Wow! That was quick! HA HA
Hi Kev, Hi Chris
Firstly an answer to Kev. Yes you can swap my picture to whatever 'Avatar' is. I'm not at all good with these computer things so you will have to do it for me! Was the photo I uploaded too large or something?
And now to you Chris!
You shot me down so fast I'd hardly got into the air! HA HA HA
To be honest with you the subject of the handwriting in the diary is one of the most contentious issues to devide the pro and the against camps. I am not so bothered by the fact that the handwriting in the diary does not match the known examples of Maybrick's. I personally believe that a persons handwriting could change quite dramatically when they might be in such a state of mental torment (and/or possibly suffering with a multiple personality disorder). For me it is what the diary actually SAYS that is most important. I used to have a schoolmaster years ago called, funnily enough, Mr May whom I asked once for an example of his handwriting (there had been an article in a national newspaper at the time of how you can tell a lot about a person from their handwriting and I had developed an interest in the subject). He said to me before he wrote anything that he had three different styles that he used for different things. He then in front of me wrote the same passage of words in three completely different styles. For this reason alone I am not prepared to dismiss the diary purely on handwriting alone.
I also think it very likely that either Edwin or Michael Maybrick wrote the will of James's that survives today. Michael Maybrick was an odd character and I would like to see examples of his and Edwins handwriting. The other person I wish we all had more info on in all of this is Maybrick's best friend George Davison. Davison I'm sure (in the end) knew James's secret and if I'm not wrong died not so long afterwards in mysterious circumstances. The epitath 'There shall be no more death' on Michael Maybricks grave at Ryde on the Isle Of Wight intregues me. Michael was known as a pretty cold fish yet he eventually married (well beneath him) his house keeper. Could it be possible that she had somehow come to know the Maybrick families 'Big Secret' and he (a very prominent Freemason) had married her to prevent the scandal from coming out?
Yes Chris, I know this is all wild conjecture and unsustainable by the facts but isn't it just this kind of discussion that makes the Ripper case so facinating and enjoyable!
I shall expect to be further 'riddled with bullets'!
All the best,
Tony.
It seems we are drawing a crowd Chris!
Hello again,
Thanks very much for posting the photo of Michael Maybricks grave, I'd not seen a picture of it before. I agree that multiple personality disorder is very rare and I conceed that there is no evidence that James had it but as I said I have seen with my own eyes somebody write in very different styles so I cannot discount the validity of the diary purely because of the handwriting.
As far as the diary being written in a very melodramatic way, James Maybrick was a man that had lived entirely in the shadow of his much more successful brother Michael. He was approaching 50 years of age (a significant milestone and one that quite likely to have caused a 'mid life crisis' within him regarding his virility), had financial worries, was addicted to eating arsenic and was a known hyperchondriac. To my mind bearing all this in mind it is not surprising that James would have written in such a way to convince himself that he was every bit as 'clever' as Michael and in fact 'cleverer' or that he would constantly refer to feeling 'better than ever' or 'stronger'. From personal experience I can say that whenever you're feeling at your lowest ebb your mood changes can swing violently from hopelessness and pacifistic thoughts to agressive and very dominant thoughts. For these reasons as I said I find what is SAID in the diary more important to take note of than the handwriting it is written in. This said I do agree (as I previously conceeded in a previous mail) that we would all be extremely unwise to accept the content of the diary without questioning all angles. I tell you what Chris I'd love to be present later this year at the proposed 'Trial Of James Maybrick' to be held I understand in May at The Cricket club behind Battlecrease house. I bet there will be some very 'lively' debates over the three day's don't you! HA HA HA
As far as potential forgers of the diary go I can't think whom from the candidates that we know of (those that stood to gain from the provenance of the diary) could have produced such a stunning piece of work. I think perhaps you and I will at least both agree that it most certainly wasn't Mike Barrett.
Just for interests sake who do you feel was most likely to have been the ripper and why?
Getting ready for more flak HA HA
Tony.