The Validity Of Walter Purkis's Testimony

Walter Purkis
I have found some very interesting information about the witness Walter Purkis, who testified at the inquest of Mary Ann Nichols. He deposed that he and his wife, Mary Ann, had not heard a thing all night, despite the fact that another neighbour, named Harriet Lilley who lived across from him had heard a woman moaning and gasping for breath at 3:30 am. This neighbor also stated that the unfortunate woman who was outside had attempted to turn her doorknob in order to escape the person who was chasing her. Here is Walter Purkis's testimony:

Walter Purkess [Purkiss], manager, residing at Essex Wharf, deposed that his house fronted Buck's-row, opposite the gates where deceased was discovered. He slept in the front room on the second floor and had heard no sound, neither had his wife.

I have been researching this one, Walter Purkis, and discovered the following:

Walter Purkis was born in 1854 in Cressing, Essex and died in 1937 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He was married to Mary Ann Ballard (1856-1897), born in Braintree, Essex. Their five children were Lilian, Sidney, Florence, Alfred and Ethel. All of them were born in Westminster and Whitechapel, London. The family are in the 1891 London census living in Forest Gate. Also William Purkis, born in Cressing, Essex, 1833, father of Walter.

Now comes the most interesting information of all - I discovered that Walter Purkis was a Freemason, who belonged to Guelph Lodge Number 1685. The lodge met at the Town Hall in Leyton. I found the following record on a Masonic Study Circle website:

Number:1685 Name:Guelph [QR/Sm 2-10] Meeting at:The Town Hall Leyton Return date:1899

Purkis Walter Belmont Villa Severt Road Forest Gate Timber Merchant

Number:1685 Name:Guelph [Q/RSm 2/11] Meeting at:The Town Hall Leyton Return date:1900

Purkis Walter Belmont Villa Severt Road Forest Gate Timber Merchant

Source: http://www.philbrick2255.org.uk/oaths/access4.php?S

Note: I think that we can disregard Mr. Purkis's testimony due to the fact that he was not allowed to tell the truth since he had taken his Masonic oaths and obligations when he was initiated into Freemasonry. It is not that he intentionally went to the inquest to lie, but that he was not allowed to tell the truth due to his Masonic obligation.

Here is Mrs. Harriet Lilly's testimony:


A NEIGHBOUR WHO HEARD SCREAMS.


An important statement, throwing considerable light on a point hitherto surrounded with some uncertainty - the time the crime was committed in Buck's-row, or the body deposited there - was made on Thursday by Mrs. Harriet Lilley, who lives two doors from the spot where the deceased was discovered. Mrs. Lilley said: I slept in the front of the house, and could hear everything that occurred in the street. On that Thursday night I was somehow very restless. Well, I heard something I mentioned to my husband in the morning. It was a painful moan - two or three faint gasps - and then it passed away. It was dark, but a luggage train went by as I heard the sounds. There was, too, a sound as of whispers underneath the window. I distinctly heard voices, but cannot say what was said - it was too faint. I then woke my husband, and said to him, "I don't know what possesses me, but I cannot sleep to-night." Mrs. Lilley added that as soon as she heard of the murder she came to the conclusion that the voices she heard were in some way connected with it. The cries were very different from those of an ordinary street brawl.

It has been ascertained that on the morning of the date of the murder a goods train passed on the East London railway at about half-past three - the 3.7 out from New-cross - which was probably the time when Mary Ann Nicholls was either killed or placed in Buck's-row.


Source: Lloyd's Weekly News, 9 September 1888