jack the ripper tour

The original terror tour - established 1982

When, Where & How Much?

• 7 Chilling Nights a Week at 7pm
• Meet Outside Exit 1 of Aldgate East Underground Station
• £15.00 per person

Find out more Book your place

THE ORIGINAL JACK THE RIPPER MURDERS TOUR

A walk worth investigating.

Since Richard Jones began our Jack the Ripper Tour in 1982, we’ve always strived to offer the best walks in London. Today, with our unique combination of expert guides, who have written books on the case, our appearances on virtually every television documentary on the subject, our truly atmospheric route, our limited numbers, and our passion for the history of the East End, we really believe that we have achieved that objective, and what’s more, our customers seem to agree.

STEP INTO THE AUTUMN OF TERROR

As the night falls, and the long shadows reach into the darker recesses of the streets of Whitechapel and Spitalfields, our Original Jack the Ripper Crime Scene Investigation sets out  to join the Victorian police as they hunt history’s most infamous serial killer through the crooked, cobbled alleyways of the Victorian abyss.

Step by blood-curdling step, you will find yourself spirited back to the mean streets of the 19th century East End where every corner turned and every step taken will lead you further in to a murder mystery that has been baffling and terrifying people for more than 125 years.

VIEW BEFORE YOU DO – SEE US IN ACTION

A JACK THE RIPPER WALK LIKE NO OTHER

Guided by published authors.

Each night, lots of tours set out to explore the mean streets where the Whitechapel Murders occurred. But this is the one on which you will be taken round by guides who are published authors and who are internationally recognised as being amongst the World’s leading experts on the case.  Indeed, their collective contribution to the field of ripper studies is unsurpassed. 

Consequently, you will have seen us on almost every television documentary on the mystery over the last 20 years. Our guides have appeared on The History Channel, The Discovery Channel, National Geographic, BBC1, Sky One, ITV1, Channel Five and the Travel Channel, to name but a few.

Our guides know the subject of the Whitechapel Murders inside out and, as a result, they are familiar with every twist and turn of this fascinating case. You can, therefore, rest assured that, on our tour, you will be brought up to date on all the latest findings on the crimes.

OUR ACCLAIMED JACK THE RIPPER DOCUMENTARIES

We remain the only one of the Jack the Ripper tours to have made our own acclaimed documentaries on the mystery.

We like to give our clients a real insight into the area they will be exploring, as well as what lies beyond, so these videos are intended to give you a real feel for the East End as it was in 1888 and as it is now.

You can find some of them on our dedicated video page.

On these videos you will actually be able to see and hear the guides you will be joining, and you will, therefore, be in a position to make an informed decision as to whether or not you fancy spending two hours in their company! We feel confident to do this because we honestly believe that, once you see them in action, you will find their enthusiasm contagious and their knowledge inspiring.

And, having watched them on film, we hope that you will then wish to meet them in the flesh, so to speak, and invest two hours of your precious time in allowing them to lead you through the sinister streets of Victorian London on an exciting voyage of genuine discovery that will provide you with an unrivalled insight into the Jack the Ripper murders of 1888.

YOU’LL VISIT MORE OF THE MURDER SITES

Of course, you can be the greatest expert on the planet, but if you conduct a tour that visits very few of the actual murder sites, and which follows a route that takes participants along modern streets, lined by 20th century office blocks, then your clients aren’t going to enjoy their evening much and they are going to be left disappointed.

Indeed, after the quality of the guiding , the route that the tour takes is the most important ingredient for a truly memorable Jack the Ripper Walk.

That’s why we begin our tour of Jack the Ripper’s haunts at Aldgate East Underground Station.

This start point means that you can commence your investigation right in the heart of the area where the Ripper’s crimes occurred and are, therefore, able to follow a truly atmospheric route that was first paced out by Richard Jones in 1982.

On our walking tour you will be taken straight into the cobbled alleyways and dimly lit passageways that have hardly changed since those long ago nights when an unknown killer, lurking in the darker recesses, brought terror, panic and revulsion to the very thoroughfares that you will be exploring.

