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Linda on photographs
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Friday, June 24, 2005 - 4:45 pm: | 
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Hello Everyone,
I have a few questions about the photographs. I’ve looked through quite a few interesting threads here, and have reviewed the material in the “Official Documents” section.
I am a photo-historian and am writing a chapter of my PhD dissertation on the ways in which some of the photographs have been used since they were originally taken. To that end, I am working on 1899 Lacassagne’s book (Vacher…) and various appropriations by the surrealists. However, to make my argument, I need to know a bit more about how the photographs were originally used. I am looking for:
a) suggestions of sources that describe investigation techniques in 1888 (or around that date) in England
b) any discussion of how the photographs were used in the police investigation, autopsies, inquest, etc., that is not mentioned in the excellent newspaper clippings in the “Official Documents” section, or “Dissertations” section of this site
c) any of your thoughts on how the photographs were used at the time, how they were stored, their role as evidence, etc., or, what happened to them and how they resurfaced later
d) any info on other visual sources used in the investigation at the time, particularly sketches of the crime scenes or of autopsies
e) I’ve read references to the “original” photographs in various threads, but I am wondering is anyone knows what happened to the glass plate negatives from which prints would have been made. Also, does anyone know if any of the extant photographs were definitively made from the negatives? Or, are they prints from negatives made from the prints? (hope that’s clear!)
I am writing about the two photographs that appeared in Lacassagne’s book and that were appropriated by the surrealists. These are the full-body crime-scene photograph of Mary Kelly on her bed and the post-autopsy photograph where the body is propped up against the wall.
Any ideas or suggestions for reading about British crime-scene photography in the last quarter of the 19th century would be great! I am a little out of my league with British history as my research focuses on France and on the surrealists.
I am quite happy to have stumbled upon this fascinating site – I wish my chapter was only on Jack the Ripper as there is so much to think about!
Many thanks,
Linda
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David O'Flaherty
Chief Inspector
Username: Oberlin
Post Number: 947
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, June 30, 2005 - 10:09 am: |
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Hi Linda,
Boy, you need one of the experts here, an Evans or a Rumbelow. You've mentioned looking over the dissertations, so I'm assuming you've read Stewart Evans's article, The Kelly Crime Scene Photographs. If not, take a look; I'm sure you will find it helpful.
Excuse me if you're already aware of this, but you might like to know that in the case of Catherine Eddowes, crime scene sketches were made, including one of the body in situ. These are described in Ultimate Companion as inquest sketches, so their purpose would have been to benefit the inquest jury. Besides finding verdicts on causes of death, juries and coroners also sought to determine the circumstances leading up to death. Most likely, they would also have been supplied to a trial jury (if there had been one) as evidence.
I'm not sure if the Mitre Square sketches are up on this site, but if not, you can find them in The Ultimate Jack the Ripper Companion.
Cheers,
Dave |
Chris Phillips
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Cgp100
Post Number: 1111
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, June 30, 2005 - 12:08 pm: |
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Linda
Robert McLaughlin has studied the photographs in depth, and his book, "The First Jack the Ripper Victim Photographs", is due to be published next year.
Chris Phillips
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Linda on Photos
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Thursday, June 30, 2005 - 12:10 pm: |
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Hi Dave,
Yeah, I guess I do need an expert. My questions are pretty specific, aren't they! However, I have certainly found valuable information on this site, including the Evans article.
I didn't know about the Eddowes crime scene sketches. Those will certainly help me to contextualize the photographs. Thank you.
The Ultimate Companion is waiting for me at the library, so I will look for them there. I'm just trying to do whatever I can from home until this heat wave breaks.
Thanks again,
Linda
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Linda on Photos
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Thursday, June 30, 2005 - 12:34 pm: |
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Thanks Chris,
I've corresponded with him and he's been very helpful.
Linda |
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