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** This is an archived, static copy of the Casebook messages boards dating from 1998 to 2003. These threads cannot be replied to here. If you want to participate in our current forums please go to https://forum.casebook.org **
Indian Harry Thomas Bowyer
Casebook Message Boards: Witnesses: Specific Witnesses:
Indian Harry Thomas Bowyer
Author: Christopher T George
Tuesday, 23 April 2002 - 01:59 pm |        | Hi, all:
Thomas Bowyer, McCarthy's rentman, who discovered the body of Mary Jane Kelly, does not appear to have his own thread here so I thought I would start one. I have discovered that there is a Bowyer genealogical site that has some discussion of him and of investigations into the man.
I am going to copy some of the information, as posted by the late Denis Bowyer of East Sussex, England, apparently in the site's newsletter in 1994:
I have yet to go on one of those alluring JACK THE RIPPER tours in the Whitechapel district of London. Do they mention Mr. Bowyer, the rent-collector who plunged his hand through the broken glass to discover the grisly body of poor Mary Jane Kelly? We know that he gave an address of 37 Dorset Street ..... "a short street in the shadow of Spitalfields Church" says one reporter; but he was not there when the 1881 census enumerator called. Or did he just get overlooked? Out collecting rent for his boss John McCarthy, who owned a chandlers shop nearby? Dorset Street was full of houses with rooms to rent at fourpence a night if the room is shared with several others, which suggests a come-and-go clientele. Remember though that Bowyer was in full employ, some say as assistant shop keeper to Mr. McCarthy as well, so some stability is expected.
With the over two dozen authors who have written books with the words JACK THE RIPPER in the title, there seems to be some confusion as to whether Thomas or John is the correct given name for this Bowyer. You would think that his boss John McCarthy would know, yet 'exact statements' from this source differ. Author Stephen Knight writes his words as "I sent my man Thomas Bowyer...",whilst McCarthy's evidence is stated by Elwyn Jones and John Lloyd as "I told my man John Bowyer to go to Mary Kelly's room …." Richard Whittington-Egan: "John Bowyer, whose Christian name is variously given as Thomas....", whereas most of the other authors do favour this last name.
From the drawing shown here [from THE PENNY ILLUSTRATED PAPER Nov. 17, 1888], I should say that Bowyer was an elderly man, another contemporary sketch to illustrate his action to gain access to the murder room shows him with a walking stick. This could well be as some protection in his unpopular job as a rent collector. My Catherine House File has only one eligible London/Thomas death of a man aged forty in 1889. The only 'John' to die in Central London around this time was aged fifty-five in 1891.
Unfortunately the 1891 census is of no help also, and it would be as well to tackle the problem from the "Indian Harry" angle. Assuming he was a soldier, even a pensioner, and that the nickname was not a bluff on his part. Anyone out there delving into Army records? Bowyer made his historic and … "I was that scared when I saw what I saw"...horrific discovery at 10.45 in the morning of November 9th 1888.
Zoe Bowyer is researching the Whitechapel Bowyers and tells me that her Elias Bowyer was a butcher in nearby Charlotte Street during the 1881 census. Elias would have been in his late thirties then, coming from the village of Kedington, Suffolk, where he was born in 1843. |
Author: stephen miller
Wednesday, 24 April 2002 - 01:44 pm | | Hi Chris I did a search for 37 Dorset Street in 1891 census and as you say above Bowyer is not there thought I had better check though
McCarthy is at 27 Dorset Street though funny the JTR A-Z states McCarthy was born in Dieppe and 1891 census states his birth as Spitalfields maybe he did not give the information
all the best
steve
 even though eventually Scunthorpe United did blow it |
Author: The Viper
Thursday, 25 April 2002 - 07:19 am | | Chris,
John McCarthy gives the name Thomas Bowyer in both his statement to the police on 9th November and in his inquest testimony on 12th. The inquest transcript also refers to Mr. Bowyer as Thomas, as does his police statement. Consequently, I feel that we're much safer going with the name Thomas.
Incidently, the phrasing of Bowyer's statement to police on the 9th is in the third person, suggesting that he may not have been able to read and write.
Re-37 Dorset Street. My understanding is that it would have been a typical 'Queen Anne' style house of the sort which once existed all over Spitalfields. Built around 1700 (plus or minus twenty years or so), probably with three stories. Like so many of those houses it would have been divided up and let to families either by the floor or by the room. The 1881 census shows three families totalling 22 people living there, whereas the 1891 census shows fewer people but in four separate households.
The term 'lodging house' seems to have been somewhat generic, covering houses let out under a variety of multi-occupancy terms. Not every place so described fits the description of the 'common lodging house' or 'doss house' which you describe (i.e. beds rented individually by the night). Of course, there were also many properties of that type in and around Dorset Street. These included both of William Crossingham's establishments, in one of which Annie Chapman had lodged, and no. 30 which was later taken over by John McCarthy.
Stephen,
The residency of 27 Dorset St. in the 1891 census is somewhat confusing. The late James Tully picked up on it in his book The Secret of Prisoner 1167; see page 378 of the paperback edition. There are two John McCarthys listed for that address and the 42 year old shopkeeper, born in Spitalfields and married to Mary, is a man of mystery. The other John McCarthy listed, also 42 and married to Elizabeth with four dependent daughters is our man. Daniel McCarthy and wife and also listed as residents at no. 27. My guess is that the 'other' John McCarthy must have been a relative of some sort, maybe a cousin since he's the same age. I wonder whether Neil Sheldon or Andy Aliffe, both of whom are famed for their people-oriented research, have ever looked into this?
Regards, V. |
Author: stephen miller
Thursday, 25 April 2002 - 07:51 am | | Hi V I see what you mean I should have continued reading the document maybe they were related
from steve
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