The infamous Jack the Ripper terrorised London during August – November 1888. The pseudonymous killer murdered at least five women, with many other suspected killings. Jack mutilated the prostitute’s bodies in a precise manner, hinting at a knowledge of human anatomy.
Violent crimes were common among these times with prostitutes roaming the streets, however these crimes stood out to police due to the sadistic butchery of the women. Letters were sent to Scotland Yard taunting officers about the upcoming murders and gruesome details. These letters were signed by “Jack the Ripper”.
The murders suddenly stopped during the fall of 1888, with no knowledge of the person behind the crimes. The case remains unsolved, leaving Jack the Ripper one of England’s most infamous criminals.
The Canonical Five
Mary Nichols
Mary Nichols, also known as Polly, was leaving the pub looking for prostitution work to earn money for a bed for the night after spending her previous earnings on alcohol.
At around 3.40AM on August 31st, 1888, Charles Cross discovered Polly’s body on Buck’s Row, shortly followed by Robert Paul. The body was found with the throat severely slashed and disembowelled. The police believed Polly had only been deceased 30 minutes.
Annie Chapman
The second victim was Annie Chapman, who was also working for a bed. A witness, Miss Elizabeth Long, saw Chapman with a man around 5.30AM on September 8th, 1888.
Her body was found just before 6am in a back garden of a house on Hanbury Street by John Davis. Chapman’s uterus was removed with surgical precision as well as a slashed throat. Her face and hands were covered in blood, with her palms towards her upper body, indicating to police she had been struggling. Near the body a leather apron was found.
Elizabeth Stride
There were several sightings of Elizabeth throughout the night with her clients, although not all are reliable.
At around 1 AM on September 30th 1888, Louis Diemshutz found Stride’s body on Berner Street. Her throat was cut, and blood was beside the body, however no further injuries were inflicted indicating the killer could have been rushed. Stride had breath mints still firmly gripped in her hand, making the murder seem sudden and quick.
Police concluded Elizabeth had only been deceased for 30 minutes.
Catherine Eddowes
The second victim on September 30th was Catherine Eddowes. Eddowes was found less than an hour after Elizabeth Stride. Eddowes murder is said to be one of the most brutal of the Canonical Five. She was seen at 1.35 AM walking home from the police station after being taking into custody for being drunk. By 1.44 AM Eddowes body was found by PC Watkins in Mitre Square with her uterus and kidney missing.
A piece of her apron was found in a shop doorway nearby, heading in the same direction as Elizabeth’s body, meaning the killer walked willingly towards police at the scene of the first murder.
Mary Kelly
At 10.45AM on November 9th, 1888 Mary Kelly’s landlord, John McCarthy sent his assistant Thomas Bowyer to 13 Miller’s Court to collect Kelly’s rent. After knocking on the door, Bowyer received no answer. Believing she was avoiding paying, Bowyer stepped around the corner and pulled the curtain that covered a broken windowpane and saw blood. He returned to the shop to fetch his boss.
As McCarthy looked through the window, he found splattered blood on the walls and human flesh on the bedside. As he looked at the bed, he witnessed Mary Kelly’s skinned body.
Her body was naked with the surface of the abdomen and thighs removed and the abdominal cavity emptied. Kelly’s breasts were cut off, arms mutilated and faced hacked. The neck tissues were severed down to the bone.
The uterus, kidneys and one breast were under the head with the other breast by the right foot. The liver was between the feet, intestines by the right side and the spleen by the left side of the body.
Police Response
Police during this time lacked many of the techniques that 21st century investigators have access too. Fingerprinting, Crime Scene Investigation, modern forensics and even photography were not available to be used for these crimes.
During this time, the attitude Police was to keep journalists away from the crimes out of a fear they might reveal lines of enquiry to the criminal. The Victorian press reacted to this by finding any snippets of information and subjected the police to a lot of criticism. This was one of the UK’s first cases which reached overseas.
Who is Jack the Ripper?
There are currently hundreds of suspects to the Ripper’s identity. Many speculated they belonged to a “High-Rip” gang, however police ruled this out.
By the murder of Chapman, police believed they were looking for a solo killer. Police investigated many medical students who had been admitted to asylums due to the precision of the killings and the obvious medical interest. It was also believed the killer lived in the district as the crimes were in one area.
Suspects for the Ripper include Prince Albert Edward Victor, Leather Apron, Lewis Carol, The Freemasons, Dr Barnardo or some suspect the killer was female Mary Pearcey, however the killer’s identity remains a mystery.
Some of the sources used –
https://www.jack-the-ripper.org/police-investigation.htm
https://www.history.com/topics/british-history/jack-the-ripper
Eleanor Neale – Youtube
Dire Diary 