Talk:The boy Jones

Latest comment: 7 months ago by SchroCat in topic Stalker or trespasser?
Featured articleThe boy Jones is a featured article; it (or a previous version of it) has been identified as one of the best articles produced by the Wikipedia community. Even so, if you can update or improve it, please do so.
Main Page trophyThis article appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page as Today's featured article on April 7, 2024.
Article milestones
DateProcessResult
December 5, 2023Peer reviewReviewed
January 9, 2024Featured article candidatePromoted
Did You Know
A fact from this article appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page in the "Did you know?" column on December 25, 2008.
The text of the entry was: Did you know ... that "the boy Jones" repeatedly broke into Buckingham Palace in the early years of Queen Victoria's reign?
Current status: Featured article

Stalker or trespasser?

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In the article Jones is said to be a "stalker" but it doesnt seem he targeted a particular person ie Queen Victoria but rather the Buckingham palace and it just so happened that she lived in there but his focus was on entering the palace even if she was not there. Shouldnt he be referred to as a trespasser then rather than a stalker? Sfar13 (talk) 17:09, 7 April 2024 (UTC)Reply

No, and for two reasons. Firstly, although there was some trespass (when he entered the grounds of the palace), the more serious (indeed criminal charge, rather than the civil tort of trespass), was in breaking and entry. Secondly, and much more germane to the description we give him here, is that “stalker” reflects the sources and, as always, we reflect the sources. - SchroCat (talk) 18:00, 7 April 2024 (UTC)Reply
What are the contemporary 19th century sources calling Jones a stalker? I can find 20th century sources doing that but it seems to be applying a more modern term and understanding to the subject. I can accept the reasoning behind it, but for example Michael Fagan who intruded into Buckingham Palace is not called a stalker on his wikipedia page wich could show some inconsistency. Sfar13 (talk) 20:47, 7 April 2024 (UTC)Reply
We don’t only look at old sources; more recent ones tend to carry more weight. The Fagan matter was entirely different, and if the sources don’t call him a stalker, there would be a reason for that. For Jones, however, they describe him as stalker, and we reflect that. - SchroCat (talk) 20:57, 7 April 2024 (UTC)Reply