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Mary Jane Kelly

Mary Jane Kelly (c. 1863 – 9 November 1888), also known as Marie Jeanette Kelly, Fair Emma, Ginger, Dark Mary and Black Mary, is widely believed by scholars to have been the final victim of the notorious unidentified serial killer Jack the Ripper, who murdered at least five women in the Whitechapel and Spitalfields districts of London from late August to early November 1888. At the time of Kelly's death, she was approximately 25 years old, working as a prostitute and living in relative poverty.

Unlike the other four canonical Ripper victims—each of whom had been murdered outdoors and whose mutilations could have been committed within minutes—Kelly was murdered within the sparsely furnished single room she rented at 13 Miller's Court, affording her murderer an extensive period of time to eviscerate and mutilate her body. Kelly's body was by far the most extensively mutilated of the canonical victims, with her mutilations taking her murderer approximately two hours to perform.

Early life
Compared with the other four canonical Ripper victims, Mary Kelly's origins are obscure and undocumented, and much of this information is possibly embellished. Kelly may have fabricated many details of her early life as there is no corroborating documentary evidence, but there is no evidence to the contrary either. According to Joseph Barnett, the man she had most recently lived with prior to her murder, Kelly had told him she was born in Limerick, Ireland, in around 1863—although whether she referred to the city or the county is not known—and that her family moved to Wales when she was a child.

Kelly is known to have claimed to one acquaintance that her parents had disowned her, although she remained on close terms with her sister. She described her family to Barnett as moderately wealthy, and both he and a reported former landlady of Kelly's, Mrs Carthy, claimed that Kelly came from a family of "well-to-do people". Barnett reported that Kelly had informed him her father was named John Kelly and that he worked in an ironworks in either Caernarfonshire or Carmarthenshire. Barnett also recalled Kelly mentioning having seven brothers and at least one sister. One brother, named Henry, supposedly served in the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards. She once stated to a friend named Lizzie Albrook that a female family member was employed at the London theatrical stage. Her landlord, John McCarthy, also claimed that Kelly received infrequent correspondence from Ireland.

Carthy described Kelly as being "an excellent scholar and an artist of no mean degree". However, at the inquest into Kelly's murder, Barnett informed the coroner that in the months prior to her murder, she had often asked him to read newspaper reports of the Whitechapel murders to her, suggesting that she was illiterate.

Newspaper accounts dating from November 1888 claim Kelly was known as "Mary McCarthy", which may have been a mix up with either the surname of her landlord at the time of her death or the surname of a previous landlady with whom she had lived until about 1886.

Appearance
Kelly has been reported as being a blonde or redhead, although her nickname "Black Mary" may suggest she had dark hair. Her eyes were blue. To some, Kelly was known as "Fair Emma", although it is unknown whether this applied to her hair colour, her skin colour, her beauty, or other qualities. Some contemporary newspapers report she was nicknamed "Ginger" after her hair (though sources disagree even on this point, thus leaving a description of hair colour ranging from ash blonde to dark chestnut).

Contemporary reports estimated Kelly's height at 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 metres). Detective Walter Dew, in his autobiography, claimed to have known Kelly well by sight. He described her as "quite attractive" and "a pretty, buxom girl". According to Dew, she always wore a clean white apron but never a hat. Sir Melville Macnaghten of the Metropolitan Police Force (who never saw Kelly prior to her death) reported that she was known to have "considerable personal attractions" by the standards of the time. The Daily Telegraph of 10 November 1888 described her as "tall, slim, fair, of fresh complexion, and of attractive appearance".

Marriage
When Kelly was aged approximately 16 in about 1879, she reportedly married a coal miner named Davis or Davies, who was killed two or three years later in a mining explosion. Without any means of financial support, Kelly relocated to Cardiff, where she lived with a cousin. Although there are no contemporary records of Kelly's presence in Cardiff, it is at this stage in her life that Kelly is considered to have begun her career as a prostitute, possibly being introduced to this profession by her cousin. No South Wales Police records exist to indicate Kelly was arrested for prostitution.

Relocation to London
In 1884, Kelly apparently left Cardiff and relocated to London, where she briefly worked for a tobacconist in Chelsea before securing employment as a domestic servant while lodging in Crispin Street, Spitalfields. The following year, Kelly is believed to have relocated to the central London district of Fitzrovia.

Via her acquaintance with a young French woman whom Kelly had met in Knightsbridge, she found work in a high-class brothel in the more affluent West End of London. She became one of the brothel's most popular girls and spent her earnings on expensive clothing and hiring a carriage. Reportedly, Kelly was invited by a client named Francis Craig to France, but returned to England within approximately two weeks, having disliked her life there. However, by the time of her return to London, Kelly had adopted the French name "Marie Jeanette".

East End
In 1885, Kelly briefly resided with a Mrs Buki in lodgings near the London Docks North Quay. In the brief period of time she lodged with Buki, the two are known to have visited the home of a French lady living in Knightsbridge to demand the return of a box of expensive dresses belonging to Kelly. This information suggests Kelly's descent into East End life was markedly rapid and may have been influenced by her efforts to avoid retribution from a procurer. It is also believed to be at this stage in her life when Kelly began drinking heavily.

After leaving Buki's residence, Kelly lodged with a Mrs Carthy in Breezer's Hill, Ratcliffe Highway. According to this landlady, Kelly lived at her residence between 1885 and 1886, and she had left her residence to live with a builder whom Mrs Carthy later stated believed would have married her. Gravitating toward the poorer areas of the East End, Kelly reportedly lived with a man named Morganstone near the Commercial Gas Works in Stepney and later with a mason's plasterer named Joseph Flemming.

Acquaintance with Joseph Barnett
By 1886, Kelly was residing at Cooley's Lodging House in Thrawl Street, Spitalfields. On 8 April 1887, she became acquainted with 28-year-old Joseph Barnett, whom she first encountered on Commercial Street. Barnett—who worked as a fish porter at Billingsgate Market—took Kelly for a drink before arranging to meet her the following day.

Relationship and lodgings
The two agreed to live together upon their second meeting on 9 April. Initially, Barnett and Kelly lodged in George Street, close to Commercial Street. They later took lodgings in Little Paternoster Row, but were soon evicted for non-payment of rent and drunk and disorderly conduct. They later took lodgings in Brick Lane, before relocating to Miller's Court, off Dorset Street, in either February or March 1888.

13 Miller's Court
In early 1888, Kelly and Barnett moved into 13 Miller's Court, a small, sparsely furnished single room at the back of 26 Dorset Street, Spitalfields. This room had once been the back parlour of 26 Dorset Street and was partitioned by a wooden wall. The weekly rent for this room was 4s 6d. Number 13 Miller's Court was a single twelve-foot square room, with a bed, three tables and a chair. Above the fireplace hung a print of "The Fisherman's Widow", and a small tin bath was beneath the bed. Two irregularly sized windows faced the yard, in which the dustbin and water tap serving the property were located, and the door opened directly into the twenty-six-foot-long arched passageway which connected Miller's Court with Dorset Street. This door was illuminated at night by a gas lamp located almost directly opposite the door to the property.

Kelly had lost her door key, instead bolting and unbolting the door from outside by putting a hand through a broken window beside the door. A German neighbour, Julia Venturney, claimed Kelly had broken this window when drunk, and that a man's coat was frequently placed in this broken windowpane to both act as a curtain and prevent draught from entering the room.

According to Kelly's friend and neighbour, Lizzie Albrook, Kelly was "heartily sick" of the life she was leading by 1888 and wished to return to Ireland "where her people lived". Her landlord, John McCarthy, later recollected: "She was a very quiet woman when sober but noisy when in drink." When drunk, Kelly would often be heard singing Irish songs, although when intoxicated, she would often become quarrelsome and even abusive to those around her, which earned her the nickname "Dark Mary".

Barnett lost his employment as a fish porter in July 1888, reportedly due to committing theft. As a result, Kelly again resorted to prostitution. According to Barnett, she began to allow other prostitutes to sleep in their room on "cold, bitter nights" as she did not have the heart to refuse them shelter. Initially, Barnett was tolerant of this until he and Kelly quarrelled over her sharing the room with a prostitute he knew only as "Julia". Barnett subsequently left 13 Miller's Court on 30 October, more than a week before her death, taking lodgings at 24–25 New Street, Bishopsgate. Nonetheless, between 1 and 8 November, Barnett visited Kelly on an almost daily basis, occasionally giving her money.

8 November

Barnett visited Kelly for the last time between 7 and 8 p.m. on 8 November. He found her in the company of a friend of hers named Maria Harvey. Barnett did not stay at the property for long and apologised for having no money to give her. Both he and Harvey left Miller's Court at about the same time. Barnett returned to his lodging house, where he played cards with other residents until falling asleep at about 12:30 a.m. Shortly before Barnett left Miller's Court, Lizzie Albrook also visited Kelly. She later recollected that Kelly was sober, and one of the last things she had said to her was: "Whatever you do, don't you do wrong and turn out as I have." In the early evening, Kelly is known to have had one drink in the Ten Bells public house with a woman named Elizabeth Foster. Later that evening, Kelly was seen drinking with two acquaintances at the Horn of Plenty pub on Dorset Street.

Fellow Miller's Court resident and prostitute, 31-year-old Mary Ann Cox, who described herself as "a widow and unfortunate", reported seeing Kelly returning home drunk and in the company of a stout, ginger-haired man, aged approximately 36, at 11:45 p.m. This man was wearing a black felt bowler hat, had a thick moustache, blotches on his face, and was carrying a can of beer. Cox and Kelly wished each other goodnight, with Kelly adding, "I am going to have a song." Kelly then entered her room with the man, who closed the door as Cox returned to her own lodgings at 5 Miller's Court. Kelly was then heard singing the song "A Violet from Mother's Grave." She was still singing when Cox left her lodgings at midnight, and when she returned approximately one hour later, at 1 a.m. Elizabeth Prater resided in the room directly above Kelly. When she went to bed at 1:30 a.m., the singing had stopped.

9 November
Unemployed labourer George Hutchinson, who knew Kelly, reported the two had met at about 2 a.m. on 9 November on Flower and Dean Street and that Kelly asked him for a loan of sixpence. Hutchinson claimed to be broke, having spent his money in Romford the previous day. He later stated that as Kelly walked in the direction of Thrawl Street she was approached by a man of "Jewish appearance" and aged about 34 or 35. Hutchinson claimed he was suspicious of this man because, although Kelly seemed to know him, this individual's opulent appearance made him a suspicious character to be in the neighbourhood. The man had also made an obvious effort to disguise his features from Hutchinson by "[hiding] down his head with his hat over his eyes" as the two had passed him.

