What do you think?
Rate this book
The Bank Holiday Murders: The True Story of the First Whitechapel Murders
Jack the Ripper stalked the streets of London’s East End from August through November of 1888 in what is dubbed the ‘Autumn of Terror’. However, the grisly ripping of Polly Nichols on August 31st was not the first unsolved murder of the year. The April murder of Emma Smith and the August murder of Martha Tabram both occurred on bank holidays. They baffled the police and press alike and were assumed by the original investigators to have been the first murders in the series. Where they correct?
In this provocative work of literary archeology, author Tom Wescott places these early murders in their proper historical context and digs to unearth new evidence and hard facts not seen in over 125 years.
The Bank Holiday Murders is the only book of its kind. It eschews the tired approach of unsatisfying ‘final solutions’ in favor of solid research, logical reasoning and new information. The clues followed are not drawn from imagination but from the actual police reports and press accounts of the time. The questions asked by Wescott are ones first suggested by the original investigators but lost to time until now. The answers provided are compelling and sometimes explosive.
Among the revelations are:
• New information linking the murders of Smith & Tabram to the same killer(s).
• Proof that the police did not believe key witnesses in either case.
• Proof that at least one of these witnesses was working with the murderer.
• New evidence connecting many of the victims that may lead to their actual slayers.
• Information on Emily Horsnell, the ACTUAL first Whitechapel murder victim.
• The hidden truth of ‘Leather Apron’ and its role in unraveling the Ripper mystery.
• Proof of a corrupt police sergeant who thwarted the investigation. Was he protecting the Ripper?
• Much more.
The Bank Holiday Murders: The True Story of the First Whitechapel Murders brings us closer than ever to the actual truth behind the Jack the Ripper story and is sure to appeal to fans of Paul Begg, Stewart P. Evans, Philip Sugden, Donald Rumbelow, Ann Rule, Patricia Cornwell as well as readers of Victorian true crime, true life mysteries and historical cold cases in general.
In this provocative work of literary archeology, author Tom Wescott places these early murders in their proper historical context and digs to unearth new evidence and hard facts not seen in over 125 years.
The Bank Holiday Murders is the only book of its kind. It eschews the tired approach of unsatisfying ‘final solutions’ in favor of solid research, logical reasoning and new information. The clues followed are not drawn from imagination but from the actual police reports and press accounts of the time. The questions asked by Wescott are ones first suggested by the original investigators but lost to time until now. The answers provided are compelling and sometimes explosive.
Among the revelations are:
• New information linking the murders of Smith & Tabram to the same killer(s).
• Proof that the police did not believe key witnesses in either case.
• Proof that at least one of these witnesses was working with the murderer.
• New evidence connecting many of the victims that may lead to their actual slayers.
• Information on Emily Horsnell, the ACTUAL first Whitechapel murder victim.
• The hidden truth of ‘Leather Apron’ and its role in unraveling the Ripper mystery.
• Proof of a corrupt police sergeant who thwarted the investigation. Was he protecting the Ripper?
• Much more.
The Bank Holiday Murders: The True Story of the First Whitechapel Murders brings us closer than ever to the actual truth behind the Jack the Ripper story and is sure to appeal to fans of Paul Begg, Stewart P. Evans, Philip Sugden, Donald Rumbelow, Ann Rule, Patricia Cornwell as well as readers of Victorian true crime, true life mysteries and historical cold cases in general.
216 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 18, 2013
367 people are currently reading
1482 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
July 19, 2024
(A-) 80% | Very Good
Notes: Shines light on hitherto bit players, offering bold but reasoned speculation on the extent and purpose of their actions.
Notes: Shines light on hitherto bit players, offering bold but reasoned speculation on the extent and purpose of their actions.
September 11, 2015
Modestly Tom Westcott opens by saying that this book, and the vast amount of research he’s clearly undertaken to write it, are there for better researchers than himself to make breakthroughs as to just what was happening in Whitechapel 1888. Now you may very well think that anything which can be written about Jack the Ripper has, by this point, already been written. But Westcott does actually attack it from an interesting angle. It’s always made me curious that investigators at the time thought there was as many as eleven murders, and yet that has now been whittled down to a far more manageable five. Why were these others so comprehensively dismissed? And if one of those murders was wrongly deemed ‘non-canonical’, doesn’t that alter what we think about the case? It’s some of these deleted murders which Westcott focuses upon. Making a detailed analysis of the first two killings originally accredited to Jack and actually turning up some eyebrow raising discoveries about the connections between them, and possible connections between the later (canonical) Ripper murders. There is some undoubtedly good stuff here, the problem is with how it’s presented.
Westcott is in the habit of taking the slenderest whiff of a fact and letting his imagination run away with him – so a piece of information which can be interpreted numerous ways, has one interpretation nailed hard onto it and Westcott lets fly from there. This happens more than once.
The same group of landlords owned the doss houses around Whitechapel where the victims lived, they all knew each other – which people in the same business and same district are likely to do – but their familiarity apparently makes it almost self-evident that they were up to something deeply sinister. As slum-landlords they were always likely to be fairly unsavoury people, and indeed it’s shown that there were involved in various criminal dealings, but that does not automatically mean they were all involved in the murders or the cover-up of murder.
Elsewhere we have a newspaper report about the police receiving information from a gang of women, which whilst unclear is certainly intriguing, but here it becomes overblown as a plot to frame a man for being the ‘Leather Apron’, who was then being sought. Now I’m not absolutely stating that these conclusions are wrong, but the structures that are built upon them are so expansive that they don’t seem properly supported by the underlying facts. This is all accentuated by Westcott’s particularly annoying habit of building up a theory in one chapter, acknowledging it as a theory with a lot of speculation, but in a later chapter referencing as if it’s a sold fact. It’s highly frustrating, as this constant over-selling does no service to his case. Not everything is a conspiracy – there is coincidence and there is a cock-up, and it’s always best to remember that when examining history.
