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Natalie Severn
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Severn
Post Number: 1965
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, May 26, 2005 - 6:30 pm: | 
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W.Wyn Westcott,a great mason and public servant[coroner]as well as being a physician produced a very important study of suicide.
However he was at one time suspected of being the Ripper because of his great belief in the mysteries and particularly the rituals of "the Golden Dawn"-especially since it was believed at the time that the Ripper may have practised Black Magic etc.But Westcott
although giving "discomfort" to some more conventional masons because of his more idiosyncratic beliefs as outlined in "The Golden Dawn" -of which he was a founding member -had a large following---including the likes of WB Yeats the poet and other eminent personages.
One of the Georgian Mansion"s -now let out for meetings of various kinds -is on the Green near the river in Hammersmith and is called Westcott Lodge-----
named after th great mason W.W. Westcott ---? he did after all live in Hammersmith for quite some time.
However all I can find out about his Hammersmith addresses is that in 1888 Westcott was living at 34 Blythe Road Hammersmith.This is just a few roads away from Hammersmith Broadway where Druitt"s ticket indicates he got off the train.
It makes one wonder-----was Druitt possibly visiting him that day to talk about his suicidal thoughts---as well as other matters perhaps!
Natalie |
Chris Scott
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Chris
Post Number: 2051
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, May 26, 2005 - 7:26 pm: |
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This might help!
William Wynn Westcott
1861
Hayes End School, South Petherton, Somerset
Pupil
William Westcott aged 13 born Leamington
1871:
Bridge House, Water Street, Martock, Somerset
Head: Richard W Martyn aged 76 born Plymouth, Devon - General practitioner M.R.C.S., L.S.A., Landowner
Nephew: William W Westcott aged 22 born Leamington - General practitioner M.R.C.S., L.S.A.
Nieces:
Grace M Westcott aged 32 born Oundle, Northampton
Eliza Westcott aged 29 born Oundle
1881
Langley Villa, Sunny Gardens, Hendon, Middlesex
Head: William Wynn Westcott aged 31 born Leamington - Physician M.B. Un. Lond.
Wife: Eliza Westcott aged 29 born London
Children:
Edmund William aged 7 born Somerset
Ida Grace aged 5 born Somerset
Elsie Bridget aged 3 born Somerset
Lilian Margaret aged 1 born Hendon
1891
396 Camden Road, Islington, London
Head: William Wynn Westcott aged 43 born Leamington, Warwick - Surgeon and Deputy Coroner
Wife: Eliza Westcott aged 39 born London
Children:
Ida aged 15 born Somerset
Elsie aged 13 born Somerset
George aged 7 born London
1901:
396 Camden Road, Islington
Head: William W Westcott aged 51 born Leamington - Coroner
Wife: Eliza Westcott aged 49 born St Pancras
Children:
Ida G aged 25 born Martock, Somerset - Professional (Music)
Lilian M aged 21 born Hendon
Marriage registered in St Pancras in 1st quarter of 1873 to Eliza Burnett.
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Chris Scott
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Chris
Post Number: 2052
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, May 26, 2005 - 7:29 pm: |
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"In 1918 Dr. Westcott retired from professional life and emigrated to the Republic of South Africa to live with his daughter and son-in-law at Durban to begin work on behalf of the Theosophical Society (and perhaps Masonic work also). He continued his studies, his letters, and his writings. He died in Durban, Republic of South Africa, in July, 1925."
This taken from a biography of Westcott at
http://www.golden-dawn.org/biowestcott.html |
Chris Scott
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Chris
Post Number: 2053
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, May 26, 2005 - 7:34 pm: |
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Here's a couple of pics of WW:
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Howard Brown
Inspector
Username: Howard
Post Number: 436
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, May 26, 2005 - 7:47 pm: |
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...and a couple of URL's...
http://www.victorianweb.org/books/suicide/04.html
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22suicide:+its+history,literature,jurisprudence,causation,and+prevention%22&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&start=0&sa=N&filter=0
William Wynn Westcott, Suicide: Its History, Literature, Jurisprudence, Causation and Prevention. A Social Science Treatise. (London: H. K. Lewis, 1885);
HowBrown
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Natalie Severn
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Severn
Post Number: 1967
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Friday, May 27, 2005 - 4:49 pm: |
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Many Thanks Chris and Howie !!!
