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: James Coulling (or James Cooling ). Prisoner age: 29 years. Prisoner...
Catalogue reference: HO 17/52/4
What’s it about?
This record is about the Prisoner name: James Coulling (or James Cooling ). Prisoner age: 29 years. Prisoner... dating from 1834 Mar 10- [1837 Sept 18] in the series Home Office: Criminal Petitions, Series I. It is held at The National Archives, Kew.
Is it available online?
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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)
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HO 17/52/4
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Date (When the record was created)
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1834 Mar 10- [1837 Sept 18]
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Description (What the record is about)
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Prisoner name: James Coulling (or James Cooling).
Prisoner age: 29 years.
Prisoner occupation: Servant.
Court and date of trial: Somerset Lent Assizes, Taunton, April 1836.
Crime: 'Accusing person with having committed an unnatural crime, with intent to extort money'.
Initial sentence: [Death] commuted to transportation for life.
Gaoler's report: 'Character indifferent'.
Annotated (Outcome): 'Nil'.
Petitioner(s): [M Armstrong[ of Cavendish Place [Bath] with character reference attached from [J A Savage] and M A Barlow. 22 supporters.
Grounds for clemency (Petition Details): The prisoner is of a good character from a respectable family; the sentence is severe.
Other papers: Character reference from [J A Savage], Thomas Adams and William Rogers of Bath, Somerset. Character reference from [J Nordland].
Additional Information: Prisoner 'ordered to the York' convict hulk.
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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)
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Hw 4
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Legal status (A note as to whether the record being described is a Public Record or not)
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Public Record(s)
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Closure status (Whether the record is ‘open’ (available to the public) or ‘closed’ (not available due to a legal exemption))
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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/C15344980/
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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
1,719,919 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
213 records
Within the piece: HO 17/52
Petitions referenced Hw, Hx, Hy and Hz. (Described at item level).
You are currently looking at the item: HO 17/52/4
Prisoner name: James Coulling (or James Cooling ). Prisoner age: 29 years. Prisoner...
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