Hutchinson later provided the police with an extremely detailed description of the man right down to the colour of his eyelashes despite it being the early hours of the morning. He reported that he overheard them talking in the street opposite the court where Kelly was living; Kelly complained of losing her handkerchief, and the man gave her a red one of his own. Hutchinson claimed that he then heard Kelly state: "Alright my dear, come along. You will be comfortable." She and the man walked into 13 Miller's Court, and Hutchinson followed them. He saw neither one of them again, laying off his watch at about 2:45 a.m.

Hutchinson's statement appears to be partly corroborated by a laundress named Sarah Lewis, who reported that as she walked towards the courtyard at 2:30 a.m. to spend the night with her friends, the Keylers, who resided at 2 Miller's Court, she had observed two or three people standing near the Britannia pub, including a respectably dressed young man with a dark moustache talking with a woman. Both appeared to be drunk. A poorly dressed and hatless young woman also stood nearby. Opposite Miller's Court, Lewis observed a "stout-looking and not very tall" man standing at the entrance to the courtyard, observing the entranceway. As Lewis passed this man, she observed a man in the company of an obviously drunk woman further up the courtyard. Lewis was adamant as to the timing of these sightings as she recalled hearing the chiming of the Spitalfields Church clock.

Shortly after 1 a.m., Mary Ann Cox again left her room. She returned to her home at approximately 3 a.m. Cox reported hearing no sound and seeing no light from Kelly's room at this time, although she thought she heard someone leaving the residence at about 5:45 a.m.

Murder
Elizabeth Prater, who resided in the room directly above Kelly's and who had been awoken by her kitten walking over her neck, and Sarah Lewis, who had slept at number 2 Miller's Court on 8–9 November, both reported hearing a faint cry of "Murder!" between 3:30 a.m. and 4 a.m., but did not react because they reported that it was common to hear such cries in the East End. Lewis described this cry as "only one scream. I took no notice of it". She claimed not to have slept and to have heard people moving in and out of the court throughout the night. Prater did leave her room at approximately 5:30 a.m., to walk to the Ten Bells pub for a drink of rum. She saw nothing suspicious.

Discovery
On the morning of 9 November 1888, the day of the annual Lord Mayor's Day celebrations, Kelly's landlord, John McCarthy, sent his assistant, ex-soldier Thomas Bowyer, to collect the rent. Kelly was six weeks behind on her payments, owing 29 shillings. Shortly after 10:45 a.m., Bowyer knocked on her door but received no response. He then attempted to turn the handle, only to discover the door was locked. Bowyer then looked through the keyhole, but could not see anybody in the room. Pushing aside the clothing used to plug the broken windowpane and the muslin curtains which covered the windows, Bowyer peered inside the room—discovering Kelly's extensively mutilated corpse lying on the bed. She is believed to have died between three and nine hours before the discovery of her body. Bowyer ran to report his discovery to McCarthy, who first verified his claims, then instructed Bowyer to inform the Commercial Street Police Station. Bowyer ran to the police station, stammering the words: "Another one. Jack the Ripper. Awful. [John] McCarthy sent me" to Inspector Walter Beck. Beck accompanied Bowyer to Miller's Court, and immediately requested the assistance of police surgeon George Bagster Phillips. He also gave orders preventing any individuals from entering or exiting the yard. Beck also arranged for news of the murder to be telegraphed to Scotland Yard, and requested the assistance of bloodhounds. The scene was attended by Superintendent Thomas Arnold and Inspector Edmund Reid from Whitechapel's H Division, as well as Frederick Abberline and Robert Anderson from Scotland Yard, who arrived at the crime scene between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

News of the discovery of another Ripper victim spread rapidly throughout the East End. Crowds estimated to number over 1,000 gathered at each end of Dorset Street, with many members of the public voicing their frustration and indignation at the news.

Arnold ordered the room broken into at 1:30 p.m. after the possibility of tracking the murderer from the room with bloodhounds was dismissed as impractical. A fire fierce enough to melt the solder between a kettle and its spout had burnt in the grate, apparently fuelled with women's clothing. Inspector Abberline thought Kelly's clothes were burnt by the murderer to provide light, as the room was otherwise only dimly lit by a single candle Kelly had purchased on 7 November.

After two official crime scene photographs had been taken, Kelly's body was taken from Miller's Court to the mortuary in Shoreditch, where her body was formally identified by Joseph Barnett, who was only able to recognise Kelly's body by "the ear and the eyes". John McCarthy also viewed the body at the mortuary and was also certain the deceased was Kelly.

Post-mortem
The mutilation of Kelly's corpse was by far the most extensive of any of the Whitechapel murders, likely because the murderer had more time to commit his atrocities in a private room, without fear of discovery over an extensive period of time, as opposed to in public areas. The autopsy of Kelly's body took two-and-a-half-hours to complete.

Thomas Bond and George Bagster Phillips examined the body. Phillips and Bond timed her death to about 12 hours before the examination. Phillips suggested that the extensive mutilations would have taken two hours to perform, and Bond noted that rigor mortis set in as they were examining the body, indicating that death occurred between 2 and 8 a.m. Bond's official documents pertaining to his examination of the decedent, the crime scene, and subsequent post-mortem state:

"The body was lying naked in the middle of the bed, the shoulders flat but the axis of the body inclined to the left side of the bed. The head was turned on the left cheek. The left arm was close to the body with the forearm flexed at a right angle and lying across the abdomen. The right arm was slightly abducted from the body and rested on the mattress. The elbow was bent, the forearm supine with the fingers clenched. The legs were wide apart, the left thigh at right angles to the trunk and the right forming an obtuse angle with the pubis. The whole of the surface of the abdomen and thighs was removed and the abdominal cavity emptied of its viscera. The breasts were cut off, the arms mutilated by several jagged wounds and the face hacked beyond recognition of the features. The tissues of the neck were severed all round down to the bone. The viscera were found in various parts viz: the uterus and kidneys with one breast under the head, the other breast by the right foot, the liver between the feet, the intestines by the right side and the spleen by the left side of the body. The flaps removed from the abdomen and thighs were on a table. The bed clothing at the right corner was saturated with blood, and on the floor beneath was a pool of blood covering about two feet square. The wall by the right side of the bed and in a line with the neck was marked by blood which had struck it in several places. The face was gashed in all directions, the nose, cheeks, eyebrows, and ears being partly removed. The lips were blanched and cut by several incisions running obliquely down to the chin. There were also numerous cuts extending irregularly across all the features. The neck was cut through the skin and other tissues right down to the vertebrae, the fifth and sixth being deeply notched. The skin cuts in the front of the neck showed distinct ecchymosis. The air passage was cut at the lower part of the larynx through the cricoid cartilage. Both breasts were more or less removed by circular incisions, the muscle down to the ribs being attached to the breasts. The intercostals between the fourth, fifth, and sixth ribs were cut through and the contents of the thorax visible through the openings. The skin and tissues of the abdomen from the costal arch to the pubes were removed in three large flaps. The right thigh was denuded in front to the bone, the flap of skin, including the external organs of generation, and part of the right buttock. The left thigh was stripped of skin fascia, and muscles as far as the knee. The left calf showed a long gash through skin and tissues to the deep muscles and reaching from the knee to five inches above the ankle. Both arms and forearms had extensive jagged wounds. The right thumb showed a small superficial incision about one inch long, with extravasation of blood in the skin, and there were several abrasions on the back of the hand moreover showing the same condition. On opening the thorax it was found that the right lung was minimally adherent by old firm adhesions. The lower part of the lung was broken and torn away. The left lung was intact. It was adherent at the apex and there were a few adhesions over the side. In the substances of the lung, there were several nodules of consolidation. The pericardium was open below and the heart absent. In the abdominal cavity, there was some partly digested food of fish and potatoes, and similar food was found in the remains of the stomach attached to the intestines."

Phillips believed that Kelly had been killed by a slash to the throat and the mutilations performed afterward. Bond stated in a report that the knife used was about 1 in wide and at least 6 in long, but did not believe that the murderer had any medical training or knowledge. He wrote: "In each case the mutilation was inflicted by a person who had no scientific nor anatomical knowledge. In my opinion, he does not even possess the technical knowledge of a butcher or horse slaughterer or a person accustomed to cut up dead animals."

Inquest
The official inquest into Kelly's death was opened at the Shoreditch Town Hall on Monday 12 November. This inquest was presided over by the coroner for North East Middlesex, Roderick Macdonald, MP. The jury were duly sworn before being taken by Inspector Abberline to both view Kelly's body at the mortuary adjoining Shoreditch Church and the crime scene in Miller's Court. After approximately one hour, the jurors reconvened at Shoreditch Town Hall to hear witness testimony.

Character testimony
The first witness to testify was Joseph Barnett, who testified he had lived with Kelly for "one year and eight months" before the two had separated following a quarrel on 30 October over her allowing "a woman of bad character" to stay in her room, whom Kelly "took in out of compassion". Barnett explained that, despite this argument, he had remained on good terms with Kelly in the week following their separation, and that he had last seen her alive at approximately 7:45 p.m. on 8 November. On the final occasion he had seen Kelly, she had been "quite sober".

Discussing Kelly's background, Barnett related her Irish origins, her marriage at age 16 and subsequent relocation to Cardiff following the death of her husband. Barnett also emphasised his belief Kelly's cousin was the source of her leading a life of prostitution, stating: "She was following a bad life with her cousin, who, as I reckon, and as I often told her, was the cause of her downfall."

Following Barnett's testimony, Thomas Bowyer recounted his discovery of Kelly's body on 9 November. Bowyer stated he had first observed two pieces of flesh on the bedside table, then seen Kelly's extensively mutilated body. He had "at once went very quietly" to John McCarthy to inform him of his discovery. McCarthy had himself looked through the broken windowpane to verify Bowyer's discovery before the two had separately proceeded to the nearest police station to report their discovery.

Bowyer's testimony was then corroborated by McCarthy, who stated Bowyer had informed him: "Guv'nor, I knocked at the door, and could not make anyone answer. I looked through the window and saw a lot of blood." The two had reported their discovery to Inspector Reid at Commercial Street Police Station. McCarthy stated Kelly's rent was in arrears by 29 shillings. In discussing her character, McCarthy described Kelly as an "exceptionally quiet woman" when sober, but that "when in drink she had a lot more to say".

