William Smith
From Jack the Ripper Wiki
Police Constable William Smith, 452H.
Witness at Elizabeth Stride's inquest.
Born 1862. Joined Metropolitan Police in 1883 (warrant no.67565). Posted to H-division (Whitechapel), 1886.[1]
PC Smith's beat took him from the corner of Gower's Walk and Commercial Road to Christian Street, down Christian Street and Fairclough Street as far as Grove Street, along Fairclough Street to Backchurch Lane and then up Backchurch Lane to Commercial Road. It took in other streets along the way, including Batty Street and Berner Street. It took approximately 25 to 30 mins to walk.[2]
At 12.30am, 30th September 1888, PC Smith saw a man and a woman (who he later felt certain was Elizabeth Stride) standing on the pavement a few yards up Berner Street, on the opposite side to Dutfield's Yard. He described the man as being about 28 years of age, 5ft 7in tall, wearing a dark overcoat and trousers. He also wore a hard felt deerstalker hat and was described as 'respectable' looking. The man was also holding a newspaper parcel, about 18in in length and 6 or 8in wide. He also noticed that the woman had a flower in her jacket.
Smith heard no conversation, the couple appeared sober and were not acting in a suspicious manner. He passed along Berner Street towards Commercial Road. He was also able to state that he believed that it had rained very little after 11pm, 29th September 1888.
On returning to Berner Street at 1.00am, he saw a crowd at the entrance to Dutfield's Yard, but had heard no cries of 'Police' beforehand. When he got there he saw Constables 12H.R and 252H; he saw the deceased and went to fetch the ambulance. Dr Frederick Blackwell's assistant Edward Johnston was just arriving as he left.[3]
PC William Smith retired from service in 1910.
References
- ↑ The Jack the Ripper A-Z, Begg, Fido, Skinner (Headline 1991)
- ↑ The Jack the Ripper A-Z, Begg, Fido, Skinner (Headline 1991)
- ↑ The Times, 2nd October 1888
External Links
Smith's Beat, Gavin Bromley Dissertation at Casebook