The prose doesn’t help, as when extolling a particular pet theory, Westcott adopts a really haranguing and nagging tone. Even when he acknowledges that there’s no way to really tell from the evidence and this is a blind leap forward, he will still smash away at as if making the same point again and again in a more assertive tone will make it more true. It reminded me of arguing with a small child, who clearly knows he or she is wrong but has gone too far to back down.
It’s a shame as I think it does dis-service to the material he’s collected. The details about the first two victims (with possibly another victim thrown in) were new to me, as was how ridiculously close geographically they were and how interconnected their lives were. The fact that their murders were so similar is bound to make a reader a tad suspicious. It’s an interesting and intriguing read then, but I just wish Westcott had let these facts stand by themselves rather than trying to build a card tower of extrapolation and speculation on top of them.
Westcott is in the habit of taking the slenderest whiff of a fact and letting his imagination run away with him – so a piece of information which can be interpreted numerous ways, has one interpretation nailed hard onto it and Westcott lets fly from there. This happens more than once.
The same group of landlords owned the doss houses around Whitechapel where the victims lived, they all knew each other – which people in the same business and same district are likely to do – but their familiarity apparently makes it almost self-evident that they were up to something deeply sinister. As slum-landlords they were always likely to be fairly unsavoury people, and indeed it’s shown that there were involved in various criminal dealings, but that does not automatically mean they were all involved in the murders or the cover-up of murder.
Elsewhere we have a newspaper report about the police receiving information from a gang of women, which whilst unclear is certainly intriguing, but here it becomes overblown as a plot to frame a man for being the ‘Leather Apron’, who was then being sought. Now I’m not absolutely stating that these conclusions are wrong, but the structures that are built upon them are so expansive that they don’t seem properly supported by the underlying facts. This is all accentuated by Westcott’s particularly annoying habit of building up a theory in one chapter, acknowledging it as a theory with a lot of speculation, but in a later chapter referencing as if it’s a sold fact. It’s highly frustrating, as this constant over-selling does no service to his case. Not everything is a conspiracy – there is coincidence and there is a cock-up, and it’s always best to remember that when examining history.
The prose doesn’t help, as when extolling a particular pet theory, Westcott adopts a really haranguing and nagging tone. Even when he acknowledges that there’s no way to really tell from the evidence and this is a blind leap forward, he will still smash away at as if making the same point again and again in a more assertive tone will make it more true. It reminded me of arguing with a small child, who clearly knows he or she is wrong but has gone too far to back down.
It’s a shame as I think it does dis-service to the material he’s collected. The details about the first two victims (with possibly another victim thrown in) were new to me, as was how ridiculously close geographically they were and how interconnected their lives were. The fact that their murders were so similar is bound to make a reader a tad suspicious. It’s an interesting and intriguing read then, but I just wish Westcott had let these facts stand by themselves rather than trying to build a card tower of extrapolation and speculation on top of them.
February 20, 2014
I wrote this book so I'm a bit biased. But if you like Jack the Ripper fact books, you'll want to read this.
March 25, 2014
So many Ripperologists only consider 5 murders to be his work, but Emma Smith and Martha Tabram were murdered earlier in 1888 and I always wondered myself if they truly were unconnected. This book explores how they might be. Their injuries were definitely not the 'same' as later known victims, but they could be consistent with a killer starting out. And then escalating.
Regardless, this book interested me most by its trying to get beyond the 'known' 'facts' (terms I use loosely) and trying to find historical documents to find what was happening in that tiny section of Whitechapel. Reading it made me see how tiny it actually was, and how people had to know much more than they were telling the police.
It certainly is not a sensational read, it is an historic investigation that found some interesting links and players that pretty much have stayed under the radar. The author is cautious in his conclusions and honest. I was really impressed.
There is also additional material on other theories and curiosities that really are a nice extra.
One thing it reminds us is that a skeptical eye is needed by any serious Ripper enthusiast.
Regardless, this book interested me most by its trying to get beyond the 'known' 'facts' (terms I use loosely) and trying to find historical documents to find what was happening in that tiny section of Whitechapel. Reading it made me see how tiny it actually was, and how people had to know much more than they were telling the police.
It certainly is not a sensational read, it is an historic investigation that found some interesting links and players that pretty much have stayed under the radar. The author is cautious in his conclusions and honest. I was really impressed.
There is also additional material on other theories and curiosities that really are a nice extra.
One thing it reminds us is that a skeptical eye is needed by any serious Ripper enthusiast.
October 31, 2014
This book has been touted as the most important work on Jack the Ripper to be published this year, and now I understand why.
Tom Wescott focuses primarily on the Bank Holiday murders of Emma Smith (in April) and Martha Tabram (in August) and what they might suggest about Jack the Ripper. He reasons carefully from the available evidence and extrapolates from discrepancies, contradictions, and ellipses in the records. He finds suggestive reasons to believe that the Smith and Tabram murders might have been linked, that so-called "Pearly Poll" was far more of a key player than previous interpretations of the Autumn of Terror have realized, and that a handful of landlords of the East End wielded a tremendous amount of power - even over some policemen. He also suggests a possible new first victim of Jack the Ripper: Emily Horsnell.
Wescott is very conservative in his claims and careful in his documentation. He hopes to open new paths of inquiry, and in that he is certain to succeed. Every reader interested in the Whitechapel murders should put this high on his/her "to read" list.
