That Rodney Street Spectre one really gets my goat!
At least he gets William Mackenzie's name right... it has only taken him 12 years!
Printable View
That Rodney Street Spectre one really gets my goat!
At least he gets William Mackenzie's name right... it has only taken him 12 years!
I take it you all like him then :unibrow:
I've personally nothing against him and have bought some of his books, the problem I do have is that these books are considered (but never actually said in black and white) to be real stories when if people know that area in particular, the stories make no sense at all. There are three stories of which I have read which have made no sense due to their locations/dates or involvement of the stories and therefore don't buy any more of his books.
There was a letter in the echo, suggesting some one make a television show based on his books! There was one in the sixties, Jackanory!!!!:PDT11
Was It an elderly person? They always write letters to papers saying he deserves some kind of award.Quote:
Originally Posted by verdi
Another Slemon error.
There is a story about two people breaking in to a house in Low Hill and eating a load of food before finding out from a pub that the house in question was a place where some old chap used to use animals in his food.
Was this an original Slemen story? Was it arse - Recollections of Old Liverpool - Stonehouse came up with this years before Slemen's time!!!
"There once lived a curious person at Low-hill who had peculiar tastes. He built a place which was called ?Rat?s Castle.? It stood on the brink p. 155of a delf, the site of which is now occupied by the Prescot-street Bridewell. This person used to try experiments with food, such as cooking spiders, blackbeetles, rats, cats, mice, and other things not in common use; and, it is said, was wont to play off tricks upon unsuspecting strangers by placing banquets before them that were quite unexpected and unprecedented in the nature and condition of the food."
He he... reminds me of the Rev. William Buckland who was an eminent geologist, biologist and one of those typical 19th century gentlemen with too much time on their hands. He is said to have eaten his way through the animal kingdom including hedgehogs, leopards, crocodile, bluebottle and the mole - which he thought disgusting. A short biography here.
Recollections of Old Liverpool p. 155 is what Cadfael is on about.
Unfortunately Stonehouse shares one bad habit with Slemen himself - he isn't too fond of referencing his work or telling us where it came from.
If you look at the original MS of "Recollections of Old Liverpool" (in the LRO) its clear that Stonehouse often altered and changed his stories to suit different publications. So I am reluctant to take him as 100% truthful.
I would love to know the origins of this piece of fiction:
Unexplained Mysteries Discussion Forums > The monster lurking in the rubbish chute.
I lived in those flats as did many of my older relatives going back to the 1940s after being bombed out of surrounding streets and none can recall there ever being such a thing or even rumour of such a thing. It's always a christian name or 'a women' or 'some men' - something which cannot be verified.
I've read some of TS's books - and most of the stories are IMO not very good. Some of the well known stories are obviously not based on fact and seem to me to be based on TS's opinion on what probably happened.
Well that's my view anyway.
Whilst reading about Debz D'Annunzio's new Little Italy book in the Flashback section of the Echo on saturday, I couldn't help notice that alongside it was Tom's weekly column.
It was somewhat strange though that he said he had to change a few surnames and details in the story that followed whilst assuring us that it was true. Anyone know why out of interest. The story also featured an unbelievable piece regarding a detective that guessed a crime before it happened. In the smog that engulfed Liverpool in winter 1952, the detective clearly made out the silhouette of an offender only to find out he was actually dead. Clearly a case then of mistaken identity :rolleyes:
Do you have the inspectors name? If so, it would be quite simple to check if he was a real person. The police are usually one of the best public services in terms of keeping their records.
In fact, after a few moments googleing I've found Merseyside Police. I'm sure you're inspectors name would be mentioned in one of these journals.
Still, even if the inspector is a real person, it doesn't mean what happened to him was real. In my opinion Tom does sometimes take 'real' people and place them in his stories - at least when he can be bothered to undertake his "extensive research".
My mother has a few of teh Tom Slemen boooks and I have read one or two of his bits in the local press.
I wonder just how much is true?
In the early 90s there was a series of books about haunted airfileds by another author - the first two or three sounded plausible - but by the time volume 6 or so came along - well it all started reading a bit "woolly" if you see what I mean! Basically a successful formula was being exploited.
John
I think you've hit the nail on the head there. His earlier stories were re-tellings of Richard Whittington-Egan tales and even some that were original and possibly plausible involving common paranormal phenomenon (cloud cities, lost villages etc...).Quote:
Originally Posted by irishseashipping.com
I am an open critic of Tom Slemen, and have actually been banned from his website forum for posting material that contradicts his stories. I was not rude or provocative on his forum, I simply posted some of my research). Even though I re-posted the material on Mackenzie I had first gathered here on YoLiverpool, Tom still won't accept it. Whether or not Mackenzie is buried upright pales into insignificane when Tom still believes that he was buried with his Wife and his Mistress... it was in fact his first and second wife as is recorded for all to see both on the pyramid itself and the transcription in the Liverpool Record Office (ref: H 929.5 GIB if you wanna check).
