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Casebook: Jack the Ripper - Message Boards » Suspects » Barnett, Joseph » Barnett's Sister « Previous Next »

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Chris Scott
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Chris

Post Number: 1095
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 10:52 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

There have been various identifications of Barnett. According to the A-Z there are two main contenders, one born in 1858 and one in 1860. the 1858 Barnett is the one identified by Bruce Paley as the Barnett relevant to the Ripper case.
The 1871 listing for the Joseph Barnett identified by Bruce Paley is as follows:
24 and 1/2 Great Pearl Street, Spitalfields
Head:
Daniel Barnett aged 20 born Whitechapel - Fishmonger
Sister:
Catherine Barnett aged 17 born Whitechapel
Brothers:
Joseph Barnett aged 13 born Whitechapel
John Barnett aged 9 born Whitechapel

Paley also includes the family's details from 1861 census:
2 Cartwright Street, Aldgate
Head:
John Barnett aged 43 born Ireland - Porter at Billingsgate
Wife:
Catherine Barnett aged 40 born Ireland
Children:
Dennis aged 12
Daniel aged 9
Catherine aged 8
Joseph aged 3
John aged 10 months
All children listed as born in Aldgate, City of London

I went back to the comment Barnett made in his inquest testimony: "Until Saturday last I lived at 24, New-street, Bishopsgate, and have since stayed at my sister's, 21, Portpool-lane, Gray's Inn-road."

If Paley's identification is correct then the census shows that Barnett had only one sister, Catherine, who is listed in 1871 as aged 17.
The next logical step was to look at the residents of 21 Portpool Lane for the nearest window we have to the time of the murders. If we have the right Barnett, and if his sister was still living at this address over two years later (i.e. April 1891) then we would expect to find among the residents a presumably married woman who was:
1) Named Catherine
2) 37 years old
3) born in London (the actual place differs from the 1861 to 1871 census returns but this is not too uncommon on census data)

The list of residents for 21 Portpool Lane as listed in the 1891 census is as follows:

21 Portpool Lane, Gray's Inn Road
1891

Head:
George Norman aged 23 born Holborn - Ostler
Wife:
Alice Norman aged 24 born Grays, Essex (Nee Loker)
Children:
Rebecca aged 5 born Holborn
Annie aged 3 born Holborn

Head:
John Casey aged 33 born Kerry Ireland - General labourer
Wife:
Mary Casey aged 30 born Kerry, Ireland - Laundry woman (Nee Weston?)
Children:
Mary aged 10
Jules aged 5
Honey aged 1
All children born Pankhurst (?), Kent

Head:
John William aged 42 born Reading - General Labourer
Wife:
Joni (?) William aged 50 born Cork, Ireland

Head:
William Bannister aged 46 born Kennington - Harness maker
Wife:
Johanna Bannister aged 39 born St Lukes - French polisher
Children:
William aged 17 born Hoxton - Printer
James aged 15 born St Lukes - Printer
Eliza aged 8 born Holborn
Kate aged 9 born Holborn.
The following children under the surname Oliver are also listed:
Sarah aged 20 born Clerkenwell - Washerwoman
Tilly aged 19 born Bloomsbury- Paper ruler
Julia aged 14 born Holborn

Head:
Charles Hewett aged 40 born St Pancras - Artificial Florist
Wife:
Alice Hewett aged 36 born Clerkenwell - Paper maker
Children:
Louisa aged 10 born Holborn
Eliza aged 8 born Holborn
Martha aged 5 born St Peters

Head:
Julien Champayne aged 38 born Clerkenwell - Printer
Wife:
Emma Champayne aged 38 born Soho
Children:
Emily aged 15 born Lincoln Inn Fields
Julien aged 14 born Clerkenwell - Newsvendor
Alfred aged 13 born Clerkenwell
Mary aged 10 born Clerkenwell
Florence aged 6 born Clerkenwell
Elizabeth aged 3 born Clerkenwell

Head:
John Dennis aged 32 born Holborn - Labourer
Wife:
Jane Dennis aged 32 born Holborn - Flower seller
Other:
William F Lee aged 30 born NK - General dealer
(possible wedding in Sep 1878 in Holborn - only names John Hamilton Dennis - 1b 1179: No Jane Barnett under same reference for that quarter)

Head:
Luke Carroll aged 30 born St Giles - Printer
Wife:
Mary Carroll aged 25 born St Clements (Nee Mahoney)
Child:
Luke aged 3 months born Holborn
Other:
John Mahoney aged St Clements

Head:
John Carroll aged 56 born Ireland - Marble Mason
Wife:
Catherine Carroll aged 37 born Holborn
Children:
Mary aged 15 born Clerkenwell
Annie aged 8 born Clerkenwell

You will see that the only one who fits the bill is the wife of the last listed - Catherine Carroll. I have as yet been unable to verify that John Carroll married a Catherine Barnett but am pursuing this with some vigour and will post the results either way as soon as I have a result.