Mary Ann Cox also testified at the inquest. Cox testified she had known Kelly for eight or nine months, and that she had last seen her alive in Dorset Street at 11:45 p.m. on 8 November, "very much intoxicated". She had been wearing a red pelerine and a shabby skirt. Cox stated she had been in the company of a short, stout and shabbily dressed man who had a pot of ale in his hand. She had not heard any sound from Kelly's room when she had returned to her own room at 5 Miller's court at 3 a.m. The next witness to testify, Elizabeth Prater, stated she had heard a "suppressed cry" of "Oh! Murder!" at approximately 3:45 a.m., although she stated such cries were commonplace in and around Spitalfields. Also to testify were witnesses Caroline Maxwell and Sarah Lewis. Maxwell testified to having seen Kelly alive on the morning of 9 November; Lewis testified to having seen a stout man in a black wideawake hat standing in the courtyard in the early hours and to hearing a woman cry "Murder!" at "nearly four".

Medical testimony
Shortly after Lewis's testimony, Phillips testified as to his examination of the body at 13 Miller's Court. He said he arrived at the crime scene at 11:45 a.m., and examined the body at 1:30 p.m. Kelly was lying "two-thirds over, towards the edge of the bedstead" and Phillips was certain the murderer had moved her body to perform the eviscerations. The initial attack had taken place as Kelly had lain on the right side of the bed, and the cause of her death was the severance of her right carotid artery. This conclusion was supported by a large quantity of blood under the bedstead and the palliasse, pillow and sheet at the top of the bed being saturated with blood. Blood spatterings on the wall on the right side of the bed in line with Kelly's neck also supported this conclusion.

Phillips estimated Kelly's death occurred between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. Her last meal consisted of fish and potatoes, which had partly passed into her intestines, indicating she had last eaten between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m on 8 November. The superficial cut to her right thumb might have been caused while attempting to defend herself. The blade used for the mutilations was at least six inches (15cm) long and one inch (25mm) wide.

Police testimony
Following further eyewitness and character testimony from Julia Venturney and Maria Harvey, Inspectors Beck and Abberline testified about their response and examination of the crime scene. Beck testified to the orders he had given for a police surgeon to attend the scene, his efforts to retrieve evidence, and his orders forbidding any members of the public from entering Miller's Court, or for residents to leave until all had been questioned. Abberline testified Superintendent Arnold had ordered the door of Kelly's room to be forced open with a pickaxe at 1:30 p.m. He also testified as to his examination of the room, adding his opinion the extensive amount of clothing in the fireplace had been burned by Kelly's murderer to provide sufficient light for him to mutilate her body, as the sole source of light in her room had been a single candle placed on top of a broken wine glass.

Conclusion
Abberline was the last of 12 witnesses to testify at the inquest, and the hearings were completed in a single day. At the close of the hearings, Macdonald instructed the jury whether they should adjourn to hear further testimony at a later date, or close the procedures. He said: "My own opinion is that it is very unnecessary for two courts to deal with these cases, and go through the same evidence, time after time, which only causes expense and trouble. If the coroner's jury can come to a decision as to the cause of death, then that is all that they have to do ... From what I learn, the police are content to take the future conduct of the case. It is for you to say whether you will close the inquiry today; if not, we shall adjourn for a week or fortnight, to hear the evidence that you may desire."

Following a short deliberation, the jury returned a unanimous verdict: "Wilful murder against some person or persons unknown." Kelly's death certificate was issued on 17 November. This document records her name as "Marie Jeanette Kelly" and lists her age as "about 25 years".

Investigation
Police conducted extensive house-to-house enquiries and searches. The wife of a local lodging-house deputy, Caroline Maxwell, claimed to have seen Kelly alive at about 8:30 a.m. on the morning of her murder, although she admitted to having only met Kelly on one or two previous occasions; moreover, her description did not match that of those who knew Kelly more closely. Maurice Lewis, a tailor, reported seeing Kelly at about 10 o'clock that same morning in a pub. Both statements were dismissed by the police since they did not fit the officially estimated time of death; moreover, they could find no other eyewitnesses to confirm these reports. Maxwell may have either mistaken someone else for Kelly or confused the actual day she had seen her.

On 10 November, Bond wrote a report officially linking Kelly's murder with four previous ones to occur in and around Whitechapel—those of Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes. Bond also provided an offender profile of the murderer, which suggested the perpetrator was a solitary, eccentric individual who was subject to periodic attacks of homicidal and erotic mania, and who had been in an extreme state of satyriasis as he performed the mutilations upon Kelly and the four previous victims. On the same day, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Charles Warren, issued a pardon for "any accomplice, not being a person who contrived or actually committed the murder, who shall give such information and evidence as shall lead to the discovery and conviction of the person or persons who committed the murder [of Mary Jane Kelly]". Despite this offer, no-one was ever charged with any of the murders.

No murders with a similar modus operandi were committed for over six months, as a result of which the police investigation into the Ripper murders was gradually wound down and press interest declined. Kelly is generally considered to have been the Ripper's final victim, and it is assumed that the crimes ended because of the culprit's death, imprisonment, institutionalisation, or emigration.

Joseph Barnett
The detective in charge of the investigation, Frederick Abberline, questioned Kelly's former partner and roommate, Joseph Barnett, for four hours after her murder. His clothes were also examined for bloodstains, but he was released without charge. Abberline's investigation appears to have completely exonerated Barnett.

A century after the murder, authors Paul Harrison and Bruce Paley proposed Barnett killed Kelly in a fit of jealous rage, possibly because she had scorned him. Harrison and Paley also suggested that he committed the previous murders to scare Kelly off the streets and away from prostitution. Other authors suggest Barnett killed Kelly only and had extensively mutilated her body to make the crime resemble a Ripper murder. The state of undress of Kelly's body, and her folded clothes on a chair, have led to suggestions that she undressed herself before lying down on the bed, which would indicate that she was either killed by someone she knew or believed to be a client.

The door to Kelly's property was locked after her murder, indicating the murderer either had possession of the key or knew how to reach through the broken windowpane to lock and unlock the door. However, the perpetrator would likely have observed Kelly reaching through the windowpane to unlock the door prior to inviting him into the room.

Other acquaintances of Kelly's put forward as her murderer include her landlord John McCarthy and her former boyfriend Joseph Fleming.

George Hutchinson
George Hutchinson only provided his eyewitness information to Sgt Edward Badham on 12 November. Inspector Abberline described Hutchinson's statement as important to the investigation. Hutchinson unsuccessfully accompanied police around Whitechapel and Spitalfields in efforts to identify this man. Hutchinson's name does not appear again in the existing police records, and so it is not possible to say with certainty whether his evidence was ultimately dismissed, disproven, or corroborated.

In his memoirs, Walter Dew discounts Hutchinson on the basis that his sighting may have been on a different day, and not the morning of the murder. Robert Anderson, head of the CID, later claimed that the only witness who got a good look at the killer was a Jew who had observed a previous victim with her murderer. Hutchinson was not a Jew, and thus not that witness. Some modern scholars have suggested that Hutchinson was the Ripper himself, trying to confuse the police with a false description, but others suggest he may have just been an attention seeker who made up a story he hoped to sell to the press.

Other theories
A small minority of modern authors consider it possible that Kelly was not a victim of the same killer as the other canonical victims of Jack the Ripper. At an assumed age of 25, Kelly was considerably younger than the other canonical victims, all of whom were in their 40s. In addition, the mutilations inflicted on Kelly were far more extensive than those on other victims. However, Kelly was also the only victim killed in the privacy of a room instead of outdoors. Her murder was separated by five weeks from the previous killings, all of which had occurred within the span of a month.

Writer Mark Daniel proposed that Kelly's murderer was a religious maniac, who killed Kelly as part of a ritual sacrifice, and that the fire in the grate was not to provide light but was used to make a burnt offering. In 1939, author William Stewart proposed that Kelly was killed by a deranged midwife, dubbed "Jill the Ripper", whom Kelly had engaged to perform an abortion. According to Stewart, the murderer had burned her own clothes in the grate because they were bloodstained and had then made her escape wearing Kelly's clothes. This, he suggested, was why Caroline Maxwell had claimed to have seen Kelly the morning of her murder, and that Maxwell had actually seen the killer dressed in Kelly's clothes. However, the medical reports, which were not available when Stewart constructed his theory, make no mention of pregnancy, and the theory is entirely based on speculation.

In 2005, author Tony Williams claimed that Mary Kelly had been found on the 1881 census return for Brymbo, near Wrexham, Wales. This claim was made on the basis that living next door to the Kelly family was a bachelor named Jonathan Davies, who could have been the "Davies" or "Davis" whom Joseph Barnett claimed had married Kelly when she was approximately 16. This claim is almost certainly wrong because if Kelly's husband was indeed killed two or three years later, this Jonathan Davies could not have been him, as the 1891 census return indicates this individual was still alive and residing in Brymbo. In any case, hardly any of the details given by Barnett matched those of the family residing in Brymbo in 1881. Brymbo is in Denbighshire, not Carmarthen or Caernarfon, and the father's name was Hubert Kelly, not John. Allegations that the diaries of Sir John Williams, on which Tony Williams based his research and whom he claims was the Ripper, were altered casts further doubt upon this author's theories. In 2015, author Wynne Weston-Davies advanced the theory that Kelly's real identity was his own great aunt Elizabeth Davies, born in 1857 as the daughter of a Welsh quarryman.

Funeral
Mary Jane Kelly was buried at 2 p.m. Monday 19 November 1888. She was laid to rest in St Patrick's Roman Catholic Cemetery in Leytonstone in a service officiated by the Reverend Father Columban.

No family members could be located to attend her funeral, and both Joseph Barnett and her landlord, John McCarthy, were insistent her remains were interred in accordance with the rituals of her Church. The eight individuals within the two mourning coaches following Kelly's polished elm and oak coffin from Shoreditch Church to the cemetery where she was buried were Joseph Barnett, an individual representing John McCarthy, and six women who had known Kelly and who had testified at the inquest into her murder: Mary Ann Cox; Elizabeth Prater; Caroline Maxwell; Sarah Lewis; Julia Venturney; and Maria Harvey. Several thousand people gathered outside Shoreditch Church to observe the funeral procession. Kelly's obituary ran as follows: "The funeral of the murdered woman Kelly has once more been postponed. Deceased was a Catholic, and the man Barnett, with whom she lived, and her landlord, Mr. M. Carthy, desired to see her remains interred with the ritual of her Church. The funeral will, therefore, take place tomorrow [19 Nov] in the Roman Catholic Cemetery at Leytonstone. The hearse will leave the Shoreditch mortuary at half-past twelve. The remains of Mary Janet [sic] Kelly, who was murdered on 9 Nov in Miller's-court, Dorset-street, Spitalfields, were brought yesterday morning from Shoreditch mortuary to the cemetery at Leytonstone, where they were interred. No family member could be found to attend the funeral."