Tom Wescott focuses primarily on the Bank Holiday murders of Emma Smith (in April) and Martha Tabram (in August) and what they might suggest about Jack the Ripper. He reasons carefully from the available evidence and extrapolates from discrepancies, contradictions, and ellipses in the records. He finds suggestive reasons to believe that the Smith and Tabram murders might have been linked, that so-called "Pearly Poll" was far more of a key player than previous interpretations of the Autumn of Terror have realized, and that a handful of landlords of the East End wielded a tremendous amount of power - even over some policemen. He also suggests a possible new first victim of Jack the Ripper: Emily Horsnell.
Wescott is very conservative in his claims and careful in his documentation. He hopes to open new paths of inquiry, and in that he is certain to succeed. Every reader interested in the Whitechapel murders should put this high on his/her "to read" list.
April 3, 2017
This book is like Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident in that the author is frickin fantastic at giving the reader an idea of the place and events surrounding the unsolved death(s) at the heart of the story. I was seriously impressed by how Wescott seemed to go through all the available evidence with a fine tooth comb. He also seems to have a great gasp on the culture of the day, which leads to some startlingly but wholly plausible interpretations of witness statements. While the author clearly has some people he views as highly suspicious, he makes no attempt to find the "true" identity of Jack the Ripper. He just puts all this findings on the table, says which areas merit further investigation, thereby giving future researchers leads to investigate. Essentially, this is the kind of research I respect deeply and I think more true crime books should follow in the footsteps of Wescott.
I should add that this is not a book for people new to the Ripper case. Actually, the book only touches on the first two "canonical" murders of the Ripper, and even less discussion of the latter victims. There's also a lot of discussion of autopsies in here and, while the author clearly has a lot of empathy for how much the victims must have suffered, there's really nothing thrilling or sensational about the descriptions of the gore. You're going to have to pick up another book or movie if you want the latter day penny dreadful treatment of this story. Actually, the just the facts ma'am approach to the violence reminds me a lot of Foreign Faction - Who Really Kidnapped JonBenet? (aka; another book taking a refreshingly level-headed look at an unsolved case.) That isn't to say there isn't a page turning quality to the book. Once the author identified a VERY suspicious witness and her connection to other shady characters, I had that "holy shit!" reaction and raced through the rest of the book.
After reading this book, I do think the "Bank Holiday murders" absolutely deserve to be studied alongside the Ripper murders. Neither set of crimes happened in a vacuum. When know from modern criminology that the ostentatious kind of murders committed by the Ripper don't emerge out of whole cloth, either. Murderers of this type have a tendency to escalate their violence as they learn more about what they like, and how to get away with it. If you chronologically follow the murders discussed in this book and then move on to the canonical Ripper murders, it's very easy to see this exact kind of escalation.
Okay, I clearly could talk about this one all day. If you're at all into this crime, I recommend checking this one out. Maybe open a tab for wikipedia on your kindle to keep up with some of the names? But in a field full of sensationalized, hearsay-ridden books, this one is head and shoulders above the rest.
I should add that this is not a book for people new to the Ripper case. Actually, the book only touches on the first two "canonical" murders of the Ripper, and even less discussion of the latter victims. There's also a lot of discussion of autopsies in here and, while the author clearly has a lot of empathy for how much the victims must have suffered, there's really nothing thrilling or sensational about the descriptions of the gore. You're going to have to pick up another book or movie if you want the latter day penny dreadful treatment of this story. Actually, the just the facts ma'am approach to the violence reminds me a lot of Foreign Faction - Who Really Kidnapped JonBenet? (aka; another book taking a refreshingly level-headed look at an unsolved case.) That isn't to say there isn't a page turning quality to the book. Once the author identified a VERY suspicious witness and her connection to other shady characters, I had that "holy shit!" reaction and raced through the rest of the book.
After reading this book, I do think the "Bank Holiday murders" absolutely deserve to be studied alongside the Ripper murders. Neither set of crimes happened in a vacuum. When know from modern criminology that the ostentatious kind of murders committed by the Ripper don't emerge out of whole cloth, either. Murderers of this type have a tendency to escalate their violence as they learn more about what they like, and how to get away with it. If you chronologically follow the murders discussed in this book and then move on to the canonical Ripper murders, it's very easy to see this exact kind of escalation.
Okay, I clearly could talk about this one all day. If you're at all into this crime, I recommend checking this one out. Maybe open a tab for wikipedia on your kindle to keep up with some of the names? But in a field full of sensationalized, hearsay-ridden books, this one is head and shoulders above the rest.
February 9, 2015
The title of this book is an excellent hook. The Bank Holiday Murders is perfect for an English who done it but then we see it is a true story about one of the most famous murder sprees of all time. We all know what happened in White Chapel.
I have read many books on the Ripper murders. Lists of the victims, the suspects, the journalists and investigators. Wescott's approach is completely different and I would even say a bit radical.
The names and circumstances of the 'known' five Ripper victims have been so well documented that even the most casual of true crime readers are acquainted with the most basic facts but Wescott takes back a few months earlier highlighting the mysterious and often overlooked deaths of Emma Smith and Martha Tabram whom many believe should be included in lists of Ripper Victims.
He takes us deep into the world of Whitechapel. So many times I have read things like "Mary Kelly spent the night in a doss house' and it stopped there. Wescost tells about the 'culture' surrounding these lodgings, who the landlords were and the place of power they held in the community. They were ruthless, corrupt, involved in all sorts of criminal activity and without conscience. Wescott suspects that they were not innocent bystanders during those months of terror. Other strange elements come together. A lying witness is strangely linked to all of the Ripper victims, possible corruption among law enforcement and he even includes the accounts of stories of the local populace of the time that was passed down and remembered by succeeding generations. It is logical to discounted such memories as gossip because such tales grow and lose much in the telling but the people who lived there had their own theories of what happened and why. What they say is startling. Such information should not be completely discounted.
He makes mention of the famous 'shawl' of Catherine Eddowes that has been recently in the news. I believe his explanation to be much more plausible that the explanation we have been given.
