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: George Hatton, aged 22. Court and Date of Trial: Central Criminal...
Catalogue reference: HO 18/107/48
What’s it about?
This record is about the Prisoner name: George Hatton, aged 22. Court and Date of Trial: Central Criminal... dating from 1843 in the series Home Office: Criminal Petitions, Series II. It is held at The National Archives, Kew.
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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 18/107/48
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Date (When the record was created)
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1843
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Description (What the record is about)
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Prisoner name: George Hatton, aged 22.
Court and Date of Trial: Central Criminal Court, 1843.
Crime: Housebreaking.
Initial sentence: Transportation 15 years.
Gaoler's Report: Known to the police.
Outcome: Refuse.
Petitions and letters: Petition from Sarah Hatton and Emma Hatton, asking for mitigation on the grounds the prisoner is innocent, as it was a case of mistaken identity. Same petition signed by 8 men. Letter from Elizabeth Goodiven, waitress at the John O Groats Tavern, Gray Street, Lambeth, who saw the prisoner in the public room from half past six to 10 o'clock in the evening. He was with Henry Reeves and other persons. John King also swore he saw the prisoner at the tavern for the same period. Robert Pinkerton also swears he saw the prisoner at the tavern for the same period. A further petition from the prisoner's mother, Sarah Hatton, who explains there was a robbery at Mr Vetty's Beer shop and, soon after, a policeman and Mr Vetty came to the tavern and took the prison and some others away. All others were let go, but even though there were witnesses who saw the prisoner at the tavern at the period in question, they were not allowed to give evidence. Letter from Justice Patteson, stating there is doubt about this case and that the prisoner should be released. James Brook swears the prisoner is a thief. Also sworn statement from Sergeant Henry Jupon, claiming the prisoner goes under the name of Shedmore. D. S. Goff testifies to the prisoner being a thief, called Sledmore. Inspector J Patridge writes the prisoner is well known in the area as having a bad character.
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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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107/48
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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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- Topics
- Food and drink
- Crime
- Prisons
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Record URL
- https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C20875663/
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- View this record page in our current catalogue
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Series information
HO 18
Home Office: Criminal Petitions, Series II
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...
14,553 records
Within the series: HO 18
Home Office: Criminal Petitions, Series II
66 records
Within the piece: HO 18/107
Petitions. (Described at item level)
You are currently looking at the item: HO 18/107/48
Prisoner name: George Hatton, aged 22. Court and Date of Trial: Central Criminal...
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