Thomas Bates And Ann Mile

Residents At 32 Flower and Dean Street

Thomas Bates was the night watchman at the common lodging house at 32, Flower and Dean Street, the address from whence Elizabeth Stride set out on the evening of 29th September, 1888.

In the wake of her murder (which took place in the early hours of the 30th September), a representative from a press agency visited the premises and conducted a brief interview with Bates, who told him what he knew of the background of "Long Liz"

Ann Mile, "bed maker" at the same lodging house, corroborated what Thomas Bates had told the reporter, and added her opinion that Elizabeth Stride had been a "good natured" woman.

Their brief statements appeared in many newspapers on Monday, 1st October, 1888.

The following version appeared in The Hull Daily Mail on the Monday following the murder:-

The watchman of the house, Thomas Bates, said that "Long Liz" had lived with them for many years, but her real name he never knew.

She was a Swede by birth, whose husband was drowned at sea years ago.

She was a charwoman, but at times was driven by extremities to walk the streets. She frequently absented herself for months at a time, and she returned last Tuesday after a prolonged absence, remaining until Saturday night, when she went out about seven o'clock. She appeared quite cheerful. They did not see her alive again."

WHAT ANN MILE SAID

Mrs Ann Mile, the bed maker at the house, corroborated this, and said that a better-hearted, good natured, cleaner woman never lived.

Though a poor "unfortunate," she worked when she could get work

Source: The Hull Daily Mail, Monday, 1st October, 1888.