The inscription upon Kelly's grave marker reads: "In loving memory of Marie Jeanette Kelly. None but the lonely hearts can know my sadness. Love lives forever."

Film

 * A Study in Terror (1965). This film casts Edina Ronay as Mary Jane Kelly.
 * Murder by Decree (1979). Directed by Bob Clark. This British-Canadian mystery thriller film casts Susan Clark as Mary Kelly.
 * Love Lies Bleeding (1999). A drama film directed by William Tannen. Kelly is portrayed by Andrea Miltner.
 * From Hell (2001). Directed by the Hughes Brothers, the film casts Heather Graham as Mary Kelly.

Television

 * Jack the Ripper (1988). A Thames Television film drama series starring Michael Caine. Mary Kelly is played by Lysette Anthony.
 * The Real Jack the Ripper (2010). Directed by David Mortin, this series casts Yulia Petrauskas as Mary Kelly and was first broadcast on 31 August 2010.
 * Jack the Ripper: The Definitive Story (2011). A two-hour documentary which references original police reports and eyewitness accounts pertaining to the Whitechapel Murderer. Kelly is portrayed by Lexie Lambert.

Drama

 * Jack, the Last Victim (2005). This musical casts Amanda Almond as Mary Kelly.

title: Mary Jane Kelly


text:
Mr. Rockefeller

Mr. Rockefeller may refer to:

 * John D. Rockefeller, American oil magnate
 * "Mr. Rockefeller", a 1976 Bette Midler song from the Songs for the New Depression

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Mr. Rockefeller


text: User:P Ingerson

title: User:P Ingerson


text:
Moses Rosen

Moses Rosen (known in Hebrew as David Moshe Rosen, ) (July 23, 1912 – May 6, 1994) was Chief Rabbi (Rav Kolel) of Romanian Jewry between 1948–1994 and president of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Romania between 1964 and 1994. He led the community through the entire Communist era in Romania and continued in that role after the restoration of democracy following the Romanian Revolution of 1989. In 1957, he became a deputy in the Romanian parliament (the Great National Assembly), a position he held through the Communist regime, and after 1989, in the democratic parliament. In the 1980s, the Romanian authorities allowed him to receive Israeli nationality and he was elected president of the Council of the Jewish Diaspora Museum in Tel Aviv.

Family and youth
He was born on July 23, 1912, in the town of Moineşti, in the district of Bacău, the son of a known rabbi, the rav gaon Avraham Arie Leib Rosen (1870–1951), of Galician origin. In 1916, his father became rabbi in another Moldavian town, Fălticeni and moved there with the whole family. He used to preach in the "Habad" synagogue and was one of the most esteemed rabbis. Through the mediation of his son-in-law, the rabbi dr Wolf (Zeev) Gottlieb from Glasgow, his responsa and other religious law works of him were edited and printed in Rav Kook Publishing House in Jerusalem (Shaagat Arié, Eitan Arie, 1912; Pirkei Shoshana, 1920). Moses Rosen lived in Fălticeni for at least part of his childhood. He learned Torah and Talmud with his father for many years, and studied at the local high school. Once, at age 14, after having expressed publicly his opinion against antisemitism, was arrested and judged for false Lèse majesté charges. He was granted amnesty after a month.

After having passed the state maturity exams in Dorohoi, in 1931 the young Moses Rosen entered the Law faculty in the University of Bucharest. But the antisemitic atmosphere, which dominated university life in the Romanian capital at that time, caused him to stop his law studies there and to continue them in Vienna. At the same time, he began his studies at the Viennese Rabbinical Seminary. For economic reasons, he had to return to Romania, and this time, despite hardships, he succeeded in finishing his studies at the Faculty of Law and got his license (Dr. Juris) in 1935. He then began his two-year military service in the town of Fălticeni, most of the time as military rabbi and confessor. In 1937, he returned to Vienna to resume his Rabbinical studies, where he learned with rabbi Alter Dorf (Gornik) who came from Sadagura. The Anschluss in May 1938 forced him to leave soon after. He returned to Romania, where he received his ordination in 1939, from some of the greatest rabbis of the country: Haim Rabinovici, Baruh Glanz, Moses Berger, members of the Rabbinical Council of Bucharest and from the chief rabbi of Romania, dr Jacob Itzhak Niemirower and the chief rabbi of Bucovina, dr. Abraham Jacob Mark.

Activity as young rabbi in Romania
His first job as rabbi was in a small synagogue in the Mahala quarter of Fălticeni. Then, in May 1940 he was appointed rabbi in the town of Suceava. But, after September 6, 1940, when the Iron Guard or the Legionnaires, the Romanian extreme right, came to the power, Moses Rosen was arrested under the charge of being "Communist" and deported to an internment camp in Caracal, in the south of Romania. After several months, after the defeat of the Legionnaires rebellion by the forces loyal to the prime minister, the General Ion Antonescu, Rosen was discharged and fulfilled a part-time job as rabbi in two synagogues in Bucharest – "Reshit Daat" and "Beit El". Meanwhile, he also taught Talmud in a Jewish school. The entering of Romania in the war against the Soviet Union, as ally of Nazi Germany, brought more hardships to the Jewish population. Rosen had to hide in order to avoid deportation to Transnistria as a suspected "left wing" or "Bolshevik Jewish activist". After the coup of August 23, 1944, which brought Romania to abandon the alliance with Hitler and put an end to the Fascist-style antisemitic regime, the freedom for Jews was reestablished and Moses Rosen advanced on the steps of the rabbinical hierarchy in Bucharest. He became the head of the religion department of the Jewish community, was elected as member in the Rabbinate Council and as rabbi of the Great Synagogue of Bucharest (Sinagoga Mare).

Election as Chief Rabbi of Romanian Jewry – 1948
In December 1947 the much esteemed Romanian Chief Rabbi in office, Dr Alexandru Şafran, was deported from Romania by the new Communist leadership of the country, which was installed under the pressure of the Soviet occupation force. Rabbi Şafran was considered too close to the Royal family and to the old "bourgeois" leadership of the Romanian Jews (the Union of Romanian Jews, dr Wilhelm Filderman, the Zionist representatives and others) which was hated by the new government. He was ordered to leave Romania within 2–3 hours. The Communist party, which meanwhile changed its name to "Romanian Workers Party" (Partidul Muncitoresc Român) imposed on the Jews a new ethnic organization called the Jewish Democratic Committee, somehow an imitation of the former Yevsektsiya from Soviet Russia. Under the supervision of the Jewish Democratic Committee, the rabbis and the communities representatives from all around Romania met in Bucharest on June 16, 1948, and elected by secret vote Dr Moses Rosen as the new Chief Rabbi instead of Alexandru Şafran who was accused as a traitor who "abandoned" his "sheep and goats".

The rival of Moses Rosen in this election was Dr David Şafran, a nephew of the former chief rabbi, known as fervent Zionist activist. Following the item written on the scrap of paper he had pulled out, David Şafran had to give a sample of sermon about the fight for peace on basis of a week pericope from the Torah. At his turn, following the same procedure, Moses Rosen was demanded to preach at the inauguration of a craftsmen cooperative on basis of other pericope. On June 20, 1948, Moses Rosen, as winner of the contest, was installed as "Rav Kolel" in Romania, at a ceremony in the Choral Temple, in the presence of many officials, among them the vice-president of the Great National Assembly (the Romanian parliament under the communist regime), Ştefan Voitec and the minister of religious affairs, Stanciu Stoian. Rabbi David Şafran became a victim of the Communist terror, persecuted and imprisoned for several years for his Zionist convictions. After his liberation, he was allowed in the end to emigrate to Israel, where he wrote many books, in many of them giving a very negative opinion about Moses Rosen, the "Red rabbi" ("Rabinul roşu").

Leader of Judaism in Romania in the years of Stalinism
As leader of the Jewish religious institutions, Rabbi Rosen was submitted to the control of the Communist authorities which in the 1950s ran a very harsh policy against expressions of Jewish national feeling, especially Zionism, Hebrew culture and Jewish religion. There was some tolerance, but mostly limited to the culture in the Yiddish language. Openly opposing the regime, which used Stalinist terror methods, would have attracted cruel individual and collective repression and revenge measures.

After having been allowed during June 27 – July 6, 1948, to take part in the meeting of the World Jewish Congress in Montreux, Switzerland, following Moscow's directives, the Romanian communist regime disconnected totally the Jews of Romania from the other Jewish communities in the world for a period of eight years. In those difficult circumstances the diplomatic mission in Bucharest of the newly founded Jewish state of Israel remained active. In 1948, the Rabbinical Council of Romanian Jews led by Moses Rosen was coerced to sign a declaration of condemnation of the so-called "Zionist activity" of the former Chief Rabbi Dr. Alexandru Şafran, who was meanwhile elected Chief Rabbi of Geneva. Nevertheless, despite his formal membership in the Jewish Democratic Committee, Moses Rosen tried to keep a distance from the policy of the leaders of the Committee (Bercu Feldman, H. Leibovici-Şerban, Israel Bacalu etc.) who desired to encourage a Jewish secular culture in Yiddish on account of the Hebrew religious and secular one, to satisfy the ideology of the Communist regime. The reserved attitude of Moses Rosen vis-a-vis the political and cultural line of the Jewish Democratic Committee proved to be the right diplomacy. In March 1953, the regime, again inspired by Moscow, decided to rid itself from the Committee and led to its "voluntary" dissolution. The press organ of the Committee, "Unirea" was closed.

After Stalin's death and later, after the beginning of de-Stalinization in USSR, the Communist authorities in Romania decided to use the good offices of the leaderships of the different religious faiths in Romania, including those of religious minorities, in order to improve their image in the world and to improve Romania's economic relations with other countries.

In 1956, the year when many of the Zionist activists were freed from the Romanian prisons, the authorities allowed Rabbi Rosen to take part again in Jewish meetings and conferences abroad. The first occasion was the contact with the Chief Rabbi of Sweden, Kurt Wilhelm. The same year, in October 1956, Rosen was authorized to found "Revista Cultului Mozaic" (The Mosaic Cult Review), official press organ of the Romanian Jewry, published in Romanian, Yiddish and Hebrew. It was the sole Hebrew periodical regularly printed in the entire communist world, for over 30 years. The prestigious scholar Ezra Fleischer former Romanian Prisoner of Zion, and Israel Prize winner, was one of the first editors of the journal, before his emigration to Israel.

Since 1957, Chief Rabbi Rosen, following a renewed tradition existing during the pre-Fascist epoch, was elected member of the Romanian Parliament, representing a Bucharest constituency (then still with a rather large Jewish population).

Activity and leadership in the years 1960s–1980s

In 1964 the Chief Rabbi Moses Rosen added to his functions that of the chairman of the Federation of the Jewish Communities of Romania and kept it until his death.