Unlike the other 'Case Closed' books out there Wescott admits that he does not know the underlying motive. That 'thing' that ties all of the elements together but there is little disputing that they are linked. I am not really into 'conspiracy theories but the author almost has me convinced that there were people living in Whitechapel who knew perfectly well who Jack the Ripper really was and for whatever reason protected him.
I have read many books on the Ripper murders. Lists of the victims, the suspects, the journalists and investigators. Wescott's approach is completely different and I would even say a bit radical.
The names and circumstances of the 'known' five Ripper victims have been so well documented that even the most casual of true crime readers are acquainted with the most basic facts but Wescott takes back a few months earlier highlighting the mysterious and often overlooked deaths of Emma Smith and Martha Tabram whom many believe should be included in lists of Ripper Victims.
He takes us deep into the world of Whitechapel. So many times I have read things like "Mary Kelly spent the night in a doss house' and it stopped there. Wescost tells about the 'culture' surrounding these lodgings, who the landlords were and the place of power they held in the community. They were ruthless, corrupt, involved in all sorts of criminal activity and without conscience. Wescott suspects that they were not innocent bystanders during those months of terror. Other strange elements come together. A lying witness is strangely linked to all of the Ripper victims, possible corruption among law enforcement and he even includes the accounts of stories of the local populace of the time that was passed down and remembered by succeeding generations. It is logical to discounted such memories as gossip because such tales grow and lose much in the telling but the people who lived there had their own theories of what happened and why. What they say is startling. Such information should not be completely discounted.
He makes mention of the famous 'shawl' of Catherine Eddowes that has been recently in the news. I believe his explanation to be much more plausible that the explanation we have been given.
Unlike the other 'Case Closed' books out there Wescott admits that he does not know the underlying motive. That 'thing' that ties all of the elements together but there is little disputing that they are linked. I am not really into 'conspiracy theories but the author almost has me convinced that there were people living in Whitechapel who knew perfectly well who Jack the Ripper really was and for whatever reason protected him.
March 8, 2015
I'm always amazed how many books and 'new' theories there are on the Ripper murders. No one seems to agree about much to do with the whole sorry tale but I believe it is generally thought that there were 5 Ripper murders.
This book sets out the case that there were at least two earlier killings on successive Bank Holidays in 1888 - Emma Smith and Martha Tabram.
Wescott isn't a sensationalist and sets out his stall clearly and with a cool head. However, he can't completely conceal a thrill of excitement when he uncovers a new lead or expresses a new theory, and his research is both imaginative and painstaking.
What constantly strikes me when I read this book is that this was 1888, not that long back really and when my great grandparents were alive.
And yet the conditions that the literally thousands of poor lived in around Spitalfields and Whitechapel never ceases to shock and appal me however much I read about it.
I especially feel for the numerous desperate women, many alcoholic, prostituting themselves in their filthy clothes each evening to earn enough for food, more drink and hopefully a bed for the night, however vermin ridden the bedding might be.
And all within a short distance of the comparable riches of the City of London. Wescott does an excellent job of bringing this period alive, in all its squalid misery.
Shame that the book was riddled with spelling and grammatical errors.
This book sets out the case that there were at least two earlier killings on successive Bank Holidays in 1888 - Emma Smith and Martha Tabram.
Wescott isn't a sensationalist and sets out his stall clearly and with a cool head. However, he can't completely conceal a thrill of excitement when he uncovers a new lead or expresses a new theory, and his research is both imaginative and painstaking.
What constantly strikes me when I read this book is that this was 1888, not that long back really and when my great grandparents were alive.
And yet the conditions that the literally thousands of poor lived in around Spitalfields and Whitechapel never ceases to shock and appal me however much I read about it.
I especially feel for the numerous desperate women, many alcoholic, prostituting themselves in their filthy clothes each evening to earn enough for food, more drink and hopefully a bed for the night, however vermin ridden the bedding might be.
And all within a short distance of the comparable riches of the City of London. Wescott does an excellent job of bringing this period alive, in all its squalid misery.
Shame that the book was riddled with spelling and grammatical errors.
August 17, 2018
3.5
Some really interesting ideas about these murders! I haven't read any Ripper related stories in a very long time so I can't say for sure whether this is all new info but to me it certainly was new. The only real negative thing I have to say about this was all the names to keep track of. I had a hard time following all the people and names. I think the author probably got really comfortable with all the players and maybe didn't realize that it might be hard for (some) readers to keep easy track of them all.
Some really interesting ideas about these murders! I haven't read any Ripper related stories in a very long time so I can't say for sure whether this is all new info but to me it certainly was new. The only real negative thing I have to say about this was all the names to keep track of. I had a hard time following all the people and names. I think the author probably got really comfortable with all the players and maybe didn't realize that it might be hard for (some) readers to keep easy track of them all.
February 23, 2015
First and foremost, I want to say that I admire the amount and the quality of the research that clearly went into this book. Very impressive work. I did enjoy the passages describing the city of London, specifically the East End, in the latter half of the 19th century. Tom Wescott has certainly done his homework. And looking at the Smith and Tabram murders in the context of The city and society at the time is an interesting premise. Where Mr. Wescott loses me is in the leaps of logic he must take to draw his conclusions. While his theories are interesting, most of the time there just isn't enough solid evidence to back them up. There is just a little too much supposition and a few too many assumptions for me to be comfortable with. Still, an interesting read.
May 7, 2014
I won this book from a contest on Goodreads.
