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Stephen P. Ryder
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 2827
Registered: 10-1997
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 6:07 pm: |       |
Hey guys,
I'm putting together an exhibit for the 2004 U.S. Conference which will showcase some of the most fascinating discoveries made in Ripperology since the turn of the milennium. Some obvious entries will be Neal Shelden's photograph of Annie Chapman, and John Oswell's new photograph of Michael Ostrog. But I'd like to get your general impressions of what you think are some of the most important finds, most influential new ideas, most groundbreaking research, etc. made since 1999.
For example... one of the more controversial entrants I'm considering is (wait for it) Patricia Cornwell... not for her thesis, but for her team's work in studying the Ripper correspondence for traces of surviving DNA. Its something we've all wondered about for years now, and love her or shove her, she's the one who went out and tried it for the first time.
So what are your thoughts? What other trailblazers/researchers should be included on this list?
I'm hoping to compile a list of several dozen possible entrants, and then have the Casebook readership vote on who they feel is most deserving... and I'll include the top 5 or 10 in the final conference exhibit.
Stephen P. Ryder, Editor
Casebook: Jack the Ripper |
Christopher T George
Inspector
Username: Chrisg
Post Number: 281
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 7:42 pm: | |
Hi, Stephen:
I wonder if the time period you suggest is a bit short? The Liverpool conference provided a 15-year retrospective back to the centennial of the murders in 1988, and you might consider at least a decade or so. A longer retrospective would allow you to include Maybrick and Tumblety as well as the books on Hutchinson, Richard Wallace's Lewis Carroll book, etc. The cut off of 1999 seems rather too short to me.
I do have the census listing for Tumblety in Baltimore found by Peter Birchwood that could be displayed and also there is the new photograph of Martha Tabram at 18 years of age that Liza Hopkinson had in Liverpool. All the newly rediscovered period newspaper articles on the case of course are also new developments worthy of display.
All the best
Chris |
Stephen P. Ryder
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 2828
Registered: 10-1997
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 8:21 pm: | |
Hi Chris -
Thanks for your comments. I'm purposely keeping the time-frame short because I want to focus only on the most recent finds... the purpose of the exhibit is to reinforce the idea that new items are being found all the time by researchers all over the world. Everyone knows about Maybrick and Tumblety, but I wonder how many people realize that a previously unknown photograph of Michael Ostrog, one of Macnaghten's fabled threesome, was discovered in someone's attic up in Canada just over two years ago?
These are the sorts of finds I want to showcase - the smaller, lesser-known things... and Liza's photograph of Tabram at 18 is just exactly the sort of thing I'm looking for, good suggestion!
And it doesn't have to be the discovery of something tangible like a photograph or census record.... I'm also interested in showcasing new ideas or theories which have significantly altered the way we view any particular aspect of the case. I want to know which forum threads or Ripper-ologist/Notes/ana/oo articles made you sit up in your chair and say to yourself "Wow! That's absolutely brilliant!" One example might be Eduardo Zinna's work in nailing down biogrpahical detail in Alois Szemeredy, or Chris Scott's mammoth contirbutions to our knowledge of the contemporary press coverage... I want to showcase not only the finds themselves, but also the methods employed to discover them.
Overall, the point of the exhibit is to excite the viewer and make them realize that, yes, there ARE still many, many things to be discovered out there... that this is not a dead study... and that you don't need to be in the London area to perform meaningful research. I know I'm constantly amazed and inspired by the finds that have been made only in the past several years... my hope is to instill that level of excitement in others, who might themselves then go out and explore some long lost nugget of information about the case.
So.... let's hear your thoughts!!
Stephen P. Ryder, Editor
Casebook: Jack the Ripper |
Christopher T George
Inspector
Username: Chrisg
Post Number: 283
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2003 - 4:33 am: | |
Hi, Stephen:
Okay, fine, thanks for giving a more detailed explanation of your intent in the display, which sounds fine, most commendable. I will give some additional thought to what else you might want to include.
All the best
Chris |
Jim DiPalma
Sergeant
Username: Jimd
Post Number: 26
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2003 - 10:27 am: | |
Hi Stephen,
May I suggest the material that was published in Wolf's article on the Carrie Brown murder in the last issue of Ripper Notes?? If memory serves, there were two autopsy photos and an autopsy report. I'm not sure exactly when they were found, but I believe it was more recent than 1999.
I'll give it some further thought, see if I can think of anything else.
Thanks
Jim |
Stephen P. Ryder
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 2831
Registered: 10-1997
| | Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2003 - 10:53 am: | |
Excellent suggestion, Jim. I think Michael Conlon's photos of Carrie Brown should definitely be part of the exhibit (in fact he's already given us permission to include them).
Stephen P. Ryder, Editor
Casebook: Jack the Ripper |
Chris Scott
Inspector
Username: Chris
Post Number: 434
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2003 - 12:18 pm: | |
As photographic exhibits would be good for a conference board, and as you are far too modest to nominate yourself, Spry, may I suggest you include the extensive analytical work you did on the major Mary Kelly photograph?
All the best
Chris
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Richard Lawrence
Sergeant
Username: Rl0919
Post Number: 15
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2003 - 11:52 pm: | |
When was it determined that Ostrog was jailed in France in November 1888? I don't recall it being mentioned in Sugden's discussion of him in his 1995 book, so I assume that was a relatively recent discovery. Since this essentially aquits one of the "Macnaghten three," I would consider that significant.
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Saddam
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 - 9:37 pm: | |
It seems to me the principal developments in Ripperology since 1999 may be:
1. Alexander Chisholm's de-centrist, postmodern thought. He has a great prolegomena of the solution of the case.
2. Scott Nelson's research. This takes the Ripperologost right down to Whitechapel street level, 1888. You've got the solution on the tip of your tongue, whether you are aware of it or not, when you read his articles.
3. The general twilight of Ripperology. The deterioration of thought into the Diary fiasco, the disintegration of reason represented by Cornwell. Seen in the right light, it signals the end of the case as we know it, and a bright dawn ahead.
Saddam
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RosemaryO'Ryan
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Saturday, October 04, 2003 - 8:23 pm: | |
Dear Saddam,
A bright dawn ahead! Oh, what irony...the very words from Jack's lips!Wake up you dreamer! Not only did Jack give birth to the 20th century, he gave birth to the rest of our 'brief eternity'.
Here, with one slash of his knife, night became day. His incarnate power is demonstrated RIGHT BEFORE OUR VERY EYES!
Miserable mortals, open your eyes.
Rosey :-)) |
Kris Law
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Monday, November 24, 2003 - 12:38 pm: | |
Hello all,
I haven't heard about these new pics of Martha Tabram and Michael Ostrog . . . has anybody seen them, or have a scan of them? |
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