The position of Rabbi Rosen got strengthened following the change in the Romanian foreign policy after 1964. The regime of Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej in his last days and then the new Romanian Communist leaders, Nicolae Ceaușescu and Ion Gheorghe Maurer were interested in increasing the independence of their country from Soviet Union, and to develop good relations with the West.

After the big waves of Jewish emigration permitted by the Communist Party in the years 1947–1952 and again in the first years of the 1960s, approximately 40,000 Jews have remained in Romania (in 1956 they were 146,000 as per the official census). The Ceauşescu regime decided to strengthen Romania's relations with Israel and with the Jewish communities of the world, especially the United States in order to benefit economically and politically. In fact, even earlier, since the 1950s Israel and western Jewish organizations were ready to help economically the Romanian state for the opening of the emigration gates. This time, during the 1970s and 1980s, they were also allowed to help the local Jewish communal life. With the authorization of the regime and with the help (after 1967) of the Joint Distribution Committee an entire network of institution was founded, such as old-age homes, kosher canteens, medical and social assistance to ill and needy. A Jewish cultural life also flourished, with summer camps for the Jewish youth, Talmud Torah and Hebrew language courses, series of concerts and lectures on Jewish themes.

In 1979 he founded, again with the permission of the Romanian regime, the Museum of the history of the Romanian Jews, in the building of "Unirea Sfântă" Jewish Temple in Bucharest.

The activity of Rabbi Rosen in those years, with the silent approval of the regime, from encouraging the emigration to Israel, to the study of the Hebrew language and Jewish traditions and values, to managing the social work network for the Jewish population, won esteem among the Jewish leaders in the world, who praised him for his leadership and diplomatic abilities.

On one occasion, the chief rabbi of England, Sir Immanuel Jakobowitz expressed his enthusiastic admiration for Rosen's achievements. Rabbi Rosen, who always felt like a proud Jew, while still being well acquainted with Romanian culture, became one of Romania's non-official "ambassadors" on the international scene. (As did other minority religious leaders, for example the Muslim mufti of the Romanian Turks and Tatars, Yakub Mehmet who became one of his country's speakers during his visits in Arab and Muslim countries)

In the 1970s he participated in the efforts of the Bucharest regime to obtain the status of Most favoured nation for Romania's trade relations with the USA.

In March 1979, Rabbi Rosen and Patriarch Justinian, head of the Romanian Orthodox Church, jointly sponsored a Jewish and Orthodox Christian Dialogue in Lucerne, Switzerland. . In the same spirit, he maintained very good relations with the Armenian bishop of Bucharest, who later became the Patriarch Catholicos of Armenia, Vazgen I. A public square in Jerusalem is named after Rabbi Rosen and his wife Amalia.

Criticism of his relationship with Communist authorities
According to Elvira Groezinger, in the Stalinist era, Rabbi Rosen's articles in the Yiddish-language weekly IKUF-Bleter showed him to be "one of the staunchest leaders of the anti-Zionist and anti-Israel campaigns, and one who praised the Romanian Communist leaders."

Hadassah magazine wrote in 2000 of the "alliance" between Nicolae Ceauşescu, "From Rosen's viewpoint, anything he could do to help Romania's Jews was legitimate. So he became as close to Ceauşescu as he could-in the name of preserving Jewish life in Romania and keeping the exit doors open. After the Six-Day War Romania did not break diplomatic relations with Israel. In return Rosen praised Ceauşescu in the West, undoubtedly contributing to the Romanian chief's reputation as a benign Communist leader. What didn't become clear until later was that he [Ceauşescu] was extorting a princely sum for his leniency toward the Jews." In this connection Rabbi Rosen, in his short 1987 piece "The Recipe", quoted Charles de Gaulle: "I have no enemies, I have no friends, I have interests," and added "I succeeded in convincing the Romanian Government that, by doing good to the Jews, by meting out justice to them, it could obtain advantages in matters of favourable public opinion, trade relations, political sympathies... The 'business transaction' was profitable to both sides." Millions of Jews, he wrote, were living "in Eastern Europe, in a socialist society. No matter if one likes this or not, it represents a reality... Can they, somehow remain Jewish? The answer given by the past 40 years of the life led by a Jewish community in socialist Romania is categorical and irrefutable. Yes, indeed. They can. "Our 'balance-sheet' proves that, without making any noise, demonstrations or rows, we have succeeded in making Romania's interests correspond to ours..." He also wrote proudly of the fact the Jews who had left Romania had overwhelmingly made aliyah to Israel: "More than 90 per cent of the Romanian Jews reached Lod. They did not 'lose their way' heading for other continents..."

In the 1980s in his opposition to antisemitism and xenophobic trends which were sometimes encouraged by Ceauşescu himself, Rabbi Rosen dared to raise his voice even against some protégés of the regime, like the poet Corneliu Vadim Tudor, the writer Eugen Barbu and the literary historian Dumitru Vatamaniuc who edited posthumously, and without adequate critic notes, some controversial articles of the Romanian national great poet, Mihai Eminescu which were not favorable towards Jewish people.

After the 1989 Revolution
After the Romanian Revolution of 1989, Rabbi Rosen was a harsh critic of the efforts to rehabilitate the image of Ion Antonescu, Romania's leader during the period when it had been allied with the Axis Powers during World War II, and continued to advocate emigration to Israel: "Demagogy is very strong here... Neofascist propaganda... plays on xenophobia. Jews are a very easy scapegoat... I advise every Jew who can do so, to go to Israel."

In 1992, he became an honorary member of the Romanian Academy.

Rabbi Rosen was married since 1949 to Amalia, born Ruckenstein, from Burdujeni-Suceava. The couple had no children.

His elder half-brother (from the first marriage of his father) Eliyahu Rosen, was rabbi of the Jews in the Polish town of Oświęcim (Auschwitz) and perished in the Holocaust with his family and whole community. Moses Rosen's sister, Betty Bracha Rosen married the future chief rabbi of Scotland, the scholar Zeev Wolf Gottlieb.

Works by Rosen

 * `Itim la-Torah (1988, in Hebrew). Ari'el, Jerusalem.
 * The paper bridge; essays on Judaism (1973), Translated from the Romanian by Carol Kormos, revision of the English translation by Wolf Gottlieb. International Library, Washington,.
 * Eseuri biblice. Ed. a 2-a. (1992, in Romanian). Editura Hasefer, Bucharest, ISBN 973-95006-7-6.
 * Veha-seneh enenu ukal: zikhronot mi-tekufot ha-ma'avak le-hatsalat Yehude Romanyah me-et David Mosheh Rozen. (1993, in Hebrew) Sham, Jerusalem.
 * "The Recipe", 1987 (with a post-1989 postscript), published as epilogue to Michael Riff, The Face of Survival: Jewish Life in Eastern Europe Past and Present, Valentine Mitchell, London, 1992, 215-222, ISBN 9780853032298.

Autobiography
Dangers, tests and miracles: the remarkable life story of Chief Rabbi Rosen of Romania as told to Joseph Finkelstone (c1990). Weidenfeld and Nicolson, London, ISBN 0-297-81067-7

title: Moses Rosen


text:
Metaldehyde

Metaldehyde is an organic compound with the formula (C8H16O4). It is used as a pesticide against slugs and snails. It is the cyclic tetramer of acetaldehyde.

Production and properties
Metaldehyde is flammable, toxic if ingested in large quantities, and irritating to the skin and eyes. It has a white crystalline appearance with a menthol odor.

Metaldehyde is obtained in moderate yields by treatment of acetaldehyde with chilled mineral acids. The liquid trimer, paraldehyde is also obtained. The reaction is reversible; upon heating to about 80 °C, metaldehyde and paraldehyde revert to acetaldehyde.

Metaldehyde exists as a mixture of four stereoisomers, molecules that differ with respect to the relative orientation of the methyl groups on the 8-membered ring. The stereoisomers have respectively the molecular symmetries C$2d$ (with symmetry of order 2),  C$s$ (order 4), D$2v$ (order 8), and C$2d$ (order 8). All have at least one plane of reflexion, so none of them is chiral.

As a pesticide
It is sold under various trade names as a molluscicide, including Antimilice, Ariotox, Blitzem (in Australia), Cekumeta, Deadline, Defender (in Australia), Halizan, Limacide, Limatox, Limeol, Meta, Metason, Mifaslug, Namekil, Slug Fest, and Slugit. Typically it is applied in pellet form, but it is also found as a liquid spray, granules, paste, or dust. Often the pesticide includes bran or molasses to attract pests, making it attractive to household pets as well.

Metaldehyde is effective on pests by contact or ingestion and works by limiting the production of mucus in mollusks making them susceptible to dehydration.

Metaldehyde products were used to control the invasive African land snail population in Miami-Dade County in Florida. Experimental use permits from the U.S. Environmental Protect Agency authorized the application amount and usage in residential areas.

Due to the contamination of drinking water by metaldehyde's use in agriculture, a specialist organisation was established in 2008 called "The Metaldehyde Stewardship Group (MSG)".

On 19 December 2018, the British government banned the use of metaldehyde slug pellets outdoors from spring 2020; after this date it would only be legal to use it in permanent greenhouses. In July 2019, the ban was overturned after the High Court in London agreed with a challenge to its legality. Metaldehyde pellets returned to the UK market until 18 September 2020, when the British government banned the use of metaldehyde slug pellets outdoors after 31 March 2022.

Other uses
Metaldehyde was originally developed as a solid fuel. It is still used as a camping fuel, also for military purposes, or solid fuel in lamps. It may be purchased in a tablet form to be used in small stoves, and for preheating of Primus type stoves. It is sold under the trade name of "META" by Lonza Group of Switzerland; it can be included in the field ration of some nations.

Safety and toxicity to pets and humans
Metaldehyde has a toxicity profile identical to that for acetaldehyde, being mildly toxic and a respiratory irritant at the 50 ppm level. In terms of water safety, during periods of rainfall metaldehyde pellets become agitated and can seep into natural water courses. The European Commission restricts metaldehyde levels to 0.1 μg/L in drinking water.

Metaldehyde-containing slug baits are banned in some countries as they are toxic to dogs and cats and disturb the natural ecosystems. There is no antidote or specific treatment plan for metaldehyde poisoning. Symptoms of poisoning in dogs and cats vary and are very similar to poisonings by other substances, however they can include tremors, drooling, hyperthermia, vomiting, and restlessness. If left untreated, symptoms will proceed to seizures and death within days. Severity of symptoms and speed of onset depend on the quantity ingested and the other contents of the stomach which affect absorption.

