The shady-town of 1800s London seemed to hide all sorts of mysteries and horrors. There were secret drug stores, smugglers trafficking the Thames and prostitutes were murdered by the mysterious "Jack the Ripper." But nothing was more remarkable than the character who became known as "Spring-Heeled Jack" or "jumping Jack". Who got his name from the alleged ability to make inhumanly high jumps over walls and rooftops. This caused people to speculate that he had installed steel springs under his feet enabling him to make those insanely high jumps.
When Spring Foot-Jack first appeared is uncertain. Some records of such a man with supernatural jumping abilities surfaced as early as 1817. But it was not until the 1830s, that "Jumping Jack" became famous and well a known term to the public. January 9, 1838 the Mayor of London Sir John Cowan, received a letter reading avbout "Spring Foot-Jack". The letter was written by an anonymous person and refers to the "jumping horror that plagued London '. The writer said that Jack was actually a famous person in the community, who had made a bet that he could scare 30 people to death. After this first letter the State House where soon flooded with letters from people who all said they had met "Spring Foot-Jack".
In 1877 a military camp near London was visited by Jack. Throughout a whole month, the guards was assaulted by creature that came leaping out of the shadows and beating them in the face with a hand as cold as that of a corpse, the intruder was shot at without result, and now people started talking about Jack as an immortal demon
In the London boroughs Ealing and Hanwell a person was identified as Spring-foot-Jack and arrested.But the person turned out to be an agile butcher who liked to dress up.In Chesterton Shire several young ladies was frightened by a terrifying figure who ran through their house. This "Jack" was revealed later as a male classmate of the girls. He had participated in a contest that was to be best imagined Spring Foot-Jack.
The last time Spring Foot-Jack appeared in the press was December 25, 1904, when "News of the World" reported that Jack had been seen by a large crowd when he took his way across a street with a leap over a seven feet high building. Finally he took a giant jump over rooftops, and disappeared forever it seems.
The ideas of who "Jumping Jack" was have been many over the years. In the 1800s suggestions where made that this was a crazy circus acrobat, an inventor with delusions, or even an escaped kangaroo with rabies.In 1900s theories about aliens and creatures from other dimension emerged. What you most certainly can say is that Jack repeatedly appeared and was sighted by different people. was they telling the truth or did they have a sick sense of humor or just looking for their 5 minutes of fame in the spotlight of the press?
The most likely person who could have been "Spring FootJack," at least between the years 1837 and 1838, is Henry de la Poer Beresford, Marquis of Waterford. He reportedly ha a soft spot for cruel jokes and humor which was renowned throughout England, as well as the large sums of money he put on the performance of their tricks. Beresfords family crest resembled the "W" reported to have been engraved on the chest plate of Jacks outfit.Did the young marquis borrow parts of the family's parade-armor? In 1842 Beresford got married and turned completely from his past life of fascination for horror and inhumane jokes. 1859, he died in a riding accident.And all hope of him admitting to be "Jumping Jack" died with him
Throughout the years many scientifically attempts where made to explain "Jumping Jacks" giant leaps, and his fiery breath. As for fiery breath, there is a trick that seemed to be quite common among magicians in the 1800s.
A classic magician's handbook explains how to breathe fire and sparks from the mouth. A cotton ball sprinkled with ashes of willow stopped in a small lump of linen, along with a glowing piece of coal. The little bundle is placed between the teeth and when you exhale it produce sparks and smoke out of the mouth. however one must master only to breathe in through the nose
"Jumping Jack" is still an unsolved mystery, as well as the length of time he was seen. If Jack was one single man during the 70 years the newspapers wrote about the figure imagine what age he would have reached!
There is film made ??about the figure, "The Curse of the Wraydons" 1946, And maybe the famous Rolling Stones song "Jumping Jack Flash" was written with "jumping jack" in mind??
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