John Netley

John Charles Netley (1860 - 1903) was a cab driver who is notable because of claims that he was involved in the 'Whitechapel Murders' committed by Jack the Ripper.

Netley was born in Paddington in London. His father was an omnibus driver, and he had a twin. By 1888, the time of the Whitechapel murders, John Netley was a Hackney carriage driver in London. In 1976, author Stephen Knight accused Netley of complicity in the crimes in his book "". According to Knight, Netley drove the coach in which Sir William Gull carried out the actual killings as part of a conspiracy involving the royal family and freemasonry. Most scholars reject the theory as a fantasy, and consider Netley to be innocent.

Knight's conspiracy theory originated from the story of Joseph Sickert, who claimed to be the illegitimate son of Walter Sickert, another 'Ripper' suspect. He related that after the killings had concluded, Netley was heavily involved in attempts on the life of the young Alice Crook (supposedly the illegitimate daughter of Annie Crook and Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale, (the grandson of Queen Victoria), trying to run her down with his carriage.

John Netley most certainly did exist and he was described as a "carman" (i.e. a cab or carriage driver) in the census returns for the period. He was employed by Messrs Thompson, McKay and Co., who described Netley as "very steady". [Paul Begg, Martin Fido and Keith Skinner, 'The Jack the Ripper A to Z', Headline (1992)]

Netley died in an accident when the wheel of his van hit an obelisk in London's Park Road, where it joins on to Baker Street, near to Clarence Gate in Regent's Park. He was thrown from his van under the hooves of the horses where his head was crushed by a wheel. The jury at his inquest returned a verdict of accidental death, with a recommendation that the drivers of vans should be offered safety straps.

Film portrayals

In the 1988 made for tv film "Jack the Ripper", starring Michael Caine, Netley was played by actor George Sweeney; [ [http://movies.msn.com/movies/movie.aspx?m=168774&mp=c Jack the Ripper (1988) - Cast & Crew - MSN Movies ] at movies.msn.com] and in the 2001 film From Hell, starring Johnny Depp, Netley was played by Jason Flemyng. [imdb title|0120681|From Hell (2001)]

References

External links

* [http://www.casebook.org/ripper_media/book_reviews/non-fiction/castofthousands.john-netley.html Netley on the 'Casebook of Jack the Ripper' website]
* [http://www.casebook.org/suspects/knight.html Netley and the Royal Conspiracy]