It is Toms complete lack of intellectual curiosity into other peoples points of view if they come anywhere near to criticising him that gets up my nose. It is because of his popularist, narrow-minded and self-indulgent style that he is considered by most of the 'paranormal community' to be little more than a novelty writer. Even the Jack the Ripper community (although much politer than I am) seem to be weary of him and his soon-to-be-published-but-never-actually-seen meisterwerk.
It is well known that there are other vocal critics of Tom whom he attacks as bitter and jealous unsucessful writers who are envious of his fame.
I am neither writer nor am I unsucessful, I just enjoy the persuance of historical facts over popular folklore.
Folklore has it's place of course, and I am a great lover of folktales... but when they are recognised as folktales. When the folktale starts to overtake the historical fact (as in the case of William Mackenzie) I do get annoyed.
Sorry about this rant, I know it's petty and won't make one iotas worth of difference but I was looking at a Liverpool Council Published guide and noticed the Slemen William Mckenzie story was given verbitam, without the littlest nod that he was responsible for some of the most important railway construction projects in the world... and made his home in our fair city.
I don't think those that followed the Julia Wallace case closely are in agreement with him either about his 'findings' regarding a death bed confession that it was the next door neighbour that did it.
The 'local detective' to Scotland Road (so I would hazard a guess at Rose Hill or Athol St Bridewells, though he mentions neither) is given the name 'Rockerby' by him but he's already covered his tracks by stating he's changed his name, but why, there is nothing worth hiding in the story, apart from its plausibility. Vinnie Monash was the name given to the 'habitual thief' who lived at Richmond Row though of course, this can't be proven either which is very convenient.
The story takes on a view similar to the Stan Ridgeway song camouflage all about a Marine who saves a life in combat but couldn't have as he was found to have been dead days ago, only in the TS story, the silouetted man was Monash but he had died days ago and was laid out in his coffin at home when the detective knocked.
Now the story is largely based on the detectives intuition which TS said many develop over the years against certain crims, knowing their every move and even next move, it was this that led him to stake out a shop being burgled where (if the story was true, was just a case of mistaken identity in the smog that the story makes great mention about). The trouble is, this detective didn't seem to know that the well known local crim, that he seemed to know everything about, was in fact dead. So much for his detectives intuition then.
I knew John way back in the day, went to school with him right through from jnr's until we left school altogether. Never knew his middle name was Magin (not suprised he kept that a secret a good beating would have been in order with that name):D unlike some other's John does believe in the supernatural and has done since our school days, i remember him telling us about astral projection and how we laughed and wished there was a bog near to shove his head in. (bit of a school tradition) Seriously though he's a decent bloke once you put aside the mumbo jumbo, i notice a comment that implied he was a bit of a conman and if no cash was involved he wouldn't be seen for dust.
I always remember him as being a generous lad and willing to help people but i suppose we can all change over time and if that's true then it's sad to hear.
p.s anyone got any info on the strange ghostly apparition of a monk in roby church, i remember being told about it as a teenager but have no idea of the tale behind it. NO Slemmen you can't use it.:unibrow:
I knew Tom years back when he had his flat in Wavertree. He had just published his first book and was doing stuff on the radio with Billy Butler in the old Stanley Street building. ( must have been radio city ).
I did not care about his books as I knew him as a lad you could have a laugh and joke with and good old pint. He talked about his stories but also about football, TV etc.
Sadly over the years he seems to have withdrawn from people that he knew, its his choice of course and he can live his life as he feels. My last contact with him was a couple of years ago when I had to tell him to credit a friend of mine for her story that he claimed was his. Since then i have not seen or heared from him.
Its sad because I remember him as that Laughing and joking younger lad, and he was a funny guy at times.
From what i've heard Tom is a lovely guy to meet and talk to.
It still doesn't mean his books aren't a pile of utter tripe and his methods of 'research' highly dubious.
He may well have even withdrawn from people who knew him because he's created this second persona who is all knowledgable of the supernatural all of a sudden. I expect he may well be a nice person, I saw him at the Big history festival in the St Georges Hall and my friend remarked that the biggest mystery was why he hadn't sued his barber.
anyone know how.. ?
Have you googled him, I think he has a website.
I do know Mrs Zappa is in touch with him . Not in the spirit world either.:PDT11
I think he has been found out and we should perhaps just accept the books for what they are. Most of them are for sale cheap on market stalls anyway. Nuff said!
lol. That is a really funny show, shame they didn't make a second seriesQuote:
Originally Posted by fortinian
I know John Kennedy well, he is a very generous and private guy who gives without taking in life.Quote:
Originally Posted by the joker
I met him some 8 years ago when he came to "clear" my Home.He asked for nothing and was only too happy to put him self out on his only day off work to come over to chat.
John is a very kind guy and has stayed in touch with us.
I would just like to say Please dont knock the guy, he does NOT get Monetry gain out of his work.....He puts himself out for others and is a very Positive and helpful man...Pity there are not more out there like him!!
Thank you.
Annette.
Being a paranormal investigator myself, I do know Tom. I am sure he would be pleased to know that he has a thread on this forum. lol. Even tho he has his own forum, bet he would be chuffed.