A diagnosis can be made by an analysis of stomach contents, which tend to have an apple cider vinegar odor, as well as a history of exposure to the chemical. Treatment includes IV fluids, sedation, lowering body temperature, and purging of stomach contents with charcoal. Prompt and aggressive medical attention after a poisoning may make a full recovery possible within 2–3 days.

Due to this toxicity, pet owners may want to investigate alternatives which are not as toxic to pets, such as ferric sodium EDTA or aluminium sulfate. The metaldehyde tablets resemble candies and do not taste bad, making accidental ingestion possible by children or even by adults unaware of their true nature. Their use was popular during the interwar period and several cases of poisoning resulted. Baits may contain a bitterant to prevent accidental consumption by pets or children.

Oral ingestions of metaldehyde have been described in adults attempting suicide; amongst them, the majority experienced gastrointestinal or neurological symptoms. When compared to humans with accidental ingestion of metaldehyde, those attempting suicide tend to be symptomatic (for example reduced concentrations of GABA causing seizures Metaldehyde) and often require care in an intensive care unit and/or long-term hospitalization.

title: Metaldehyde


text:
English Racing Automobiles

English Racing Automobiles (ERA) was a British racing car manufacturer active from 1933 to 1954.

Prewar history
ERA was founded by Humphrey Cook, Raymond Mays, and Peter Berthon in November 1933 and established in Bourne, Lincolnshire, next to Eastgate House, the family home of Raymond Mays between Eastgate road and Spalding road. Their ambition was to manufacture and campaign a team of single seater racing cars capable of upholding British prestige in Continental European racing.

With the cost of full Grand Prix racing prohibitive, they instead aimed ERA's efforts at the smaller voiturette—1500cc supercharged—class of motor racing, the Formula 2 equivalent of the day. Humphrey Cook financed the operation—using the wealth from the family drapery business, Cook, Son & Co., of St Paul's Churchyard, London. Berthon was responsible for the overall design of the cars, while Mays became its principal driver—having already successfully raced several other makes including Vauxhall, Bugatti and Riley. A new chassis was conceived by British designer Reid Railton (who had also successfully designed the Bluebird land speed record cars for Malcolm Campbell) and was constructed by Thomson & Taylor at Brooklands. The engine was based on the well-proven Riley six-cylinder unit, albeit this was modified in a number of significant ways. A stronger forged crankshaft with a large centre Hyatt roller bearing was made and an entirely new aluminium cylinder head designed. The engine was supercharged using a bespoke supercharger designed by Murray Jamieson who had worked with Mays and Berthon on the White Riley. The ERA engine was designed around three capacities— a base 1488cc for the 1500cc racing class, one of 1088cc for the 1100cc class and also was capable of being expanded up to 1980cc for the 2000cc class. It ran on methanol and in its 1500cc form was capable of producing around 180–200 bhp and in excess of 250–275 bhp in 2000cc form.

The panel-beating brothers George and Jack Gray hand-fashioned the new car’s single-seater bodywork, to a design credited to a Mr Piercy who had previously designed the bodywork for Campbell’s '‘Bluebird’' record breaker.

A-Type
The unveiling of the first ERA—chassis R1A—to the press and public took place at Brooklands on 22 May 1934 following testing at Syston Park. After initial chassis handling problems, which required a number of modifications, soon ERA had a winning formula. By the end of the year ERAs had scored notable victories against many more established marques. In 1935, in a major race at the Nürburgring, ERAs took first, third, fourth and fifth places. The car was available in engine sizes running from 1.1 to 2.0 Litres. Four were built, two with 1.1-litre supercharged engines, one 1.5- and one 2-litre.

Through the remainder of the decade, with drivers of the calibre of Dick Seaman in the team, ERA dominated voiturette racing.

B-Type
In 1935, production of the B-Type began (minimally changed). The A and B models were offered with three engine sizes.

Two Siamese princes, Chula Chakrabongse and Bira Birabongse, whose trio of ERAs became famous as "Hanuman", "Romulus" and "Remus", ran their own team, operating from The White Mouse Garage, Hammersmith. Prince Chula owned the team, having bought Romulus as a present for his cousin, Prince Bira, who was the team's driver.

13 B-Type ERAs were produced, three of which were later modified to subsequent (type C or in one case type D) specifications.

C-Type
1936 saw the emergence of the C-Type. The same ladder-frame chassis and aluminum panel bodywork were kept on from the A and B models. However, the C model had a slightly different range of engines. None of the C stage cars had the smallest engine option, having instead 1.5 or 2.0 liter, with an added 1.75 liter intermediate engine option. Changes were also made in the suspension and control arms. Hydraulic dampers were installed on the rear suspension while a completely new front suspension appeared, replacing the elliptic leaf springs and friction dampers with a trailing arm with transverse torsion bars and hydraulic dampers. Three type B ERAs were modified to type C standard, cars R4B, R8B, and R12B.

D-Type
The D-Type was the designation for the number R4B ERA after modification in 1937. R4B had previously become R4C before being modified to this standard.

E-Type
The more modern E-Type ERA appeared just before the Second World War but was not fully developed, with only one car, GP1, actually racing.

Postwar history
The Second World War brought a halt to motor racing in Europe, and the team's Bourne site was sold to the Bus operator Delaine who occupied adjacent premises. The original building is still in use today by Delaine as an office block. By the time racing resumed in the late 1940s Berthon and Mays had moved on to the British Racing Motors (BRM) project.

E-Type

ERA restarted operations in Dunstable under new ownership in 1947 when Leslie Johnson bought the company, together with ERA E-Type GP2, the second of two built in 1939, which had been raced by Reg Parnell and Leslie Brooke. Refitted with a Zoller supercharger and driven by Johnson, GP2 tied with Parnell's Maserati 4CLT for fastest lap in the 1948 British Empire Trophy and finished fifth. In the same race GP1, upgraded by the works with Murray Jamieson-designed Roots-type supercharging and driven by Reg Parnell's mechanic Wilkie Wilkinson (who had supervised modification of the E-Types), retired with a broken connecting rod.

After posting the fastest time in the opening practice session for the 1948 British Grand Prix, Johnson retired GP2 from third place on the first lap when a driveshaft universal joint failed. In practice for the Coupe du Salon at Montlhéry he broke the lap record but retired GP2 from the race with a fractured fuel tank after three laps.

In 1949 at Goodwood GP2 broke a back axle universal joint in practice but Johnson took the car to fifth in the Richmond Trophy and third in the Chichester Cup. In the first day's practice for the Jersey International Road Race, he was second-fastest to Luigi Villoresi's record-breaking lap in a Maserati but on the second day the engine bearings failed and the car did not race. At Silverstone's 1950 Grand Prix d'Europe the supercharger disintegrated after two laps.

Meanwhile, GP1, driven by Fred Ashmore, failed to finish the 1948 Jersey International Road Race owing to fuel starvation and defective steering.

In the 1949 BRDC/Daily Express International Trophy, Peter Walker took GP1 to within 1.2 seconds of Giuseppe Farina's Maserati in practice and finished fifth in the race, despite gearbox and steering problems, a leaking radiator, and the exhaust burning the driver's foot. Walker was fastest in practice for Ireland's Wakefield Trophy road race, but a snatching brake forced him down the escape road at the first corner. Here GP1's race ended when it was hit by an Alta that had already collided with Salvadori's Maserati 4CL.

Finally in 1950, GP1 was gutted by fire in a crash at the British Empire Trophy race on the Isle of Man, caused by driveshaft failure when the car was at high speed with Walker at the wheel.

G-Type
The 2-litre G-Type raced in the 1952 World Championship, the first season to be run under Formula Two rules. The fundamental design was laid down by Robert Eberan-Eberhorst, one of the world's leading theorists of racing car design, who had replaced Ferdinand Porsche at Auto Union and designed the Auto Union Type D Grand Prix car. His protégé and successor David Hodkin completed the G-Type design. The frame was constructed of two longitudinal magnesium tubes with four crossmembers. Suspension was by double wishbone with coil springs at the front and de Dion tube at the rear. The car was powered by a Bristol engine with modifications to Hodkin's specifications.

Stirling Moss drove, but the engine was unreliable and the race results were disappointing. Moss said: "It was, above all, a project which made an awful lot of fuss about doing very little. By this time I was very disillusioned by the Clever Professor approach to racing car design. I would eventually learn that even the most brilliant concept could fail if the team concerned lacks the manpower and organization and money to develop the inevitable bugs out of it."

Johnson sold the project to Bristol—who used the car as the basis for an assault on Le Mans that would bring them several class wins in the mid-1950s—and focused the company on research and development (R&D) engineering. He eventually sold it to Zenith Carburettor Ltd, which was then purchased by Solex, another carburettor firm.

Chassis design for the Jowett Jupiter
In 1949 von Eberhorst, working for ERA, designed the space-frame chassis for the Jowett Jupiter.

Legacy
Although renamed Engineering Research and Application Ltd, and still primarily an R&D operation, ERA still did a small amount of race preparation. In the 1980s it put its name to the ERA Mini Turbo, a turbocharged version of the Mini.

ERAs in competition
The vast majority of prewar ERAs are still in existence, and they have continuous and verifiable provenance. They still compete in historic events despite the youngest being nearly seventy years old. The cars are particularly associated with the Shelsley Walsh hillclimb thanks in large part to Mays, who won the first two British Hill Climb Championships in 1947 and 1948; indeed an ERA has for many years held the hill record for a prewar car.

Mays exhibition
There is a permanent exhibition about Raymond Mays' contribution to motor racing, including his ERA days, at Bourne Civic Society's heritage centre in Bourne. It is open on weekend and bank holiday afternoons.

ERA trademark
The ERA trademark is currently owned by Tiger Racing

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 *  * Indicates shared drive

title: English Racing Automobiles


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Leslie Marr

Sir Leslie Lynn Marr of Sunderland, 2nd Baronet (14 August 1922 – 4 May 2021) was a British landscape artist, painter and racing driver.

Early life, education and military service
Marr was born in Durham, England, the son of Lieutenant Colonel and brevet Colonel John Lynn Marr (1877–1931), OBE, TD, of the Royal Garrison Artillery, director of two shipbuilding firms and of the Sunderland Forge and Engineering Company, and Amelia Rachel (1884–1971; known as "May"), daughter of Robert Thompson, of Over Dinsdale Hall, County Durham, a shipbuilder.

He was educated at Shrewsbury School and Pembroke College, Cambridge. In 1932, at the age of ten, due to his father's death the previous year he inherited the baronetcy held by his grandfather, shipbuilder Sir James Marr, 1st Baronet, though he did not use the title. He studied engineering at Cambridge University, where he graduated in 1942. During World War II he served as a technician in the Royal Air Force. His interest in painting developed during his posting to Palestine.

