Record revealed
Hoax letter signed by ‘Jack the Ripper’
This is one of hundreds of letters in police files claiming to have been written by the infamous Whitechapel Murderer – otherwise known as 'Jack the Ripper'.
Item
Prisoner name(s): James Filder. Court and date of trial: Sussex Assizes Lewes July...
Catalogue reference: HO 17/48/130
What’s it about?
This record is about the Prisoner name(s): James Filder. Court and date of trial: Sussex Assizes Lewes July... dating from 1838 Oct 23 - 1839 Jan 29 in the series Home Office: Criminal Petitions, Series I. It is held at The National Archives, Kew.
Is it available online?
Yes, this record is available from a third party. How to view it.
Can I see it in person?
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Full description and record details
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Reference (The unique identifier to the record described, used to order and refer to it)
- HO 17/48/130
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Date (When the record was created)
- 1838 Oct 23 - 1839 Jan 29
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Description (What the record is about)
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Prisoner name(s): James Filder.
Court and date of trial: Sussex Assizes Lewes July 1838.
Crime: Assault with intent to commit rape against Mary Hassell of East Bourne [Eastbourne].
Initial sentence: 12 months imprisonment with hard labour.
Petitioner(s): Four petitions from the prisoner one of which is undersigned by visiting magistrates of Lewes House of Correction.
Gilsham (prisoner's brother).
Four members of the Hassell family including prosecutrix Mary Hassell.
Grounds for clemency (Petition Details): Distress of elderly parents; previous respectable character; after conviction wife died suddenly and he was unable to attend funeral; infant child left alone; death of wife resulted in loss of home and property: hard labour very difficult because not used to labour of any sort and of delicate health; good conduct in prison; prison degrading for person of his station; prisoner facing ruin because cannot attend to his affairs; sentence too severe; prisoner very penitent.
Other papers: Letter from R Mott, former chaplain to Lewes house of Correction confirming remorse of prisoner.
Letter from current chaplain.
Letter from surgeon treating prisoner's mother confirming her health affected by son's imprisonment.
Report on the case from Lord Denman saying no mitigating circumstances.
Letter from Keeper of Lewes House of Correction confirming prisoner's conduct.
Letter from Cavendish requesting prisoner be moved to another establishment where not known.
Additional Information: Prisoner in House of Correction Lewes [Sussex].
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Held by (Who holds the record)
- The National Archives, Kew
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Former department reference (Former identifier given by the originating creator)
- GZ 31
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Legal status (A note as to whether the record being described is a Public Record or not)
- Public Record(s)
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Language (The language of the record)
- English
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Closure status (Whether the record is ‘open’ (available to the public) or ‘closed’ (not available due to a legal exemption))
- Open Document, Open Description
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Subjects (Categories and themes found in our collection (our subject list is under development, and some records may have no subjects or fewer than expected))
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Record URL
- https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C14463521/
How to order it
- View this record page in our current catalogue
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Series information
HO 17
Home Office: Criminal Petitions, Series I
See the series level description for more information about this record.
Catalogue hierarchy
Over 27 million records
This record is held at The National Archives, Kew
1,720,231 records
Within the department: HO
Records created or inherited by the Home Office, Ministry of Home Security, and related...
19,921 records
Within the series: HO 17
Home Office: Criminal Petitions, Series I
138 records
Within the piece: HO 17/48
Petitions referenced Gx, Gy and Gz. (Described at item level).
You are currently looking at the item: HO 17/48/130
Prisoner name(s): James Filder. Court and date of trial: Sussex Assizes Lewes July...
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