Jack the ripper

The identity of the killer of five - or possibly six - women in the East End of London in 1888 has remained a mystery, but the case has continued to horrify and fascinate. Between August and November 1888, the Whitechapel area of London was the scene of five brutal murders. The killer was dubbed 'Jack the Ripper'. All the women murdered were prostitutes, and all except for one - Elizabeth Stride - were horribly mutilated. The first murder, of Mary Ann Nicholls, took place on 31 August. Annie Chapman was killed on 8 September. Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes were murdered 30 September and Mary Jane Kelly on 9 November. These are often referred to as the 'canonical five' Ripper murders, although Martha Tabram, stabbed to death on 6 August 1888, is considered by some 'ripperologists' to be the first victim. There has been much speculation as to the identity of the killer.

It has been suggested that he or she was a doctor or butcher, based on the evidence of weapons and the mutilations that occurred, which showed a knowledge of human anatomy. Many theories have been put forward suggesting individuals who might be responsible. One theory links the murders with Queen Victoria's grandson, Prince Albert Victor, also known as the Duke of Clarence, although the evidence for this is insubstantial. Violence to prostitutes was not uncommon and there were many instances of women being brutalised, but the nature of these murders strongly suggests a single perpetrator. A quarter of a mile from the scene of Catherine Eddowes' murder, the words 'The Juwes [sic] are not the men to be blamed for nothing,' were found scrawled on a wall in chalk, and it was suggested this was written by the killer. A police officer ordered the words to be removed, fearing an anti-Semitic backlash in an area with a large Jewish population. The murderer is also sometimes thought to have made contact by letter with several public figures. These letters, like the chalk message, have never been proved to be authentic, and may have been hoaxes. Jack the Ripper was never caught and he is not thought to have killed again after November 1888.

Suspect 1 James Maybrick A Cotton merchant in Whitechapel, Liverpool. People believed he was jack the ripper because of a diary found in the walls of Battlecrease house , the book had a liver engraved in the leather of the book and it was a diary, it had diary entry's of someone named leather apron or jack the ripper killing various women, the details were included that only police or Jack the ripper knew so there was a leak or it really was him. Born: 25 October 1838, United Kingdom Died: 11 May 1889, Aigburth, Liverpool Buried: Anfield Cemetery Parents: William Maybrick, Susanna Maybrick Siblings: Michael Maybrick

Suspect 2 George Chapman George Chapman was a Polish serial killer known as the Borough Poisoner. Born Seweryn Antonowicz Kłosowski in Congress Poland, he moved as an adult to England, where he committed his crimes. Born: 14 December 1865, Koło, Poland Died: 7 April 1903, HM Prison Wandsworth, London Victims: 3 Cause of death: Hanging Span of killings: 1897–1902 Other name: Ludwig Schloski

Suspect 3 Montague John Druitt He came from an upper-middle class English background, and studied at Winchester College and the University of Oxford. After graduating, he was employed as an assistant schoolmaster at a boarding school and pursued a parallel career in the law, qualifying as a barrister in 1885. In November 1888, he lost his post at the school for reasons that remain unclear. One month later his body was discovered drowned in the River Thames. His death, which was found to be a suicide, roughly coincided with the end of the murders attributed to Jack the Ripper. Private suggestions in the 1890s that he could have committed the crimes became public knowledge in the 1960s, and led to the publication of books that proposed him as the murderer. The evidence against him was entirely circumstantial, Born: 15 August 1857, Wimborne Minster Died: 31 December 1888, River Thames Buried: Wimborne Minster, Wimborne Minster Education: New College, Oxford, University of Oxford, Winchester College

Map of killings

Location of the killings The killings were located in the region of Whitechapel, London. The 5 victims death locations were displayed on the previous page. He chose Whitechapel, London because it was over-populated and hard to see at night, this made his killings easier and more victims for him to purge on.

Letters from ‘Jack’

The most interesting letter From hell Mr Lusk, Sor I send you half the Kidne I took from one woman and prasarved it for you tother piece I fried and ate it was very nise. I may send you the bloody knif that took it out if you only wate a whil longer signed Catch me when you can Mishter Lusk This is the translation of this letter, he speaks like he's drunk in this letter compared to all the other letters written, when he says Mister Lusk he refers to a police officer in Whitechapel, London.