Artistic career
Marr is recognised primarily as a landscape artist and painter. After the war ended, Marr attended life classes at Heatherley's Art School in Pimlico and subsequently studied under David Bomberg at what was then known as the Borough Polytechnic (now London South Bank University). He allocated the upper floor of a bookshop he had rented as an exhibition space for Bomberg's students (who became known as the Borough Group). Following the Group's dissolution in 1950, Marr continued to paint and to travel across Britain and the continent, and it was at this time that Marr tried his hand at motor racing.

Between 1983 and 1991, Marr lived and painted on Arran, and later moved to a home and studio in Norfolk. Artworks by Marr are held in the public collections of the British Academy, Imperial College Collection, Laing Art Gallery Newcastle upon Tyne, and Pallant House Gallery, Chichester.

Racing career
Marr participated in two Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, making his debut on 17 July 1954 at the. Racing in his private Connaught, he finished in 13th place, but retired from his last world championship race in 1955, after a damaged brake pipe caused him to spin off. Marr competed in several non-Championship races, with his best results including winning the 1955 Cornwall MRC Formula 1 Race and finishing fourth in the 1956 New Zealand Grand Prix.

Personal life
In 1948, Marr married artist Dinora Mendelson (1924–2010), daughter of London art dealer Jacob Mendelson and artist Lilian Holt; Lilian's second husband was Marr's former teacher David Bomberg. Marr and his wife separated after two years, and were divorced in 1956. In 1962, Marr married Lynn Moynihan; they had two daughters, the elder of whom predeceased him. His third wife was Maureen Monk. Marr died in Gimingham, Norfolk in May 2021 at the age of 98, survived by his widow, daughter, and three grandchildren. He was succeeded as baronet by his first cousin twice removed, Allan James William Marr.

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title: Leslie Marr


text: User talk:209.71.11.137

title: User talk:209.71.11.137


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Butjadingen

Butjadingen is a peninsula and municipality in the Wesermarsch district, in Lower Saxony, Germany.

Geography
Butjadingen is situated on the German North Sea coast. It is bordered on the west and southwest by the Jade River and the east by the Weser River. It forms the northern part of the Wesermarsch district and has a rather low population. The political borough of Butjadingen adjoins Nordenham which geographically is also part of the peninsula Butjadingen. The peninsula was formed during the Middle Ages when huge floods created today's North Sea coastlines. After the Second Marcellus Flood on January 13, 1362 (which occurred around the day of Marcelli Pontificis) Butjadingen temporarily became an island.

Its name is derived from Frisian "Buten" (=outside) and "Jade" and thus means the lands on the other side of the Jade River.

In front of the peninsula is the Wadden Sea which stretches between the Jade's and the Weser's mouths about 23 kilometers to the northwest beyond the Mellum island. It is part of the Nationalpark Niedersächsisches Wattenmeer (Lower Saxony Wadden Sea National Park), one of three German Wadden Sea National Parks.

Economy
Agriculture and tourism constitute the bulk of its economic activity. The main tourist sites are the villages of Tossens, Burhave, and Eckwarden. There are ferries across the Weser from Nordenham to Bremerhaven and (during summer months) across the Jade from Eckwarderhörne to Wilhelmshaven. In Nordenham there is a train station with several connections per day to Bremen.

Literature

 * Klaus Dede: Butjadingen - Portrait einer Landschaft. (1975)

title: Butjadingen


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Leslie Thorne

Leslie Thorne (23 June 1916 in Greenock, Inverclyde – 13 July 1993 in Troon, South Ayrshire) was a British racing driver from Scotland. He participated in one Formula One World Championship Grand Prix, 1954 British Grand Prix, where he finished 14th and scored no championship points. Thorne also competed in several non-Championship Formula One races.

After his motor-racing career he settled down as a chartered accountant.

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title: Leslie Thorne


text:
User:Fchinchilla

Francisco Chinchilla

title: User:Fchinchilla


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User talk:Quixcab

Username derived from the combination of Quixote and Candide. Not wanting to be a can or a cad, I choose to turn the d around to a b. Always optomitic and idealistic.

title: User talk:Quixcab


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Stewart Downing

Stewart Downing (born 22 July 1984) is an English former professional footballer. He played most of his career as a winger. As of 2024 he is the assistant coach for Leeds United Under 21s.

Downing started his career at Middlesbrough, where after a loan at Sunderland, he became a key part of the team, winning the League Cup in 2004 and helping them to the UEFA Cup final two years later. In 2009, after Boro's relegation, he joined Aston Villa for an initial £10 million, then moved on to Liverpool for twice that amount two years later, again winning the League Cup in 2012. He played for two seasons at West Ham United before returning to Middlesbrough, where he won promotion to the Premier League. In 2019, he was released by Middlesbrough after 404 total appearances, and signed for Blackburn Rovers.

A full international from 2005 to 2014, Downing earned 35 caps for England. He was included in the nation's squads that reached the quarter-finals at the 2006 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2012. He announced his retirement in August 2021.

Middlesbrough

Downing was born in Middlesbrough, Cleveland, and was a graduate of the Middlesbrough Academy.

Downing signed his first professional contract on 6 September 2001. His debut came on 24 April 2002 in a Premier League match away to Ipswich Town, playing the full 90 minutes of a 1–0 loss at Portman Road. He was limited to just three appearances during the 2001–02 season, plus a further three in the following 2002–03 season. His first senior goal came on 1 October 2002 in a 4–1 League Cup second round away victory over Brentford, coming on as a substitute to conclude the scoring at Griffin Park.

On 30 October 2003, Downing went on a one-month loan to Sunderland, of the First Division. He scored three goals in seven matches for Mick McCarthy's Black Cats team, starting on 4 November when he equalised in a 3–1 win at Gillingham, also assisting John Oster.

Having scored as many goals on his loan as Middlesbrough's top scorer Szilárd Németh had recorded all season, Downing was recalled from his loan on 11 December due to injury to Juninho. He was a regular for the remainder of the season, but was an unused substitute on 29 February 2004, when they won the 2004 League Cup Final against Bolton Wanderers.

The 2004–05 season saw Downing make 49 appearances, scoring six goals, as well as providing numerous assists. In a UEFA Cup match against Lazio in November 2004, both Downing and Zenden were in the starting line-up. Though Zenden scored both goals in the 2–0 victory, Downing drew praise for his performance down the left. Such performances that season saw him called up to Sven-Göran Eriksson's England squad in February 2005 for a friendly against the Netherlands.

A knee injury saw Downing sidelined for five months at the end of 2005, though he returned to play his part in the run to the 2006 UEFA Cup Final, including three assists in the 4–2 (4–3 agg) victory over Steaua București in the semi-final second leg. He started in the final as Middlesbrough were beaten 4–0 by Sevilla at the Philips Stadion.

On 26 February 2008, Downing signed a new five-year contract, keeping him signed on at Middlesbrough until summer 2013. With the departure of Mark Schwarzer in May 2008, Downing became Middlesbrough's second longest serving player after Brad Jones.

The 2008–09 season was a mixed one for Downing. Middlesbrough had their best start to the season in six years which saw them climb to 8th in the table, however, a terrible winless run which started in November 2008 saw them fall into the relegation zone. On 5 January 2009, he handed in a written transfer request expressing his desire to leave the club but the request was turned down on the same day. In the penultimate match of the season, he sustained a foot injury after a challenge from Stiliyan Petrov in a home match against Aston Villa in May 2009, which needed an operation, ruling him out for at least four months. After spending the whole of the second half of the season in the relegation zone, Middlesbrough were relegated on the final day after they lost 2–1 away at West Ham United. Downing, having started every league match, except the last match, ended the season with no league goals, having only scored two against West Ham United in the FA Cup.

Aston Villa

Following Middlesbrough's relegation, Downing signed a four-year contract with Aston Villa, becoming Martin O'Neill's first signing of the 2009 Summer transfer window for a fee of £10 million with an extra £2 million to be paid depending on appearances. On 7 November 2009, O'Neill announced that Downing had returned to full training following his injury against Villa while playing for Middlesbrough during 2008–09. Downing made his Aston Villa debut on as a 69th-minute substitute for Steve Sidwell in the away match against Burnley. He scored his first goal for Villa in the League Cup fourth round tie against Portsmouth at Fratton Park on 1 December 2009.

Downing's return to action saw him returning to his preferred left wing role, with James Milner moving to central midfield for Villa. Downing played in Villa's first win at Old Trafford against Manchester United since 1983 on 12 December 2009 in their 1–0 victory over the Red Devils. Downing then went on to score his first and second league goal for Villa in their 5–2 win against Burnley on 2 February 2010. His second season with Aston Villa had been a much improved one, he scored the first Premier League goal of the season against West Ham United at Villa Park on 14 August in a 3–0 win. In the final match of the season, Downing scored his eighth against Liverpool at Villa Park with the result ending 1–0; during the 2010–11 season, Downing made 44 appearances and scored eight goals in all competitions. Downing was the subject of speculation over the summer, with Liverpool showing interest in the winger. On 6 July, Liverpool tabled a bid of £15 million for Downing but this was rejected by Villa, who said they would not let Downing go for less than £20m. New Villa manager Alex McLeish then stated that Downing was not for sale and he would not be leaving Villa in the summer. However, on 13 July 2011, a fee was agreed between Aston Villa and Liverpool for the transfer of Downing.

Liverpool

Downing completed his move to Liverpool on 15 July 2011, for an undisclosed fee, believed to be around £20 million. On 13 August 2011, Downing made his debut in Liverpool's first match of the 2011–12 Premier League, in a 1–1 draw against Sunderland at Anfield, playing the full 90 minutes. On 20 August 2011, he started and played the full 90 minutes against Arsenal in a 2–0 victory at the Emirates Stadium. On 6 January 2012, Downing scored his first goal for Liverpool against Oldham Athletic at Anfield in the third round of the FA Cup. On 26 February he won the League Cup with Liverpool, scoring his penalty in the shoot-out and winning the Alan Hardaker Trophy as Man of the Match. On 18 March 2012 he scored the winner in a 2–1 victory over Stoke City in the FA Cup quarter-final, securing a second Wembley visit for Liverpool in the semi-finals in what was described as "his most telling Liverpool contribution" so far.

