The Peckham letter on Spring-heeled Jack
An anonymous letter from a Peckham resident, complaining of pranksters in villages around London, was made public by the city's Lord Mayor on 9 January 1838.
Wikipedia records the events of 9 January 1838. Sir John Cowan, Lord Mayor of London, then disclosed an anonymous complaint at a public session in the Mansion House. It had reached him several days earlier, and he had held it back hoping for more information. The writer signed it "a resident of Peckham".
Discovery UK says The Times reported the letter on 9 January. In its account the writer complained of "pranks" in villages around London, and blamed one or several men in costume: a ghost, a bear and a devil, and at times armour.
HISTORY (UK) reports a further detail from the complaints: seven women had been left senseless, and two were expected to be a burden to their families. It adds that other information soon came forward, pointing to a scheme to kill six women inside a set period.
"A few months after these first sightings, on 9 January 1838, the Lord Mayor of London, Sir John Cowan, revealed at a public session held in the Mansion House an anonymous complaint that he had received several days earlier, which he had withheld in the hope of obtaining further information. The correspondent, who signed the letter "a resident of Peckham", wrote:"
- Spring Heeled Jack: The Terror of Victorian England, Discovery UK
- The mystery of Spring Heeled Jack, HISTORY (UK)