Comical Lil, Cranky Pol and Cheeky Charlie
Prisoners were reluctant to pose as they thrived on their anonymity. If convicted for a first offence of larceny, a sentence of a fine or weeks inside might be imposed. If, however, the accused was a regular lag, with a string of previous convictions, he or she could be put away for a fivepennyworth. Many prisoners, therefore, (to add to the difficulties of present-day family historians) had several nicknames and aliases. These were noted in police files. Some of the more colourful sobriquets appearing in Manchester's records, include: Collier Jack, Cuddy Kit, the Captain, Cold Blow's Son, Jimmy the Greek, Hoppy's woman and Cranky Poll.
Winson Green Prison in Birmingham also had its characters including: Cheeky Charlie, Jockey Logan, Bristol Bill, Tommy the Knuckler, Cabbage Green, Comical Lil, The Old Hag, Ribs, Daddy and Brains. Edward Shitehouse was probably not the most popular of cellmates.
In Manchester, Mary Davies (if indeed that was her real name) needed a good memory. She was prosecuted under the names of Anne Cawley (1886), Hannah M Dixon (1886), Annie Lloyd (1886), Mary A Williams (1886), Mary Richards (1887), Mary Kelly (1889), Mary Richardson (1890) and Mary Farrell (1890). Maybe she simply adopted the names of women in the news? Mary Kelly became Jack the Ripper's last victim in November 1888. Most offenders, however, as typified by the counterfeiter Leo McManus, had little imagination. He simply used the aliases Smith and Jones.
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