Over 125 years have passed since the Jack The Ripper murders and although it was believed these victims suffered their deaths at the hands of the Ripper, were they? Most, if not all of the police reports on each individual victim have been misplaced or lost with little to nothing to go on for further research. The Jack The Ripper cases, or now referred to as the 'Whitechapel murders", all took place in the slums of Whitechapel and those left behind were in terror for their safety. Whitechapel was known for begging, stealing, prostitution, gangs, and most of the buildings were nothing but hovels and pretty well all living there were living on the edge of crime. The young were especially vulnerable since this is all they'd ever seen or known their whole lives. So when a prostitute was murdered back in the late 1800's, the police were not quick to respond or to even give a damn, for that fact. But as researchers from long ago, up until the present, are bringing to light new facts, (or date), there were many discrepancies that are now questioning exactly who and how many of these victims were, in fact, Jack The Ripper victims. Also, is it fact there was only one person involved or two. Or more? And who and how many faces were involved of these heinous crimes.
Author, Tom Wescott put together an abundance of 'facts' and as more of this 'data' is revealed, we are becoming closer to seeing the truth.
Over 125 years have passed since the Jack The Ripper murders and although it was believed these victims suffered their deaths at the hands of the Ripper, were they? Most, if not all of the police reports on each individual victim have been misplaced or lost with little to nothing to go on for further research. The Jack The Ripper cases, or now referred to as the 'Whitechapel murders", all took place in the slums of Whitechapel and those left behind were in terror for their safety. Whitechapel was known for begging, stealing, prostitution, gangs, and most of the buildings were nothing but hovels and pretty well all living there were living on the edge of crime. The young were especially vulnerable since this is all they'd ever seen or known their whole lives. So when a prostitute was murdered back in the late 1800's, the police were not quick to respond or to even give a damn, for that fact. But as researchers from long ago, up until the present, are bringing to light new facts, (or date), there were many discrepancies that are now questioning exactly who and how many of these victims were, in fact, Jack The Ripper victims. Also, is it fact there was only one person involved or two. Or more? And who and how many faces were involved of these heinous crimes.
Author, Tom Wescott put together an abundance of 'facts' and as more of this 'data' is revealed, we are becoming closer to seeing the truth.
February 28, 2016
Having read many Ripper books, listened to numerous Ripper podcasts and followed the debates on the Ripper's identity for the past 3 decades after joining one of the London Ripper walking tours in the mid-80s, it's refreshing to read a book like Tom Wescott's about events surrounding the Whitechapel Murders that does not come with an underlying "I can finally reveal that Jack the Ripper is...." hypothesis.
Lots of interesting speculation here about the role of the East End landlords and their connections with their "unfortunate" tenants, with some fascinating reappraisals of characters such as Pearly Poll, John McCarthy and Sergeant William Thick and the possible motivations behind their witness statements, things said and unsaid. The focus here is on two early "non-canonicals", Emma Smith and Martha Tabram, though their significance to the whole series of murders is well explored. You will be left speculating on some new perspectives and insights on familiar material and perhaps looking eagerly up dark avenues and interconnected alleyways that are touched upon in other sources, but here seen in a new light. Recommended to anyone interested in the Ripper murders or in Victorian London and crime in general.
Lots of interesting speculation here about the role of the East End landlords and their connections with their "unfortunate" tenants, with some fascinating reappraisals of characters such as Pearly Poll, John McCarthy and Sergeant William Thick and the possible motivations behind their witness statements, things said and unsaid. The focus here is on two early "non-canonicals", Emma Smith and Martha Tabram, though their significance to the whole series of murders is well explored. You will be left speculating on some new perspectives and insights on familiar material and perhaps looking eagerly up dark avenues and interconnected alleyways that are touched upon in other sources, but here seen in a new light. Recommended to anyone interested in the Ripper murders or in Victorian London and crime in general.
July 14, 2014
I have a healthy interest in serial killers that I suppose comes from having grown up on horror movies. They kind of go hand in hand and how could they not? You can get so much inspiration for a horror story from real life. Jack the Ripper is one of the most popular serial killers in history with countless books and movies based on or inspired by the events. The downside to this is how common reading about Jack the Ripper becomes which is why I was very excited to have received this book in a Goodreads giveaway. The Bank Holiday Murders delves into earlier Whitechapel murders to draw lines from them to Jack the Ripper, as well as looks in to a few suspicious persons. It can be a little repetitive at times but not enough to be bothersome and all in all, I found the writing to be quite good. I was never bored while reading and after talking about it with my coworkers, one of them asked to borrow it. Definitely an enjoyable read, I'm very happy to have read this book.
August 11, 2014
More Mysteries
New books about Jack the Ripper carry with them the suspicion that everything they say has been said before. Fortunately, Mr. Westcott has not written yet another case solved book. He focuses on Whitechapel murders that most Ripper scholars do not regard as the handiwork of Jack. His work on the Emma Smith and Martha Tabram murders is impressive and demostrates that witnesses lied and thus some of the reasons for not crediting these murders to Jack vanish. The problem (recognized by the author) is that absent new evidence any new theory, no matter how reasonable, is pure conjecture. He is less successful in his treatment of the 1901 murder of Annie Austin, which occurred inside a crowded lodging house. Although it occurred in Whitechapel, there is a really no other reason for linking it to the Ripper murders. Mr. Westcott has made what we thought we knew less certain and thus this book should be read by those interested in the Whitechapel murders.
New books about Jack the Ripper carry with them the suspicion that everything they say has been said before. Fortunately, Mr. Westcott has not written yet another case solved book. He focuses on Whitechapel murders that most Ripper scholars do not regard as the handiwork of Jack. His work on the Emma Smith and Martha Tabram murders is impressive and demostrates that witnesses lied and thus some of the reasons for not crediting these murders to Jack vanish. The problem (recognized by the author) is that absent new evidence any new theory, no matter how reasonable, is pure conjecture. He is less successful in his treatment of the 1901 murder of Annie Austin, which occurred inside a crowded lodging house. Although it occurred in Whitechapel, there is a really no other reason for linking it to the Ripper murders. Mr. Westcott has made what we thought we knew less certain and thus this book should be read by those interested in the Whitechapel murders.
