Jack the Ripper is a name that brings to the mind brutal and grotesque killings, and the romantic legend of a cloaked menace with a tall hat in the dark English alleys of Whitechapel. The image of him has been very greatly stereotyped by films and books alike, and only a true enthusiast has the right mindset to accept the less well-known possibilities. Indeed, the enigma of the murders have given rise to breed of enthusiasts who call themselves "ripperologists", determined to discover the real identity of the Ripper himself. The mystery has not had any new light shed on it since the actual investigations. Jack the Ripper is still the same name without a face; the one that has both struck fear and interest amongst those who know it.
The primary point from which ripperologists began was the murders themselves the situation of the bodies, the witness accounts etc. They were forced to work with hard-to-access evidence that were sparse due to years of destruction and mishandling. Before we step into the actual murders, a point to note is that while it is still debatable as to how many victims should be attributed to Jack, we shall look at the 5 canonical murders that are widely accepted to be the Ripper's work; namely Mary Ann (Polly) Nichols, Annie Chapman, Kate Eddowes, Elizabeth Stride and Mary Kelly.
Mary Ann Nichols [31 August 1888] A prostitute like the rest, separated from her husband William Nichols. Was found on Buck's Row by a passer-by, and was seen to have been spending a lot of time prior to her death with a sailor who gave her a "jolly bonnet".
Annie Chapman [8 September 1888] A well-educated and quiet woman, was found at the back of a lodging house on Hanbury Street, where no effort was made to conceal her body. Separated from her husband, had a tendency of getting drunk and being violent.
Kate Eddowes [30 September 1888] One of the double murders in the same night. Lived with a John Kelly but was in fact married to Thomas Conway.... [continues]
The primary point from which ripperologists began was the murders themselves the situation of the bodies, the witness accounts etc. They were forced to work with hard-to-access evidence that were sparse due to years of destruction and mishandling. Before we step into the actual murders, a point to note is that while it is still debatable as to how many victims should be attributed to Jack, we shall look at the 5 canonical murders that are widely accepted to be the Ripper's work; namely Mary Ann (Polly) Nichols, Annie Chapman, Kate Eddowes, Elizabeth Stride and Mary Kelly.
Mary Ann Nichols [31 August 1888] A prostitute like the rest, separated from her husband William Nichols. Was found on Buck's Row by a passer-by, and was seen to have been spending a lot of time prior to her death with a sailor who gave her a "jolly bonnet".
Annie Chapman [8 September 1888] A well-educated and quiet woman, was found at the back of a lodging house on Hanbury Street, where no effort was made to conceal her body. Separated from her husband, had a tendency of getting drunk and being violent.
Kate Eddowes [30 September 1888] One of the double murders in the same night. Lived with a John Kelly but was in fact married to Thomas Conway.... [continues]
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