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: Thomas Heaton. Prisoner age: 31. Prisoner occupation: Clerk. Court...
Catalogue reference: HO 17/99/131
What’s it about?
This record is about the Prisoner name: Thomas Heaton. Prisoner age: 31. Prisoner occupation: Clerk. Court... dating from 1834 Jan-1834 Feb 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 17/99/131
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Date (When the record was created)
- 1834 Jan-1834 Feb
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Description (What the record is about)
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Prisoner name: Thomas Heaton.
Prisoner age: 31.
Prisoner occupation: Clerk.
Court and date of trial: Old Bailey Sessions, January 1834.
Crime: Stealing money in the dwelling house of his employer, Henry Holmes Fisher of 37 Duke Street, St James's.
Initial sentence: Transportation for life.
Gaoler's report: Character not known. Very respectable connections.
Annotated (Outcome): To be reduced to seven years and sent to the Penitentiary.
Petitioner(s): The prisoner, undersigned by Henry Holmes Fisher, the prosecutor, and George Sadler of 55 New Bond Street, tailor, the prisoner's former employer, and N [Stone?] of 22 Castle Street, Leicester Square. With endorsements by Samuel Wilson, sheriff, and E H Alderson confirming truth of statements in petition.
Grounds for clemency (Petition Details): Family dependent on his earnings; intoxicated; prosecutor recommends mercy; good character; good conduct in prison.
Other papers: Letter from George Sadler testifying to the prisoner's good character.
Letter from prisoner in Chapel Yard, Newgate gaol, to sheriff Samuel Wilson, seeking assistance in taking up post of clerk on York hulk, with forwarding letter from Wilson.
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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)
- Ss 12
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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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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/C16470748/
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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
176 records
Within the piece: HO 17/99
Petitions referenced Sp, Sq, Sr and Ss. (Described at item level)
You are currently looking at the item: HO 17/99/131
Prisoner name: Thomas Heaton. Prisoner age: 31. Prisoner occupation: Clerk. Court...
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