An interesting man.On a website that gives his biography it definitly states that he was living in Hammersmith at 34 Blythe Road in the 1880"s and I think this included 1888.Its odd that your search didnt turn this up Chris?
Natalie |
Graham W
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Friday, June 24, 2005 - 10:54 am: |
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In regard to addresses - there are a number of directories on-line that have a search facility. These are located at:
http://www.historicaldirectories.org/hd/index.asp
I suspect that an OCR system is used so results can be a bit patchy but a search on Westcott filled gaps in his residency. The range of directories is far from complete but it does offer some assistance to those of us operating at a distance from the UK.
Hope this is of help,
Graham W.
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Natalie Severn
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Severn
Post Number: 2124
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 28, 2005 - 12:39 pm: |
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Many Thanks for that link Graham.I will work on it later!
Natalie |
Andrew Spallek
Chief Inspector
Username: Aspallek
Post Number: 872
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 28, 2005 - 2:27 pm: |
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Natalie, et al:
I somehow missed this thread earlier. This is an interesting possibility which coincides with my theory that Druitt's intended destination might have been Hammersmith rather than Chiswick.
Andy S. |
Robert Charles Linford
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Robert
Post Number: 4605
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 28, 2005 - 2:37 pm: |
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Well I still think it's Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson with his flute. Anyway, here's a bit more info :
William Wynn M.D. WESTCOTT
Male
Event(s):
Birth: 17 DEC 1848 Royal Leamington Spa, Warwick, England
Christening:
Death: 30 JUL 1925 Durban, Natal, South Africa
Burial:
Parents:
Father: Peter M.D. WESTCOTT
Family
Mother: Elizabeth Mary Ellis
Robert |
Robert Charles Linford
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Robert
Post Number: 4606
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 28, 2005 - 3:12 pm: |
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He seems to have married Eliza Burnett, March quarter 1873, Pancras.
Robert |
Natalie Severn
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Severn
Post Number: 2125
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 28, 2005 - 3:50 pm: |
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Hi Andrew,
Yes,I had noticed that Blythe Road was just round the corner from where Druitt got off the train.
One of the difficulties about understanding Druitt"s last movements is the suicide note.This was alleged to have been addressed to his brother.
We dont know exactly when it was written but if it was written only a few days before his suicide
then I think it was unlikely that he went to Hammersmith to discuss anything much with anyone.The only reason I can see in such a scenario is that perhaps he was thinking of trying to avoid newspaper headlines in London itself which would have exposed his family
name to all and sundry.
But then you might ask-well if he was going to kill himself why make a needless journey to Hammersmith?Why get a return fare?
Its hardly likely he said to himself "Aha!I am going to top myself right next to Hammersmith Bridge.I "ll get a delightful view of St Paul"s School and its Cricket fields
and enjoy my last moments prior to the waters closing overhead!"
Unlikely!
So what was the purpose of the visit?
Is it possible he went to put his affairs in order with a family friend/solicitor perhaps?
Or,anxious about what was to become of his mother
might he have intended a visit to the Tukes?
Or indeed W.W.Westcott?-for advice/help?
Given Druitt"s known movements nearly up to the moment of his dismissal for "getting into serious trouble" he seems to have quite successfully hidden dark secrets about himself not only from his family and friends but it would appear Valentine and the school and just possibly,if he was becoming insane, from himself!
Clearly any secret that would have got him into such serious trouble , had been reasonably safely locked up /compartmentalised by him for some time.
Maybe being sacked was a wake up call and forced him to recognise the serious consequences of his off the wall behaviour!
Possibly then, this insight, together with seeing the familiar pattern of his mother"s and other family member"s insanity simply decided him to quit.
The return fare?Maybe the triumph of hope over experience!
Natalie |
Andrew Spallek
Chief Inspector
Username: Aspallek
Post Number: 874
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 28, 2005 - 6:51 pm: |
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My theory is that Montague wrote the note on the night of Nov. 30 - Dec. 1, a sleepless night spent in his rooms at Valentine's school. His journey to Hammersmith/Chiswick was a desperate last attempt to find someone, something, some solution. He bought a return ticket so that he could return to Blackheath and destroy the note if he found what he was looking for. Apparently he did not and so he did not return.
Andy S. |
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