Downing scored the winner in Liverpool's first match of 2012–13, a left foot shot in a UEFA Europa League match against Gomel. On 30 August 2012, Downing was deployed as a left back against Hearts. He scored the winning and only goal against Anzhi Makhachkala at Anfield in the Europa League. After the match, he was praised by manager Brendan Rodgers saying "It's been a tough time. He's had a rough ride but he's an important member of our team." On 22 December, he made his first league assist and scored his first league goal in a 4–0 win against Fulham. He scored his second league goal for the club on 2 March 2013, opening the scoring in a 4–0 win away to Wigan Athletic, with a header from a Philippe Coutinho cross. In Liverpool's next match, Downing scored the equaliser against Tottenham Hotspur, in a 3–2 home victory for Liverpool. This marked Downing's fifth goal in all competitions and his last goal for Liverpool.

West Ham United

On 13 August 2013, Downing signed a four-year contract with West Ham United for an undisclosed fee which was reported to be in the region of £5m. He made his debut for the club, coming on as a substitute for Matt Jarvis in the 2–0 home win against Cardiff City at Upton Park on the opening day of the 2013–14 season on 17 August 2013. Downing scored his first goal for West Ham on 3 May 2014 in a 2–0 home win against Tottenham Hotspur.

In the 2014–15 season, Downing scored his first goal of the season against Crystal Palace in a 3–1 away win on 23 August 2014. Downing continued his fine form for West Ham in a diamond formation which saw him being deployed in a central role. On 1 November 2014, Downing scored for West Ham against Stoke City in a 2–2 away draw, with West Ham coming from two goals down to draw 2–2. Downing scored his third goal of the season against Sunderland in a 1–1 draw away from home on 13 December 2014. A week later, he scored against Leicester City, curling a left-footed shot from 20 yards as West Ham won 2–0.

Return to Middlesbrough
On 16 July 2015, Downing returned to boyhood club Middlesbrough, signing a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee, reported to be in the region of £5.5 million, potentially rising to £7 million if the club were to gain promotion to the Premier League. The first match of his return was on 9 August 2015, a goalless draw away to Preston North End in the first Championship match of the season. On 12 September 2015, he netted the first goal of his second spell, to open a 2–0 win over Milton Keynes Dons at the Riverside. Middlesbrough secured promotion on the final day of the season, after a 1–1 draw with promotion rivals Brighton & Hove Albion at home, gaining automatic promotion as runners-up.

Downing faced competition ahead of the club's first season back in the top flight with the signings of Gastón Ramírez, Viktor Fischer and Adama Traoré. In January 2017, Middlesbrough announced that they would allow Downing to leave on loan during that winter transfer window, as Downing had not been a regular starter throughout the league campaign. Despite interest from Crystal Palace, no move materialised and Downing remained at the club. Downing suffered a second relegation with Middlesbrough, when they were relegated back down to the Championship.

After relegation, Downing was informed by new manager Garry Monk that he could leave the club. Birmingham City manager Harry Redknapp offered Downing a two-year contract, with Redknapp stating that he is a "keen admirer" of the player. The transfer fell through, though Downing soon regained his place at Middlesbrough after Tony Pulis replaced Monk in December. Downing was one of four players released by Middlesbrough at the end of the 2018–19 season, having totalled 404 appearances in his two spells at the club.

Blackburn Rovers
Downing signed for Championship club Blackburn Rovers on 21 June 2019 on a one-year contract. He scored his first goal for Blackburn in an EFL Cup second round tie against Oldham Athletic on 13 August, a 3–2 home win. Despite being an ever-present throughout the 2019–20 season, Downing's departure from the club was announced on 24 June 2020 on the expiration of his contract.

Despite his previous exit, Downing signed a new contract with Blackburn that November. He once again left the club at the end of his existing contract, this confirmed days after the 2020–21 season concluded. After his departure was confirmed, Downing stated that he was pondering his future in football, though admitted that he would "probably" retire which he did in August 2021.

International career

Downing was first called up as a 19-year-old for the 2003 UEFA European Under-19 Championship. With seven under-21 caps to his name, Downing made his England debut on 9 February 2005 in a home friendly, played at Villa Park against the Netherlands, replacing Shaun Wright-Phillips in the second half.

Downing's international career took a setback in May 2005 when he was injured during a training session with England on their tour of the United States, keeping him out of action until 2006. Downing was included in the England World Cup squad in May 2006 by Sven-Göran Eriksson, primarily as a back-up for Joe Cole, and came on as a second-half substitute in England's victorious opening match against Paraguay. He was brought on once again in the match against Trinidad and Tobago, when England scored two goals in the last ten minutes.

On 16 August 2006, Downing made his first start for England, as Greece were beaten by 4–0, with Downing involved in three of the goals. He started the subsequent three Euro 2008 qualifiers, against Andorra and Macedonia. Downing hoped to have proven many of his critics wrong after Fabio Capello became the third successive England manager to give him an England cap, on 26 March 2008 in a 1–0 friendly defeat to France. He was also called up (alongside Middlesbrough teammate David Wheater) for Capello's friendlies against United States and Trinidad and Tobago, where he received the nod ahead of Ashley Young. His performance justified his selection by contributing with the first two goals and won praise from the press who had previously slated his inclusion in the squad. A few months after Capello took charge of England, the Italian manager stated that he had been most impressed by Downing. He was chosen again by Capello to replace Aaron Lennon for the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier against Montenegro on 12 October 2010. During his second season with Aston Villa, Downing began to feature regularly for England under Capello.

After his transfer to Liverpool, he featured in the two qualifying matches at the start of the season, a 3–0 win against Bulgaria, and a 1–0 win against Wales in which he provided the assist for the only goal of the match scored by former Aston Villa teammate Ashley Young. He also came on at half-time to replace Theo Walcott in the 1–0 win against Spain and started the following match against Sweden which England also won 1–0. On 16 May 2012, new England manager Roy Hodgson named Downing in his 23-man squad for the upcoming UEFA Euro 2012 tournament. He started in a 1–0 win away to Norway on 26 May, which was Hodgson's first match in charge of England. Downing did not make an appearance during UEFA Euro 2012. Having not appeared in a squad since 2012, in November 2014 Downing was called into the squad for England's matches against Slovenia and Scotland.

Personal life
Downing has been involved in several charitable and community projects outside his playing career. He supports the nationwide No Messin' campaign, along with freestyler Colin Nell and boxer Amir Khan, warning youngsters against playing on railway lines. Downing held a charity dinner with special guest boxer Ricky Hatton to raise funds for the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle upon Tyne in February 2008. The hospital had cared for Vicky, Stewart's sister, who died of leukaemia in 1993 at the age of 4. The honorary position of president of Middlesbrough Futsal Club was bestowed on Downing in December 2007. During his spare time Downing has DJ-ed at several nightclubs in Middlesbrough while also playing sets in Ibiza among other places.

Downing's former agent Ian Elliott was arrested by Cleveland Police in September 2008 after he was reported to the police by the player himself after he had concerns "regarding the way his and his company's affairs [had] been handled". He told Middlesbrough about his concerns some time earlier and the club advised him to involve lawyers and accountants to investigate, while The Football Association acted as liaison between the police and the club.

Honours
Middlesbrough
 * Football League Cup: 2003–04
 * UEFA Cup runner-up: 2005–06
 * Football League Championship runner-up: 2015–16

Aston Villa
 * Football League Cup runner-up: 2009–10

Liverpool
 * Football League Cup: 2011–12
 * FA Cup runner-up: 2011–12

Individual
 * North-East FWA Player of the Year: 2005
 * Alan Hardaker Trophy: 2012
 * Aston Villa Player of the Season: 2010–11
 * Middlesbrough Player of the Year: 2004–05
 * Middlesbrough Young Player of the Year: 2003–04

title: Stewart Downing


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Lloyd Ruby

Richard Lloyd Ruby (January 12, 1928 – March 23, 2009) was an American racecar driver who raced in the USAC Championship Car series for 20 years, achieving 7 victories and 88 top-ten finishes. He also had success in endurance racing, winning the 24 Hours of Daytona twice, the 1966 12 Hours of Sebring and the 1966 World Sportscar Championship.

Racing career
Ruby raced in the USAC Championship Car series in the 1958–1977 seasons, with 177 career starts, including the Indianapolis 500 from 1960 to 1977. He achieved 88 top-ten finishes, and seven victories. His best finish at Indy was third, in 1964. In 1966, he led the Indy 500 for 68 laps.

Ruby also had two endurance racing victories in the 24 Hours of Daytona (1965–1966), both times partnering with Ken Miles. Ruby and Miles teamed up to win the 1966 12 Hours of Sebring and the 1966 World Sportscar Championship. Ruby was scheduled to drive in the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans, however he was forced to withdraw due to spinal injuries suffered in a plane crash. A year later, he teamed with Denny Hulme in a Ford GT 40 Mk IV for the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ruby played a key role in Ford Motor Company's GT40 program in the mid-1960s. He also raced in the 1961 United States Grand Prix.

Indianapolis 500
Despite a Championship Car career replete with success, Ruby is probably best remembered for his many misfortunes at the Indianapolis 500. His biography, written by Ted Buss in 2000, was titled, Lloyd Ruby: The Greatest Driver Never to Win the Indy 500. Ruby led the race in five different years, for a total of 126 laps, however, his best finish at Indianapolis was third, in 1964. His only other top-five finish at Indy came in 1968. In 1991, he was inducted into the Auto Racing Hall of Fame.

Perhaps Ruby's most notorious hard-luck bout at Indy came in 1969. With race leader Mario Andretti experiencing overheating problems, Ruby was in a strong position to score a victory. During a pit stop around the halfway point, a crew member motioned Ruby to pull away too soon. The refueling nozzle was still engaged in the car's left saddle tank, and as Ruby dropped the clutch, the car lurched forward. The nozzle ruptured a hole in the gas tank, ending Ruby's day.

Death
He died in 2009 at the age of 81 in his hometown of Wichita Falls, Texas.

Legacy and halls of fame
Ruby's racing career was honored with the Bruton Smith Legends Award at the Texas Motor Sports Hall of Fame in Fort Worth in 2005. He was inducted into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2008. Ruby was also named co-recipient of the Louis Meyer Award along with Hélio Castroneves at the induction ceremony and special recognition dinner in Indianapolis. In 2015, he was inducted in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America

Indianapolis Motor Speedway historian Donald Davidson joined racing greats Johnny Rutherford, Parnelli Jones and Al and Bobby Unser in Wichita Falls when the Lloyd Ruby Overpass was named in honor of their racing friend.

Indianapolis 500 results

 * Ruby owns three of the top-ten 5-race finishing streaks in the 1960s

World Championship career summary
The Indianapolis 500 was part of the FIA World Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indy during those years were credited with World Championship points and participation. Ruby participated in two World Championship races: the 1960 Indianapolis 500 and the 1961 United States Grand Prix. He scored no championship points.

Complete Formula One World Championship results
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title: Lloyd Ruby