MONTAGUE DRUITT Portrait of a Contender (SIGNED)

Hardback. SIGNED. For over 100 years Montague Druitt has been one of the leading Jack the Ripper suspects. This book provides the first detailed biography of his life. From a comfortable upbringing in Dorset, Druitt went on to a classical education at Winchester College and Oxford. He subsequently took a job at a private school, and later qualified in London as a barrister. His cricketing skills provided him with a network of social contacts and he played for a variety of strong club sides, in particular Blackheath. His membership of the MCC provided him with access to half of England's aristocracy. Suddenly from this idyll life, Druitt was sacked by his school. A month later in December 1888 he was found drowned in the Thames - was it suicide or murder? In the autumn of the same year 5 terrible murders took place in the East End of London. They became known as the Jack the Ripper murders. Years after his death the finger of suspicion was pointed at Druitt by the Chief Constable of the Metropolitan Police. Druitt's private life has been linked with members of the Cambridge Apostles, a shadowy society of an intellectual and often homosexual elite. He knew the Duke of Clarence, himself a Ripper suspect. This book touches on the worlds of art, politics, sport, literature, and the social order. It is a real story about a real person caught up in the shenanigans of the upper reaches of late Victorian society. With 50 illustrations, 228pp. 8vo. h/back. FLAT SIGNED BY JOHN LEIGHTON. Includes tipped-in Compliment Slip with HANDWRITTEN NOTE FROM JOHN LEIGHTON to Paul Daniel + loosely inserted 'Montague Druitt' bookmark. From the library of Paul Daniel, ex-editor of the 'Ripperologist' magazine (December 1996 No. 8 - February 2000 No. 27), with a tipped-in post-it note written by Paul to bep and tiny sticker on the protective film to tail of sp. with '2005' in black felt-tip pen. F. in F. protected dw. A fairly heavy book which may require additional postage if shipped overseas.