YOU’LL BE TAKEN BACK TO 1888

From the outset it will be as if you’ve been transported back in time to the 19th Century East End and, because our walk is structured like an investigation, you’ll get the distinct impression that you have joined the Victorian detectives as they race against time to catch Jack before he kills again.

And, because we follow a chronological route that begins with the first Whitechapel Murder, you will move through the events of that long ago autumn of gaslight and terror as they unfolded.

You will see how the people of the East End gradually came to realise the full danger posed by the monstrous maniac lurking in their midst and you will get a sense of the panic that gripped the area in the wake of each murder.

You will also gain an understanding of how, as the weeks went by, and the ferocity of the crimes increased, a surge of genuine terror coursed from the neighbourhood and sent shock waves reverberating through the whole of Victorian society.

THE THINKING PERSONS JACK THE RIPPER TOUR

This is, very much, the thinking persons Jack the Ripper Tour on which your questions and opinions will not only be welcomed but also encouraged.

We like to think of ours as being a guided discussion as opposed to a guided tour.

To that end you will, effectively, become a Victorian CSI as you visit the murder sites, sift the evidence, uncover the clues and, with the assistance of your expert guide, put the murders into the context of the streets and era in which they occurred.

You will gain a true insight into the problems that beset the original Metropolitan Police Investigation into the case, as the Victorian detectives pitted their wits against a cunning killer who was leaving no clues and who was able to use the warren-like complexity of the dark passageways and courts through which you will walk on the tour to escape from the scenes of his crimes.

OUR GUIDES ARE GREAT STORYTELLERS

Of course it’s one thing to be a World authority on a subject it’s quite another to have the ability to put your knowledge across in a thought provoking, entertaining and engaging way.

Our guides are born storytellers who realise that a quality tour must be both informative and entertaining.

Their descriptive abilities will bring the streets of Jack the Ripper’s London vividly to life whilst their dramatic approach will almost convince you that you are actually there in the Victorian East End of 1888 watching events as they unfold around you.

YOU’LL PERUSE VICTORIAN PHOTOGRAPHS

A picture, they say, is worth a thousand words – and so, as you explore the East End streets, your guide will pass out genuine Victorian photographs (several of them unique to this walk) that show the area as it was in 1888.

Imagine being able to hold and peruse old black and white images that show the locations where you are standing as they were at the time of the ripper crimes. It will almost be as though you’ve somehow been transported back in time!

You will have an unrivalled opportunity to compare your surroundings as they are now with how they were then and, in so doing, you will begin to understand why, at the time,  this area was known as “the abyss.”

Could there be a more powerful tool in your CSI kit than being able to actually inspect the murder scenes as they were at the times of the crimes?

Many of the photographs even capture the men, women and children who lived through the horror of Jack the Ripper’s murder spree. You will be able to look into their eyes and see the sheer terror and unease etched into their faces.

YOU’LL EXAMINE DOCUMENTS ABOUT THE CASE

In addition to our impressive collection of Jack the Ripper Photos you will also be able to examine documents relating to the case that will help build a powerful image of how the crimes were publicised by the Victorian authorities.

We’ll pass out facsimiles of the handbills that the police circulated in the area in the desperate hope that somebody might come forward with that elusive piece of information that would help bring the killer to justice and solve the case.

Chief amongst these documents will be the notorious Dear Boss letter, which bore the chilling signature Jack the Ripper .

It was the release of this letter that helped turn five sordid East End Murders into an international phenomenon whilst elevating the unknown miscreant responsible for those murders into the realm of legend.

Just Picture yourself scrutinising this letter, examining the handwriting and searching for something that may have been missed by the original investigators!

LIMITED NUMBERS FOR A BETTER TOUR

Unlike the large London walks companies we don’t believe in herding our clients around on an unwieldy cattle drive that might number 60, 70 or (on occasions) over 100 people all of whom are struggling to hear and see one guide.

We want you to enjoy the tour and so, to that end, we limit the number of participants to what we consider to be a sensible and manageable number.