July 5, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I think the author's points are very interesting and valid. The amount of research that has gone into the books is very clear. We will, in all likelihood, never find out the truth about all the Whitechapel murders, but I found the focus on these particular murders makes it clear that there was much more going on than simply random attacks. How many coincidences before it's not a coincidence anymore? The book is much more than a rehash or even a review of the Ripper Murders. If that is what you are looking to for here, you will be disappointed. Perhaps it might show that beyond the Ripper Murders there was a conspiracy to protect a person or people that may have little or nothing to do with a figure we know as Jack the Ripper. What murders were connected to whom? That answer might be the most important clue to the truth.
August 11, 2014
An informative but interesting look at the Whitechapel Murders, including those that have not been explicitly linked to Jack The Ripper but could potentially be his victims.
I've read a few Jack the Ripper books and watched countless documentaries on the subject and after a while it all begins to blur and often seems like a cut and paste repeat of information that is thrown at you but I didn't feel like this book did that at all. It was fresh and concise and I enjoyed that.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone interested in more gruesome history, Jack The Ripper or true-crime.
I've read a few Jack the Ripper books and watched countless documentaries on the subject and after a while it all begins to blur and often seems like a cut and paste repeat of information that is thrown at you but I didn't feel like this book did that at all. It was fresh and concise and I enjoyed that.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone interested in more gruesome history, Jack The Ripper or true-crime.
May 20, 2014
A very interesting book that give a lot of useful infos about first Whitechapel murders and Lords of Spitalfields Area. Tom Wescott, as a detective, bring the readers in the dark alleys of the Ripper crimes. Murders, false leads, corruption and prostitution. All the ingredients that make this book compelling, unique and must-read.
May 4, 2015
A really interesting reassessment of the earlier murders in the Ripper series - certainly made me rethink my stance on them. More than that it's a very readable book; I couldn't put it down!
October 15, 2020
Eye Opening
As someone who has been interested in Jack the Ripper for many years I must say that I found more new information here than anywhere in a long time. It opens up a whole new angle on the subject. Very very good if this sort of thing interests you.
As someone who has been interested in Jack the Ripper for many years I must say that I found more new information here than anywhere in a long time. It opens up a whole new angle on the subject. Very very good if this sort of thing interests you.
April 5, 2019
This book takes some understanding and it certainly had me shaking my head on a regular basis.
One of the appendices to Alan Moore's superlative "From Hell" is an illustrated history of the murky history of the psuedo science that is Ripperology that he calls "Dance of the Gull catichers". This has a particular and fully intentional irony given who the killer is in his work, but is also a play on the verb "to gull" meaning to deceive. Moore has an amazing image of authors with butterfly nets chasing forlornly after the metaphorical gull that is Jack the Ripper. Each hoping to catch him with their own theory and put a face to the legend His point is that Jack eludes everyone, he is a faceless legend that allows anyone to tack their ideas onto him. He opines that eventually the only new evidence will be the revelation of Mary Jane Kelly's shoe size. Real information that does add to our knowledge of the victims but adds nothing at all to the understanding of the killer who destroyed her body. Mr Wescott seems not to have read this opus.
The study of the crimes of the individual immortalised as "Jack the Ripper" have inspired many to produce works of a remarkably wide spectrum of credibility. Many of the inferior ones decide on a suspect and pick what evidence supports their claim and support that with earnest claims of "you can't prove it wasn't him!" The spectrum winds it's way up from improbable indiviiduals and incredble conspiracies to the truly elite ones who simply provide the known facts and let the reader sort it out for themselves.
Mr Wescott has a novel approach to this that somehow integrates all these aspects. He concentrates on the murders of Emma Smith and Martha Tabram, both of whose deaths, post mortems anc coroners inquests are discussed at length. He presents new information that does have strong bearing on understanding these murders and his analysis of the information of "Peariy Poll" is well worth consideration for any Ripperologist.
This is where the problems start as Mr Wescott clearly senses a dark conspiracy, but cannot find enough evidence to prove it, or even explicitly state it. Ir is typical of this book, that even when he introduces one of what he calls the "Lords of Spitalfield" he tells us that the man barely appears in history and it is difficult to find any evidence about him.
He believes the killer lived at 19 George Yard but is loathe to suggest who it was. He presents strong evidence of a cartel of lodging house owners who were the "Lords of Spitalfield", men who were linked to many of the "unfortunates" who would pass through their properties. From this,he hypothesises that these men were kiding the killer and leaps to great (if questionable) conclusions about their relationships but again endearingly admits there is no evidence that would allow him to say why they would do so, or indeed what they gained from protecting a man who brought both noteriety and unwelcome official investigators to businesses that would not stand up to any such in depth enquiry.
He establishes beyond reasonable doubt that Sgt Thick and aspects of H Division were 'dirty' cops and hints at them also covering the killer without saying why they might do so. He exonerates Thick of being the killer but believes his 'fitting up' of Pizer means he was acting on the behalf of a Shadow man. This "Shadow Man" is an obsession with Wescott. Every single aspect that may appear odd is linked to this unnamed puppet master. As you may have begun to suspect,given what is written above, he admits there isn't enough evidence to identify this individual ( or actuallyprove his existence, to my mind) despite the leaps of logic that are performed by the author as he tries to draw the reader into this most opaque of conspiracies. A lot of his conclusions present a man who decided that Ockham's Razor is a dull thing indeed.