He might not be too happy about the content though linda :)
Have you ever found anything in Liverpool of interest or worthy of discussion here (I know there will be certain customer confidentiality)
How about Tom's private investigator side kick Keith Andrews. Any news on him solving the Wallace or Jack the Ripper murder cases yet?
As in Detective Andrews!Quote:
Originally Posted by Ged
Just been reading the various threads about Tom. I think quite a few of the posts do Tom a great disservice. He has resurrected a deeply rooted interest in urban mythology and paranomal activity (in a survey a few years back ober 50% questioned said they believed in ghosts). His stories come from a number of sources, including a huge response from the public. (I know because, as his publisher I receive mail and phone calls every week). Why criticise Tom for trying to earn a living providing books that the public want to buy?
However, the point about this post is to say the Jack the Ripper book will be out early April. The delay is on my side - I wanted to have the book read first by experts in the field to make sure the case stacks up. I have been stunned by the response. Richard Whittington-Egan, one of the foremost Ripper experts in the world has written back "meticulously researched, it is sharply written, thoroughly readable, and totally fress in the mystery-solving direction which it takes ....
Slemen and Andrews' offering is without question an extremely significant addition to the shelf of worthwhile studies of the East End enigma."
I was not prepared to publish until I had received expert approval - so now it is full steam ahead. This book will create a stir!
I expect Chris George and a few other Ripperologists on this site will welcome the new addition and look forward to hearing their responses. Regarding resurrecting urban mythology and paranormal activity. That is fine if substantiated. I do know someone who told Tom about something he said happened, then told me privately that it might not have been exactly like that as it was a long time ago and his memory was a bit fuzzy, but would it then appear then as fact, I don't know if it did?
Colin. Do you know of Tom and Keith's work and take on the Wallace murder. Wasn't he made to withdraw some claims as slander to the Johnston family?
I expect his books and the sales have been brilliant for you and him but after the Gerard Gardens serpent story and the ridicule of him that surfaced locally after it, I must take some of the stories with a pinch of salt but as long as you do, then they're great :)
Hi Ged,
As far as I know, Tom hasn't changed his opinion about the Johnson's. There is no slander or libel because the Johnsons are dead and you can make any allegations you want about anyone who is dead (but make sure they are dead first!). As far as I know, Tom is not planning a book on the Wallace case in the near future.
Of course, Tom can take criticism on the chin and it is up to the readers to make up their minds. If you don't believe in ghosts etc then everything is just fairy stories but Tom is following a grand tradition (Elliott O'Donnell and others) who have mined a rich seam in folk memories. Let's face it, you get a small group together and ask each one whether they have had any strange experiences and I bet the majority will come back with a story. One important point is that Tom's books are read widely, particularly in schools. It may not be an intentional aim - but his books have helped a lot of children with their reading (and this is from teachers and librarians who regularly contact me for Tom to give talks in schools).
Rant over!
Rant acknowledged ;)
Not fair on the individuals who aren't alive to defend themselves though is it? Tom told me a few years ago that he was writing a book on the Wallace Case from the Johnston's angle. Seems a bit much to base a whole concept around the supposed 'confession' of a man with senile dementia though...Quote:
Originally Posted by Colin Wilkinson
A confession which wasn't forthcoming anyway though according to the living relatives of the Johnstons.
:lol:Quote:
Of course, Tom can take criticism on the chin
Met and briefly spoke to Tom Slemen a few years ago in town. An ex-girlfriend of mine recognised him, being a fan, and he was very polite. Pull apart his work all you like, whether it be through professional differences or plain jealousy, but the man is a success.
Yep good luck to him, nowt to be jealous of though, some write facts and some write what is open to speculation. :)
I'm sure he's a nice man too, he has people coming up to him with their ghost stories. Colin of course will love him and there's nothing wrong in that.
Some of his stories do seem far fetched. Saying that, not read any for a while, I liked his local Ghost Stories, when I borrowed a few books he written off my ex, I skimmed through his folklore-type stories. But to have an open mind, and people all over the planet worships beings they have not seen (God), well, his stories may have merit.
But all in all, he seemed a very decent chap when he chatted to my ex. Thanking her for buying his book. I'm only
judging him from personal experience.
Thanks Kid Amigo. Tom is always a pleasure to deal with (as his publisher I would say that). What is important is that his material comes directly from the public. I was with Tom at the Big History Show this weekend, in St George's Hall, and he had a constant stream of people bringing him new stories, photos and information. Remarkably, he spent twenty minutes writing down a weird timewarp experience from one ex-serviceman in his eighties when - some half an hour later - another woman, entirely unconnected - related a virtually similar personal experience. Make what you want of it - but Tom is just passing on these stories for your interest and enjoyment.
On another point - Tom's book on the Ripper is expected late-April. It is definitely worth a read (publisher talking again).
Colin and Tom doing a roaring trade last saturday. I believe Group 4 had to escort them home with all the money they reaped in :)
http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/7...omslhf2010.jpg
.