"A real jolly Jack The Ripper!"

"A real jolly Jack The Ripper!"

Jack The Ripper lives long in the memory. Even though no one actually knows who he was.

This August marks 130 years since the first killing and we have decided to look at some of the various dramas based around the subject for 'Round The Archives'.

We have recently finished watching the 1973 series, where Barlow and Watt from 'Z Cars' and 'Softly Softly : Taskforce' re-investigate, made to mark the 75th anniversary. The series is a documentary-drama, featuring reconstructions of some of the key events.

Over six episodes they look into the victims, suspects and events surrounding the murders and also the police methods used.

Although not shown in great detail, one person involved in the case who stands out for us, is Inspector Frederick George Abbeline, played in this drama by Gordon Christie.

He has also been portrayed on screen by Michael Caine and Johnny Depp, mostly with a cockney accent. Which may have been unlikely as he was born in Blandford, Dorset on 8th January 1843. So therefore would either have had a Dorset burr or perhaps a more neutral accent.

The series is directed by three directors each handling two episodes and features a wonderfully shot and very tense sequence in Episode Two ('Double Event') where we follow the doomed Catherine Eddowes (played by Hilary Sesta) down a gaslit street.

The series is full of familiar faces such as Mark Eden, Alan Ford, Morris Perry, Bernard Kay, Cyril Shaps and Frank Gatliff.

Also featuring in a couple of episodes is Christopher Benjamin who is playing a Victorian gentleman slightly less ebullient than Henry Gordon Jago. There is even an earlier appearance by his co-star from 'The Talons Of Weng-Chiang' Chris 'Casey' Gannon.

There is some fury from Barlow in the last episode as there are many missing documents and possible cover ups.

The series is not commercially available, but if anyone from Acorn, Network or Simply Media is reading this, then please consider releasing both this and the follow up series 'Second Verdict'.

I believe that you would definitely find an appreciative audience for this material.

(By Lisa Parker)