I give it 3 stars because of the interesting research he has done and the insight into Whitechapel
but the conclusions are over stretched and the refusal to even say
One of the appendices to Alan Moore's superlative "From Hell" is an illustrated history of the murky history of the psuedo science that is Ripperology that he calls "Dance of the Gull catichers". This has a particular and fully intentional irony given who the killer is in his work, but is also a play on the verb "to gull" meaning to deceive. Moore has an amazing image of authors with butterfly nets chasing forlornly after the metaphorical gull that is Jack the Ripper. Each hoping to catch him with their own theory and put a face to the legend His point is that Jack eludes everyone, he is a faceless legend that allows anyone to tack their ideas onto him. He opines that eventually the only new evidence will be the revelation of Mary Jane Kelly's shoe size. Real information that does add to our knowledge of the victims but adds nothing at all to the understanding of the killer who destroyed her body. Mr Wescott seems not to have read this opus.
The study of the crimes of the individual immortalised as "Jack the Ripper" have inspired many to produce works of a remarkably wide spectrum of credibility. Many of the inferior ones decide on a suspect and pick what evidence supports their claim and support that with earnest claims of "you can't prove it wasn't him!" The spectrum winds it's way up from improbable indiviiduals and incredble conspiracies to the truly elite ones who simply provide the known facts and let the reader sort it out for themselves.
Mr Wescott has a novel approach to this that somehow integrates all these aspects. He concentrates on the murders of Emma Smith and Martha Tabram, both of whose deaths, post mortems anc coroners inquests are discussed at length. He presents new information that does have strong bearing on understanding these murders and his analysis of the information of "Peariy Poll" is well worth consideration for any Ripperologist.
This is where the problems start as Mr Wescott clearly senses a dark conspiracy, but cannot find enough evidence to prove it, or even explicitly state it. Ir is typical of this book, that even when he introduces one of what he calls the "Lords of Spitalfield" he tells us that the man barely appears in history and it is difficult to find any evidence about him.
He believes the killer lived at 19 George Yard but is loathe to suggest who it was. He presents strong evidence of a cartel of lodging house owners who were the "Lords of Spitalfield", men who were linked to many of the "unfortunates" who would pass through their properties. From this,he hypothesises that these men were kiding the killer and leaps to great (if questionable) conclusions about their relationships but again endearingly admits there is no evidence that would allow him to say why they would do so, or indeed what they gained from protecting a man who brought both noteriety and unwelcome official investigators to businesses that would not stand up to any such in depth enquiry.
He establishes beyond reasonable doubt that Sgt Thick and aspects of H Division were 'dirty' cops and hints at them also covering the killer without saying why they might do so. He exonerates Thick of being the killer but believes his 'fitting up' of Pizer means he was acting on the behalf of a Shadow man. This "Shadow Man" is an obsession with Wescott. Every single aspect that may appear odd is linked to this unnamed puppet master. As you may have begun to suspect,given what is written above, he admits there isn't enough evidence to identify this individual ( or actuallyprove his existence, to my mind) despite the leaps of logic that are performed by the author as he tries to draw the reader into this most opaque of conspiracies. A lot of his conclusions present a man who decided that Ockham's Razor is a dull thing indeed.
I give it 3 stars because of the interesting research he has done and the insight into Whitechapel
but the conclusions are over stretched and the refusal to even say
October 19, 2021
Intriguing read. It's helped fuel ideas for my MA thesis!
January 30, 2016
Currently, I'm participating in a challenge that requires the participants to read a book outside of their usual interests, so I choose true crime. And, I further complicated my reading choice with another challenge that required a book about Jack the Ripper. There are many books on the topic of Jack Ripper as there are many that find the cold case irresistible. There is even a collective name for these writers/researchers, 'ripperologists.' The book I chose examines the beginning of the brutal crime wave against down on their luck women in the notorious Victorian slums of Whitechapel.
The Bank Holiday Murders evaluates the evidence, testimony, eyewitnesses, corrupt officers, faulty police procedures, and the accused. Tom Wescott, the author, also provides first hand accounts about the lives of the victims. The book was written to establish the connections between the early Bank Holiday murders as potentially Jack the Ripper's earliest work. Wescott doesn't proclaim that his book will solve the murders but he does spend a great deal of time tying certain people to the crime that range from police investigators to eyewitnesses, both of which have been questionable in contributing to solving the mystery.
I did learn quite a bit from the book and this was an interesting break from the norm. Reading Wescott's book has prompted my interest to read more about the social conditions in London's East End at the turn of the 20th century with a special focus on women, children, and immigrants.
*** stars
The Bank Holiday Murders evaluates the evidence, testimony, eyewitnesses, corrupt officers, faulty police procedures, and the accused. Tom Wescott, the author, also provides first hand accounts about the lives of the victims. The book was written to establish the connections between the early Bank Holiday murders as potentially Jack the Ripper's earliest work. Wescott doesn't proclaim that his book will solve the murders but he does spend a great deal of time tying certain people to the crime that range from police investigators to eyewitnesses, both of which have been questionable in contributing to solving the mystery.
I did learn quite a bit from the book and this was an interesting break from the norm. Reading Wescott's book has prompted my interest to read more about the social conditions in London's East End at the turn of the 20th century with a special focus on women, children, and immigrants.
*** stars
November 9, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. I have read many "Ripper" books over the years and towards the end of this book Tom Wescott gives what I thought to be a very real possibility as to what these murders were all about. I have never heard this theory before, but then I haven't read every book on the subject. I don't want to reveal his solution in this review but I do highly recommend it. Tom Wescott expands what is known as the "canonical five" (there are five victims that are more popularly believed to be "Ripper" victims, though even some of these are debated) by including a couple of earlier possible victims. Tom does a great job as a researcher. The reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because there are several places where typos are made. I bought my copy as a Kindle book and for some reason Kindle books don't always get the proper amount of editing. I hope that for future readers that can be improved. Read it! One of the best "Ripper" book yet! (As far as I know)
September 10, 2016
Having grown up in England, Jack the Ripper has always been a story I've known about and been extremely interested in, which meant I incredibly excited when I was lucky enough to receive a copy of the book through a Goodreads Giveaway.
