The Times, July 11. 1972

The Times
July 11, 1972

An article that appeared shortly after the passing of Dr. Francis Camps.

The Times Diary Camps: Cited in Ripper case

Dr Francis Camps, the criminal pathologist who died on Saturday, was, I learn, involved in the investigation of perhaps the most celebrated murders ever: those of Jack the Ripper. Daniel Farson, the writer, consulted Camps for his unpublished study, Jack the Ripper, which comes out from Michael Joseph in October.

Camps had long been interested in Jack the Ripper's identity through his association with the London Hospital, near which nearly all the five (or six) murders of "unfortunate" women occurred. Camps and Farson corresponded as Farson's investigations proceeded and spent an afternoon together at which Camps said of Farson's suspect: "He's the type of person you're looking for. He's the only one who fits. I always thought the Ripper was well-educated."

Camps later wrote to Farson: " really must congratulate you on your research. I am sure that you have got the answer at last." Camps assured Farson that evidence that his suspect committed suicide fits in with the sudden end of the Ripper's murders, and said he thought the mutilations of the victims were too clumsy for a doctor, even working quickly in the dark. Indeed, he writes (in the foreward he has contributed to Farson's study: "Any surgeon who operated in this manner would have been struck off the Medical Register"). [sic]

Who then is Jack the Ripper? Well, I can assure you (Having myself produced his alibi) that it is not the Duke of Clarence, as was recently suggested. Beyond that I am honour bound to allow Farson himself to reveal the name of the man both he and Camps thought to be be Ripper.

Time: Who Was Jack the Ripper? (1970)

The 1970 Time article that introduced Dr. Stowells "Clarence" theory to the world.

World: Who Was Jack the Ripper?

Who Was Jack the Ripper?

Who Was Jack the Ripper?

Time article from 1970 which introduced Stowell and his "Prince Jack" theory to a wider audience.

Burgho's Offspring...

Here's an interesting snippet from The American Kennel Club Stud-book (1889 ed.).

It seems that not only did Burgho have numerous off-spring, but Mr. Brough was not shy about associating him with the Ripper case:


The American Kennel Club Stud-book By American Kennel Club, American Kennel Club

"Jack the Ripper" was one of 9 dogs fathered by Burgho that year. Barnaby fathered a further two.

Dr Thomas Openshaw.

A photo of Doctor Thomas Openshaw-best known to the Ripper community as the doctor who examined the Lusk Kidney-in the midst of an operation, circa 1905.

A recent donation of Dr. Openshaw's medals, photographs and other papers to the Royal London Hospital Archives and Museum by his grandson, led to the composition of an interesting article by Assistant Archivist Kate Hughes. While the photographs and papers now reside in the Hospital Archives as "The Openshaw Archive", the medals are on display at the Royal London Hospital Museum, where they can be seen Monday to Friday, 10 am to 4:30 pm

The article is of interest to anyone studying the Ripper case, but in particular those whose impressions of Dr. Openshaw have been entirely formed on the basis of the Lusk kidney and his part in it's story. Earlier Ripper books ascribed many claims to Openshaw in regards to the Lusk kidney--claims that no competent medical man could make without looking foolish. Fortunately it is know accepted that Openshaw's actual pronouncements about the kidney were more modest and entirely plausible.

However many of us in the Ripper community are probably woefully underinformed about the life and career of this eminent doctor. While his role in the Ripper case was brief, his achievements in medicine were quite extensive, as were his social activities.

Read the article here.

To the right is a photograph of a mechanical hand designed by Dr. Openshaw during WW1. It is in the possession of the National Museum of Science and Industry.