As we like to put it, our tours are the ones that are heard not herd.

SO JOIN THE EXPERTS AND REVISIT THE TERROR

So, if you really want to enjoy an intelligent and thought provoking tour, one that visits more of the Whitechapel Murder sites than any other walk, then join the undisputed experts on the case, and let them lead you on a spine-tingling Jack the Ripper Tour through the old and atmospheric Victorian East End streets that formed the backcloth against which the ripper saga was played out.

But please be warned It will get dark and it might be foggy!

Dare you join the hunt?

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5 of the best Jack the Ripper Tours in London

Variously used as a warning to naughty children, by writers tapping into the fear of death, or as a symbol of faceless tyranny, Jack the Ripper has also inspired many London tours.

(Photo: Getyourguide.com)

Jack the Ripper terrorised women across London after a series of horrendously mutilated bodies were discovered between 1888-1891. The assailant, responsible for at least five killings during that time, was never caught by the police, and so the nickname lives on. Most Jack the Ripper tours explore the streets and buildings in East London where the menace accosted and murdered his victims. These five tours shed some light on the lives of those he murdered and, despite a little light walking through the streets of London, ensure the general health and safety of those taking part.

Jack the Ripper Interactive Guided Tour

What makes this excellent interactive walking tour so popular is the true crime facet to the evening. Guests are invited to follow the trail, see the locations where Jack the Ripper committed his crimes, as well as seeing photographic evidence from the real crime scenes themselves. In so doing you are invited to try and crack the case, which includes being handed ‘suspect cards’ to look into the potential villains. This tour is so in-depth that the guide has assumed the title of ‘Ripperologist’, so you know you’ll be in expert hands over the two-hour walking excursion. From £16 per person.

Book at Getyourguide.com

Jack the Ripper Walking Tour

Another innovative way of delving into Victorian Britain is provided in the form of handheld projectors, known as Ripper-Vision, on this long-standing and ever-popular tour. Donning period attire, your guides will display photographs from the era of Jack the Ripper on the walls of old buildings. This gives you a great sense of what the slums of East London once looked like, bringing Jack the Ripper’s world into clearer focus. It provides a chilling way to learn about both the horrendous crimes and the ensuing web of investigation and conspiracy that ultimately failed in apprehending anybody. From £18 per person.

Jack the Ripper 2-Hour Evening Walking Tour

Leaning more towards the salacious grit and dark deeds that swirled around the impoverished streets of East London, this popular night tour is as much about your guide as the subject matter. Peel away the layers of fiction to look at the known facts surrounding who Jack may really have been and who his victims most assuredly were in life. This two-hour tour is a great way to discover Victorian-era London. It usually runs from Wed-Sun. From £20 per person.

Haunted Jack the Ripper Tour with Fish and Chips

Now, we know what you’re probably thinking, and yes, you’re right, one does not ordinarily associate food, let alone fish and chips, with grisly murders. But then again, a walking tour can be very hungry work. Over three hours you’ll come to learn about the Whitechapel haunts not only of Jack the Ripper, but also the hauntings around London’s East End, including the legend of Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. The tour concludes with a portion of fish and chips at a traditional chippie. From £28 per person.

Solve the Crime Jack the Ripper Tour

It’s London’s greatest whodunnit. The Jack the Ripper murders have mystified and chilled generations of sleuths and this tour gives you a chance to crack the case. This tour pulls no punches either, diving headlong into the gruesome reality of these murders most foul (NB: the clue is in the ‘Ripper’ part of the nickname). See the places where the victims breathed their last; discover the evidence at the spot where it was found (only a single clue was found at the time, but it could still prove illuminating). This tour lasts two hours. From £30 per person.

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Our London tours start from Exit 3 of Aldgate East Station, seven days a week.

The gruesome tale of jack the ripper remains the greatest mystery in the history of crime..

Our Jack the Ripper Walking Tour in London is the only one to use RIPPER-VISION, the most modern handheld projectors with the latest unseen graphic Jack the Ripper crime scene photos. All our guides are dedicated Ripperologists and enthusiasts, and each one is a member of the Cloak and Dagger Club, a theatrical performance team who brings old crime history to life. This is the most up-to-date Whitechapel Jack the Ripper Tour anywhere in London, the most exciting, the most shocking, and a must for anyone who loves a good, gruesome mystery. So, join us as we walk you through the Jack the Ripper murders map - book your place today !

Our Itinerary

Osborne street, (scene of murder emma smith).

The Whitechapel murders were committed in or near the impoverished Whitechapel District in the East End of London between 3 April 1888 and 13 February 1891. The death of Emma Smith is the first to begin the Whitechapel murder file and a prelude to the emergence of Jack the Ripper. Hear the brutality of her murder and learn its importance.

Gunthorpe Street

(scene of murder martha tabram).

The scene that many experts claim to be the first Jack the Ripper murder is this cobbled stone laneway. It's a great starting point in our Whitechapel tour, as you can instantly feel the sense of a bygone era, gaslit streets, dark corners, and quiet footsteps in the night while the Ripper lay waiting for his victims. Learn how the death of this one woman began the Autumn of Terror.

Frying Pan Pub

(the death of mary ann nichols).

One of the last sightings of victim Mary Ann Nichols before her mutilated body was discovered in Bucks Row on the night of 31 August 1888. This building and its surrounding area provide a great insight into the social living conditions and the everyday fight for survival in London's East End. Learn what life was really like in Victorian London.

Hanbury Street

(scene of murder. annie chapman).

The body of Annie Chapman was discovered here in the early hours of 8 September 1888, her throat cut across, her body horribly mutilated. What clues did the killer leave? What does it tell us about him?

The Ripper Letters

See the emergence of Jack the Ripper in a series of penned letters sent to the central news agency during the Autumn of Terror; they were written in blood red ink and sent with half a human kidney. These letters have been subject to debate ever since. Are they hoaxes? Or are they the words of the killer himself?

Wilkes Street

Prepare to be transported back in time as we take you into the heart of Jack the Ripper’s London. Wilkes Street has remained practically untouched since those cold, gaslit nights of the 19th century, and the surrounding buildings will conjure up images of a bygone age. A time of darkness, a time of fear, a time of the Ripper.

The Death of Elizabeth Stride

Elizabeth Stride's (Long Liz) body was found in Dutfield's Yard off Berner Street in the early hours of 30 September 1888. Her death was only the first in a night that would forever become known as the double event. This was the night that could have revealed his identity. Find out how Jack the Ripper may have been caught so easily as we follow his blood trail and examine the clues.

Ten Bells and Christ Church

On the corner of Commercial Street and Fournier Street in Spitalfields stands perhaps the most famous pub in Ripper history: The Ten Bells. It is here that some, if not all, the victims frequented and perhaps even the Ripper himself. Across from the front door, a sight that would have greeted everyone associated with the Ripper case: Christ Church - this famous landmark was made famous by the movie "From Hell".

Mitre Square

(scene of murder. catherine eddowes).

30 September 1888 became known as the 'double event' when the Ripper killed twice in one night. We visit the original cobble-stoned square, investigate the evidence, and find out how the Ripper evaded capture. Hear the shocking facts about one of the Ripper's most violent crimes

Goulston Street

(a clue is found).

The night of the double murder left perhaps one of the most important clues in the entire case. What was it? Does it help solve the mystery?

Dorset street

(scene of murder mary kelly).

The Ripper's final victim was found in her small room of 13 Millers Court on 9 November 1888 and was the most savagely mutilated victim of them all. We visit the Mary Jane Kelly crime scene and recreate the final moments of the Ripper's reign of terror. Over a century later, the Jack the Ripper crime photos are very disturbing, and in the words of her Landlord, John McCarthy, "the whole scene is more than I can describe, and I hope I may never see such a sight again.”

Who Was Jack the Ripper?

Using modern criminal profiling, we reveal the man the Police should have been looking for throughout the biggest manhunt in British history.

• Tour starts in the very heart of Jack the Ripper, London
• Led by leading Jack the Ripper experts and enthusiasts
• Visit the actual murder sites and examine all of Jack the Ripper's victims
• Learn Jack the Ripper suspects, old and new
• See the latest photos that bring Whitechapel 1888 back to life
• Be amazed at Ripper-Vision - our latest handheld projectors and Jack the Ripper victim pictures
• Be shocked and terrified at the crimes of Jack the Ripper
• The most modern and original Jack the Ripper tour in London

Q: When does the Jack the Ripper Tour start?

A: Our tours start at 5:30 pm and 7:30 pm sharp, with the meeting point just outside Exit 3 of Aldgate East Station (on Whitechapel High Street) by the Whitechapel Art Gallery.

Tours run every day of the week. Please arrive at the meeting point at least 10 minutes prior to departure to ensure you don’t miss the start of your tour.

Q: When does the Jack the Ripper tour finish?

A: Each tour lasts approximately 1 hour 45 minutes, so you can expect to finish up at around 7:15 pm for the afternoon tour or 9:15 pm for the evening tour. The tour finishes by Spitalfields Market, and the infamous Ten Bells pub – perfect for a post-tour debrief.

Q: Will the tour still run in bad weather?

A: Our Jack the Ripper tour runs every day regardless of the weather, so please dress accordingly in comfortable walking shoes. On occasion, it has been known to rain here in London, so remember to bring waterproofs and warmer clothes for those colder evenings.

If you prefer not to participate in the tour during inclement weather, please email ahead or text us on 07803 067544, and we will happily move your tickets over to another day, subject to availability.

Q: What should we do if we are running late to the Jack the Ripper tour?

A: If you can, please give us a call on 07803 067544.

Should you arrive at the meeting point and the tour guide isn’t there, please make your way to the first stop of the tour on Gunthorpe Street. The tour will stop here for approximately 10-15 minutes before moving on.

If you are expecting to arrive later than this, simply email us, and we can reschedule for another day.

All tickets are valid for up to six months from the date of booking.

Q: What area does the Jack the Ripper tour cover?

A: Our tour guides will lead you around the heart of the East End, visiting the murder sites of the Ripper victims as well as other key locations from Victorian London. There will be plenty of stops along the way as we discuss the case, the crime scenes, the suspects, victims and more - but be prepared to cover some ground, too.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at 07803 067544, email us at [email protected] or submit an enquiry form here .

"The best and most original Jack the Ripper tour in years"

-  The cloak and dagger club 2011

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 7 Days a Week

AT 5:00PM & 7:30PM

Tour Duration

1 hr 45 mins

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Jack the Ripper Tour with 'Ripper-Vision' in London

Afternoon Jack the Ripper Tour with 'Ripper-Vision' in London

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The Jack the Ripper Tour - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• PUBLIC TOUR
• PRIVATE TOURS
• SCHOOL TOURS
• RIPPER-VISION™
• JACK THE RIPPER SHOP
• JACK THE RIPPER GIFT VOUCHER

London’s Leading Jack the ripper tour

This is the most up to date Jack the ripper tour anywhere in london, the most exciting, the most shocking and a must for anyone who loves a good gruesome mystery.

Why the Ripper-Vision Tour

• The ONLY Jack the ripper tour to use Ripper vision, the latest hand held projectors.
• The ONLY Jack the Ripper tour to investigate the murder sites in the order they happened.
• NO OTHER TOUR ANYWHERE IN LONDON DOES THIS.

The ONLY Jack the ripper tour to use:

• The latest hand held projectors which emblazen large images apon the walls and streets.
• The latest graphic images some of which have never been seen before.
• Criminal profiling and geographical mapping used by the FBI and Scotland yard.
• Crime scene images of the victims and evidence.
• We use ONLY the best guides, dedicated ripperologists and enthusiasts to bring you the most informative tour around.
• We are the ONLY Jack the ripper tour to finally reveal the face of the man the police of 1888 should have found!

Do you want to book a tour?

We will visit and investigate:, osborne street and the murder of emma smith.

It was here on the 3 April 1888 that the Whitechapel murders first began. The brutal death of prostitute Emma Smith was a prelude to the emergence of Jack the ripper. Hear the gruesome facts of her murder and learn its importance.

Gunthorpe Street and the mourder of Martha Tabram

Today many ripper experts claim this site to be the first Jack the Ripper murder, the eerie cobbled stone lane way remains and you can instantly feel the sense of a bygone era, of gaslit streets, dark corners and quiet footsteps in the night, as Jack the Ripper lay in wait for his next victim. Martha Tabram was found on a staircase brutally murdered in a pool of blood. The death of this one woman began the Autumn of terror.

The frying pan pub and the murder of Mary Ann Nichols

31st August 1888, Mary Ann Nichols was last seen leaving this pub , drunk and in desperate need of money for a bed. Several hours later her mutilated corpse was found lying in a narrow road way. Learn about the manner of her death, the clues the doctors and the police missed and the horrific story that would unfold.

Hanbury Street and the murder of Annie Chapman

8th September 1888. John Davies stepped out into the back yard of number 27 Hanbury street and found the horrifically mutilated remains of Annie chapman. But what clues did the killer leave?… and what does it tell us about him?

The Ripper Letters

27th September 1888 and the name Jack the ripper was born. A series of penned letters arrived at the central news agency during the Autum of Terror, they continue to be heavily debated by experts to this day. One such letter was sent “From Hell” with half a human kidney….We will investigate and answer the question, are they hoaxes?…or are they the words of the killer himself?

Wilkes Street and Spitalfields

As we walk in the very footsteps of the ripper, prepare to be transported back in time as we take you into Wilkes street and its surrounding area. They remain practically untouched since those cold, gaslit nights of the 19th century, the surrounding buildings will conjur up images of a bygone age…a time of gaslight…a time of fear…a time of the Ripper.

The night of the double event and the murder of Elizabeth Stride

30th September 1888. Elizabeth Stride’s body was found in Dutfields yard off Berner street at 1am, her death was only the first in a night that would become known as the “Double event”. On this night the ripper was almost caught and his identity almost revealed. Find out how jack the ripper could have been caught so easily as we follow his blood trail and examine the clues.

Christ Church and the famous Ten Bells Pub

The corner of Commercial Street and Fournier Street holds some of the most iconic buildings in the ripper case. Perhaps the most famous pub in Ripper history. The Ten Bells. It is here that some if not all the victims drank, maybe even the Ripper himself… Across from the front door, a sight which would have greeted everyone Christ church. This famous landmark made famous by the movie “From Hell” stands in the very heart of the Ripper district.

Mitre Square and the murder of Catherine Eddowes

30th September 1888 became known as the double event when Jack the Ripper killed not once but twice in one night. We will Visit the original cobble-stoned square,we will investigate the evidence and show you how the ripper evaded capture. We will also follow his next move and we will walk the very route he would have taken. Hear all the gruesome facts in one of the rippers most violent crimes.

Goulston Street and the Rippers most important clue

Following the rippers footsteps on the night of the double event, we will cross back over to the Victorian east end where Jack the Ripper left perhaps one of the most important clues in the entire case…learn what was it?…and does it finally help solve the mystery?

Dorset Street and the murder of Mary Kelly

Jack the Ripper’s final victim was discovered in her small room at 13 Millers court on 9th Nov 1888. She was the most savagely mutilated victim of them all. Our tour will end at the murder site. We recreate the final moments of the rippers reign of terror. We reveal the official police photographs hidden for years in the files of Scotland yard and still, over a century later, shocks all who see it. In the words of her landlord, John McCarthy, “…it was more like the work of a devil than the work of a man…”.

The secret identity of Jack the Ripper Revealed

Finally at the end of our tour, the moment youve all been waiting for . Using modern criminal profiling, geographical mapping and pain staking research. We reveal the face of the man the police of 1888 should of been looking for. We reveal where he would have lived and why the police failed to catch him throughout the biggest man hunt in British history.

Need to know

• Tours every weekday at 7.30pm
• Tours every weekend at 4:30pm & 7.30pm
• Tour starts at Whitechapel Art Gallery
• Only £15.00 per person
• Phone: +44(0)78 0306 7544

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Chasing Jack the Ripper Through the Streets of Modern London

Tours devoted to the Victorian-era serial killer are thriving, even if the area they explore looks decidedly modern.

Mick Priestly has been giving Jack the Ripper tours through Whitechapel for a decade. Credit... Gabriella Demczuk for The New York Times

Supported by

By Claire Moses

Reporting from Whitechapel

• Oct. 19, 2023

From certain corners of Commercial Street in East London, a busy thoroughfare that runs through the heart of where Jack the Ripper killed five women more than a century ago, the city can look like it did in 1888, with narrow alleys snaking their way between Victorian-era buildings.

Go down the street, though, and the views turn unmistakably modern: skyscrapers, glassy office buildings lit up with workers eating dinner at their desks, a Peloton store and expensive apartments.

The changed landscape and tall buildings do not deter hundreds of people on most nights from taking guided tours that follow the killer’s footsteps through the neighborhood known as Whitechapel. And much like the city around them, the stories they’re told in 2023 about those murders can feel at turns modern, and unchanged since 1888.

First, some quick history: Jack the Ripper was a serial killer — sometimes described as the first of the modern era — in Victorian London. He was never caught or even identified. Historians agree that he killed at least five women — Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly — over 10 weeks in the fall of 1888. Some suggest there may have been more.

Journalists and other curious onlookers started flocking to the area almost immediately after the murders in 1888, and they’ve not really let up since, fed by more than a century of books, movies, television shows and other reimaginings.

These days, the Ripper economy is still flourishing in Whitechapel. There’s a barbershop called Jack the Clipper. A fish and chips restaurant called Jack the Chipper. And, night after night, the tours, most of which cost around $20 and run up to two hours. Interest is especially high during late summer and fall, with mild, dark nights and Halloween around the corner.

On a recent September evening, several tour groups with dozens of people set off around 7:30 p.m. from the same meeting spot on Whitechapel High Street, stacking up as they waited their turn at key spots in the busy neighborhood. During one stop in the courtyard of an otherwise generic office building, voices from other tour guides echoed against the glass as they all spun their own version of the same tale.

While the tours aren’t new, some attitudes have changed along with the surroundings, said Richard Jones, who has been leading tourists through the area since 1982, when the neighborhood was still “derelict.”

He cited the #MeToo movement as well as the 2019 publication of “The Five,” a book that delves into the lives of the Ripper’s victims, as contributing to the change. “The Five” refutes the popular belief that all of the Ripper’s victims worked as prostitutes and introduces them as mothers, wives and three-dimensional individuals who fell on hard times.

“There’s been a shift toward victimology,” Mr. Jones said. “When I started, everyone wanted the gruesome stuff.” Now, the gruesome stuff competes with tours with names like the Feminist Jack the Ripper Tour and Whitechapel Women .

Hallie Rubenhold, the author of “The Five,” considers the tours ghoulish, even amid a subtle shift in some of them brought about in part by her book.

But she doesn’t expect them to go away as long as people’s fascination holds up. “It’s a mistake to stop natural curiosity,” she said, “but what it needs is a kind of redirection or correction .”

“There’s a lot of gore peddling,” she said. It’s important, she added, to remember that “the people killed were real and lived real lives.”

Almost since the first victim’s body was discovered, early in the morning of Aug. 31, 1888, Jack the Ripper’s murders have seized the collective imagination. Newspapers, both in London and abroad, sensationalized the crimes and printed letters purporting to have been written by the killer himself, taunting the public and the police. Readers ate it all up in real time, and the lack of an identified suspect ensured that the mystery would endure.

Once Hollywood got hold of the story, Jack the Ripper took on the form we recognize today: a man in a top hat (which he probably didn’t wear) and a long coat (ditto) disappearing into a thick fog (the nights seemed to have been clear, historians now say).