This book is fascinating as it introduced me to some other potential key players in the Whitechapel area who may have been linked to the murders. It also details murders which have not been officially linked to the Ripper, yet do bare some interesting similarities. It definitely left me with more questions than I had in the beginning about who the Ripper could have been, and gave a fascinating insight into how the East End truly operated in that time.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in this dark part of London history.
This book is fascinating as it introduced me to some other potential key players in the Whitechapel area who may have been linked to the murders. It also details murders which have not been officially linked to the Ripper, yet do bare some interesting similarities. It definitely left me with more questions than I had in the beginning about who the Ripper could have been, and gave a fascinating insight into how the East End truly operated in that time.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in this dark part of London history.
March 9, 2015
I found this book very interesting. I read it just after reading "Naming Jack the Ripper" by Russell Edwards, which of course names Aaron Kosminski as 'Jack'. Very interesting that Tom Wescott says that he thinks that the ripper would be well known, quite affluent and yet would blend easily into the population of Whitechapel. This would fit Kosminski,, a resident of Whitechapel, a hairdresser, from a family of well known Jewish tailors .
Also we know from other psychopaths, from small beginnings the problem gets gradually worse. Without the medication that psychopaths get today, Aaron gradually rotted in the asylum .
Worth a read.
Also we know from other psychopaths, from small beginnings the problem gets gradually worse. Without the medication that psychopaths get today, Aaron gradually rotted in the asylum .
Worth a read.
March 30, 2015
I enjoyed Mr. Wescott's analysis of the first Whitechapel murders. His writing, while somewhat clinical in its delivery, made for easy consumption. It bears mentioning that I was made aware of this book from his interview on the "Generation Why Podcast." Worth a read of you have any interest in Jack the Ripper, especially if you are intrigued by the societal norms during which these murders took place.
January 27, 2016
I gave this book my best shot but finally gave up on it. I own it so I can return to it at some time.
For some reason, it just didn't thrill me. I kept reading other books, I don't know if I couldn't get into it because I kept reading other books or if I was reading other books because I couldn't get into this book.
Anyway, for now it is on the DNF shelf, but I'm not rating it as unreadable.
For some reason, it just didn't thrill me. I kept reading other books, I don't know if I couldn't get into it because I kept reading other books or if I was reading other books because I couldn't get into this book.
Anyway, for now it is on the DNF shelf, but I'm not rating it as unreadable.
October 25, 2015
new take on Ripper case
This was a really interesting book looking at the Whitechapel murders and connecting some dots between the ripper victims as well as earlier and later murders. I got a little lost with the different names of a wide cast of characters, but all in all, I learned a lot of facts I hadn't been aware of before.
This was a really interesting book looking at the Whitechapel murders and connecting some dots between the ripper victims as well as earlier and later murders. I got a little lost with the different names of a wide cast of characters, but all in all, I learned a lot of facts I hadn't been aware of before.
August 31, 2014
An excellent book by Tom Wescott. The Bank Holiday Murders is a must read for anyone interested in The Whitechapel Murders.
February 2, 2018
I'm giving this five stars. First, because Tom has used a different approach than the few other authors on this topic. Newspapers of that era, especially the ones local to the areas concerned, those I've never heard of previously and relied little on former writers, many of whom have somewhat fantastic suppositions, such as Patricia Cornwall, an otherwise pretty good writer of murder mysteries.
Secondly, the writing itself is superb. As a lifelong book addict I'm very particular about how anything is written. I've tossed books for no other reason. Finally reading a ' classic ' by Hemingway, For Whom the Bell Tolls. If I came across one more "I love you! "' I love you more! '" I thought it'd be physically ill. I threw it against the wall and swore I'd never read another of his very highly overrated crap. Why this is considered an American classic is beyond me.
Thirdly, often Tom acknowledges that what he's found during his wonderfully in depth research may be of taken with a grain of salt. He further admits he could be in error on some issues. He's come to no different conclusions, unlike so many authors.
Too, as another reader has mentioned, Tom has given us names of individuals and places I've never come across previously. Marvelous! Details of life at that time in those sections of the ' Unfortunates ' presents a closer look of the worst slums in London. A far more sympathetic look, not one of depredations, but of a hopeless that we here can't possibly comprehend.
I'll be starting shortly on his follow up book, and have taken his advice on reading more on this subject and have ordered a few of his recommended books.
Thanks, Tom, for shedding a different light and for your humility. I saw no obvious ego peeking through!
WH
Secondly, the writing itself is superb. As a lifelong book addict I'm very particular about how anything is written. I've tossed books for no other reason. Finally reading a ' classic ' by Hemingway, For Whom the Bell Tolls. If I came across one more "I love you! "' I love you more! '" I thought it'd be physically ill. I threw it against the wall and swore I'd never read another of his very highly overrated crap. Why this is considered an American classic is beyond me.
Thirdly, often Tom acknowledges that what he's found during his wonderfully in depth research may be of taken with a grain of salt. He further admits he could be in error on some issues. He's come to no different conclusions, unlike so many authors.
Too, as another reader has mentioned, Tom has given us names of individuals and places I've never come across previously. Marvelous! Details of life at that time in those sections of the ' Unfortunates ' presents a closer look of the worst slums in London. A far more sympathetic look, not one of depredations, but of a hopeless that we here can't possibly comprehend.
I'll be starting shortly on his follow up book, and have taken his advice on reading more on this subject and have ordered a few of his recommended books.
Thanks, Tom, for shedding a different light and for your humility. I saw no obvious ego peeking through!
WH
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews