the man himself, F.C. Vernon Harcourt, and found his name as an actor, in 1892, London.. in all places, the Black Sheep Index.

http://www.blacksheepindex.co.uk/BSI-HarHarp.pdf

kindly

Phil

[Debra Arif]

Thanks Phil. I think this refers to Frederick Claude Vernon Harcourt, charged and acquitted of manslaughter in 1892, but in Yorkshire. I was wondering if it was the same man too.


The fullest version of the author's name that I could find was Frederick C. Vernon Harcourt.

[Phil Carter]

Hello Debs,

Many thanks..looking at that Blacksheep listing, there are two.. one in Sheffield, one in London.. two different names though..

Frederick George Vernon Harcourt in Sheffield
F. C. Vernon Harcourt in London

both 1892.

kindly

Phil

[Debra Arif]

Phil, this is one from the criminal registers on Ancestry:

Name: Frederick Claude Vernon Harcourt
Date of Trial: 6 Dec 1892
Trial Year: 1892
Location of Trial: Yorkshire - West Riding, England
Sentence: Acquittal

[Phil Carter]

Thanks Debs,

Most obliged :-)

You may type slowly, but the brain works fast :-)

kindly

Phil

[Phil Carter]

Hello Nemo,

In addition to a book about the 1st World War, F.C.Vernon Harcourt appears to have written a book on the Boer War too..

BIBLE ON THE BATTLEFIELD, THE, by F. C. Vernon-Harcourt, Marshall Brothers, 1903

kindly

Phil

[Debra Arif]

Phil, the author and the man on trial for manslaughter appear to be the same person.
There are a few newspaper reports of the hearing and he is described as an actor and author. I will try and post a couple later today if anyone's interested.