Jack the Ripper is probably the world's most well-known
villain, despite the fact that his true identity has never been determined. The 'Ripper Murders' took place in the unsalubrious
Whitechapel area of
East London. The world's first
serial killer was never caught. To this day,
criminologists, Ripperologists,
historians and amateur sleuths are no nearer discovering who the murderer was.
All five victims killed within the space of ten weeks in 1888 were East End prostitutes.
Mary Ann 'Polly' Nichols, aged 42, married with 5 children was found murdered at Bucks Row, off the Whitechapel Road at 3.40am on Friday 31 August. This first acknowledged victim of Jack the Ripper was discovered by PC John Neill who found her throat cut twice (from left to right), the second cut almost severing the head from her body. At the mortuary it was discovered that her stomach had been hacked open and her body slashed several times.
Bucks Row was renamed Durward Street in 1892 to avoid notoriety. The assault took place 70 feet west on the Board School, which has now been converted into luxury flats.
Annie Chapman, aged 47 was found in the backyard of 29 Hanbury Street at 6am on Saturday 8 September. The facade of the old Truman's Brewery on the north side of Hanbury Street conceals the murder site.
Dark Annie's body was discovered by a Spitalfield Market porter, John Davis. Annie's throat savagely cut, body
mutilated and certain organs removed from her abdomen in a manner which suggested that her attacker had anatomical
knowledge. Her rings had been torn from her fingers and a leather apron soaked in water was found nearby.
Annie had been seen at 5.30am by a park keeper's wife. She was haggling with a shabbily but respectably dressed man
wearing a deerstalker hat aged about 40. On Sunday 10 September the police arrested John Pizer, alias 'Leather Apron' but he had alibis.
Elizabeth Stride, aged 45 of Swedish descent. Long Liz was discovered by Louis Diemschutz when he turned his pony
and trap into the yard behind 40 Berner Street at 1am Sunday 30 September.
Elizabeth's throat had been cut. From the position of the corpse it is presumed that the assassin had intended to
mutilate it, but was interrupted by the arrival of the cart.
The street has been renamed Henriques Street after a local benefactor. The site is occupied by a former London County
Council school, now known as Harry Gosling Primary School.
Catherine Eddowes, aged 46, was found less than an hour after Elizabeth Stride's a short walk away, inside the City of London district at Mitre Square by PC Watkins.
She had been ferociously attacked, especially around the face and abdomen. Like Annie Chapman, some of her internal organs had been removed, notably her uterus and left kidney.
Crowds of people started gathering at the Whitechapel Murder Sites and a 'terrible quiet' descended. Following this double murder, a letter in red ink was sent to the Central News Agency dated 25 September 1888, signed "Jack the Ripper". After its publication the day after, the nick-name for the killer has stayed with us to this day.
Mary Jane Kelly, aged 25 was killed at her home, Room 13, Miller's Court, 26 Dorset Street at 4am Friday 9 November.
This was the most savage and gruesome attack where her body was horrifically mutilated and her face hacked beyond
recognition after her murder.
In 1904 Dorset Street was renamed Duval Street and in 1929 the whole north side was demolished and an extension to
Spitalfields Market erected. Today it is an unnamed service road next to White's Row Car Park.
Polly Nichols, Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddows
all lived in the Thrawl Street and Flower & Dean Street
vicinity at some time. Catherine Eddows and Elizabeth
Stride lodged in Fashion Street on occasions. They
were all reputed to drink in the Ten Bells Public House on Commercial Street.
Though the murderer was never found there were several suspects, the most sensational being the eldest son of Edward VII, Prince Albert Victor the Duke of Clarence and Queen Victoria's doctor, William Gull. A favoured suspect was Montague John Druitt, a barrister of the Inner Temple. Other suspects included John Pizer (Leather Apron), the Freemasons, a Jewish slaughterman, a doctor and a midwife.
To this day, despite the protestations of local residents,
the oldest profession in the world is still practiced where Jack the Ripper murdered five East End prostitutes.
Adapted from information listed at http://www.britannia.com/