All the best
Chris
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Chris Scott
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Chris

Post Number: 1097
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 11:32 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Below are the two relevant section from 1891 census re above posting:

cc1cc2
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Richard Brian Nunweek
Chief Inspector
Username: Richardn

Post Number: 762
Registered: 2-2003
Posted on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 2:14 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Chris,
If you manage to verify this, we will have no doubt to the real Barnett, the age of the catherine, in the 91 census, more or less confirms this, but if Catherine was formely a Barnett, Jackpot.
Well done mate...
Richard.
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Robert Charles Linford
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Robert

Post Number: 2257
Registered: 3-2003
Posted on Friday, March 26, 2004 - 2:26 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Hi Chris

According to Paley, Catherine married Joseph Beer.

Robert
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Brad McGinnis
Inspector
Username: Brad

Post Number: 159
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Saturday, March 27, 2004 - 8:28 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Chris,
As always...great stuff!
Brad
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Chris Scott
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Chris

Post Number: 1099
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Saturday, March 27, 2004 - 9:17 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Hi Robert
Many thanks for the info -I am following through the Beers/Barnett marriage and will post results here
Chris
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Chris Scott
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Chris

Post Number: 1100
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Saturday, March 27, 2004 - 9:42 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

As pointed out above, Paley discovered that the Catherine Barnett, sister of the Joseph Barnett he identified as the one of the Kelly inquest, was married to a Joseph Beer. I have followed this marriage through with the following results.

Marriage:
This was registered in Shoredicth in the 3rd quarter of 1871 (July- September) and the partners are named as Catherine Barnett and Joseph Beer

1881 Census:
21 Splidts Street, London
Head:
Joseph Beer aged 30 born Whitechapel - Carman
Wife:
Catherine Beer aged 27 born Whitechapel
Children:
Catherine aged 7
Elizabeth aged 5.
Both children born in Whitechapel

1891:
For some reason the surname for the family is here reported as BELL, not BEER. This, for once, is not a transcription error. I have checked the original census return and it is definitely and legibly entered as BELL. However, all other family details make it clear it is the Beer family that is being listed.

9 Providence Place, Clerkenwell, London
Head:
Joseph Bell aged 41 born London - Carman
Wife:
Katherine (sic) Bell aged 38 born London
Children:
Katherine aged 17
Elizabeth aged 15
Mary aged 9
Rebecca aged 5
All children born London

1901:
6 Beauchamp Street, Holborn, London
Head:
Joseph B Beer aged 50 born Bethnal Green - Carman (Coal)
Wife:
Catherine Beer aged 48 born Whitechapel
Children:
Mary L aged 19 born Whitechapel - Tinplate worker
Rebecca aged 15 born Clerkenwell - Artificial flower maker
Joseph B aged 12 born Clerkenwell

If the Catherine Barnett whose married life is outlined above is the sister of the Joseph Barnett born in 1858 identified by Paley - and I have no reason to think this is not the case - then obviously my original premise regarding the residents of 21 Portpool lane in 1891 is invalid. It is possible that Catherine Beer and her husband were living at Portpool Lane in 1888 but there is absolutely no proof for this either way and it cannot be adopted as a working argument.
However, like so mnay apparent dead ends in Ripperology, hopefully some useful information has emerged along the way.

All the best
Chris
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Robert Charles Linford
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Robert

Post Number: 2259
Registered: 3-2003
Posted on Saturday, March 27, 2004 - 1:17 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Great work, Chris. I suppose the only other hope of placing Catherine at the address given by Barnett would be Rebecca's birth certificate.

Robert
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Robert Charles Linford
Assistant Commissioner
Username: Robert

Post Number: 2416
Registered: 3-2003
Posted on Sunday, May 02, 2004 - 12:21 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IPPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Hi all

Could this woman be Joe's mum?

1871 census, St Mary Whitechapel

4, Glass House St

Catherine Barnett, servant, widow, 48, general servant, born County Cork
Thomas Allman, head, widower, 49, dock labourer, born County Cork
Margaret Allman, daughter of head, 12, born Whitechapel

Robert

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