Page No: 18 Dulwich Despatch
Jack the Ripper: the Whitechapel Murders
On 30 September, what historians call the ‘Double Event’ took place. First, Elizabeth Stride was murdered in a court at the side of 40 Burner Street. Like Annie she was a widow, and aged 45 years. She was last seen alive at 00:45 am, and fifteen minutes later she was dead. I have found an original description in the archives of the Metropolitan Police:
Police Gazette Friday, 19 October 1888
Later that morning in Mire Square, now in the square - mile of the City of London, an hour later at 1:45 am a woman by the name of Catherine Eddowes was discovered. ‘Jack’ used good local knowledge and crossed the boundary line of the Metropolitan Police onto the ‘patch’ of the City of London Police. The Commissioner of the City Police offered a reward of £500, equivalent to £30, 000 in today’s complexion fair, moustache fair, medium build; dress, pepper-and-salt colour loose jacket, grey cloth cap with peak of same material, reddish neckerchief tied in knot; appearance of a sailor. At 12.35 a.m., 30th September, with Elizabeth Stride, found murdered at 1 a.m., same date, in Berner- Street - A MAN, age 28, height 5 ft. 8 in., complexion dark, small dark moustache; dress, black diagonal coat, hard felt hat, collar and tie; respectable appearance. Carried a parcel wrapped up in newspaper. At 12.45 a.m., 30th, with same woman, in Berner- street - A MAN, age about 30, height 5 ft. 5 in., complexion fair, hair dark, small brown moustache, full face, broad shoulders; dress, dark jacket and trousers, black cap with peak. At 1.35 a.m., 30th September, with Catherine Eddows, in Church-passage, leading to Mitre-square, where she was found murdered at 1.45 a.m., same date - A MAN, age 30, height 5 ft. 7 or 8 in.,
MEPO 3/140, The National Archives –
Crown Copyright
1888 ... London ... the East End ... Whitechapel ... in the street in Buck’s Road... 31 August.. A woman by the name of Mary Ann Nichols was murdered. Many deem this to be the first ‘Jack the Ripper’ or Whitechapel murder. Mary was a Londoner, born and bred, about 5 foot 2 inches with some of her teeth missing. She was 43. Unfortunately there are no photographs of her in life, only in death. She was murdered between 3:15 and 3:45am. Later that morning she was discovered by PC 97.J Neil of ‘J’ or Bethnal Green Division of the Metropolitan Police. He filed the above report to his superior, Inspector John Spratling (also of ‘J’ Div.)
money. You may have heard of the recent news story of discovering DNA from her shawl. However, this is not conclusive. Around this time, Mr George Lusk (Chairman of the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee) received one of many letters sent ‘from Jack the Ripper’.
Drawing of what PC Neil found.
At 6:00 am, on 8 September, a carman by the name of John Davies discovered a body in the backyard of 29 Hanbury Street. This was Annie Chapman. When she died she was aged 47 years of age, and a widow. At 5:30 Elizabeth Long heard a man say to Annie: “Will you? Her reply was “Yes.” She was a prostitute. Now perhaps here was ‘Jack the Ripper’.
Unfortunately, it has now gone missing but I have managed to obtain a photocopy of a period photo of the letter.
The ‘Lusk Letter’. Royal London Hospital Archives
Annie Chapman, in life. Copyright the family of Annie Chapman.
(Continued on page 19)
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