But it’s also a story about what life was like in the poor East End neighborhood, said Mr. Jones, the tour guide. “It’s not just a murder mystery,” he said. “It came to be about social change.” The area included slums, homelessness and an influx of migrants in the late 19th century.

All those topics can be explored through the story of Jack the Ripper, Mr. Jones said.

But faced with the tension between the macabre and the modern, not every tour guide in Whitechapel has embraced the more sensitive telling of Ms. Rubenhold’s book. Some say the main thread — and the part that seems to draw people to the tours in the first place — is the killings themselves and their particularly disturbing details.

Mick Priestley, a self-proclaimed Ripper expert, has been giving Jack the Ripper tours for a decade and says he wants people to enjoy them without leaving them feeling disturbed. “There’s a line I don’t cross,” he said after a recent tour, adding that he didn’t want the tours to be “some super disturbing ghoul fest.”

But he does end his tours with a picture presentation (or, as he called it, “epic projector action”) that culminates with the worst photo about this history: a black-and-white picture of the mutilated body of Mary Jane Kelly. And he defends the choice to do so, noting that while it sometimes upsets people, the image is also widely available on the internet.

“You can’t talk about the Jack the Ripper story without that picture,” Mr. Priestley said. “I do warn you. But that’s the worst picture on the tour.”

Alex Borjesson, a 38-year-old tourist from Sweden, was on Mr. Priestley’s tour that night. It was his second Jack the Ripper tour, after his first on a visit to London in 1998. One of the victims — Elizabeth Stride — was Swedish, and Mr. Borjesson said he might go to her grave in East London to place some flowers. “Being a modern man,” he said, “I think there should be more focus on the women.”

Claire Moses is a reporter for the Express desk in London. More about Claire Moses

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Free Jack the Ripper Walking Tour

The year is 1888. A serial killer, known to the media as Jack the Ripper is terrorizing London’s desperately poor East End.

His target? The so-called ‘unfortunates’ – women working on the streets and alleyways of London slums to earn money for life’s basics.

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These brutal murders, set against the chaotic filth and poverty of the Victorian London district of Whitechapel, also known as the Whitechapel Murders, will change the world forever.

The conspiracy theories of the Jack the Ripper case continue to fascinate millions of people around the world.

And millions continue to guess the true identity of the killer.

No trip to London is complete without taking part in a free Jack the Ripper tour, a real murder mystery.

FREE TOURS BY FOOT

We here at Free Tours By Foot are proud to offer the best alternative Jack the Ripper tour in London.

We were the first company to offer free Jack the Ripper tours, and we like to provide our guests with an in-depth look at the case.

This is a tour for the true-crime buff and the history junkie alike (watch our video above, which might as well be a television documentary or drama)

So, come out with our guides ( or walk with our GPS audio tour app ) as we wind you through small lanes, crooked back streets, and Jack the Ripper murder locations, all guaranteed to send shivers down your spine.

Our tour gives you insight into the real Jack the Ripper history – you’ll leave with an understanding of the crimes that no other tour can provide.

Written by a dark history and true crime expert, Free Tours By Foot is proud to offer the best London Jack the Ripper tour. Book now – if you dare.

Here's a sample from our audio tour to get a taste of what you might hear.

Jack the Ripper Tour information

Reservations:  Required.  Click here to reserve . Walk-ups will be permitted only if space is available.

When:  Saturdays at 18:00 (6 pm), or take this tour anytime on your own with our  GPS-led audio tour .

Where:  The tour meets outside the Saint Botolph Without Aldgate. Use our Google Maps  for directions to the tour starting point . Tours marked "(London With a Local)" have a different meeting point, which will be sent to you in your booking confirmation email.

*NOTE: Please ensure you are headed to the correct St. Botolph! There is another  Saint Botolph Church with Aldersgate   about 20 minutes away. Note the difference between Aldgate and Aldersgate.

The tour endpoint is within walking distance of Liverpool Street and Aldgate Stations.

Duration:  Approximately 2 hours.

Cost:  This tour is free to join, and you get to decide what, if anything, the tour was worth when it's done. A  name-your-own-price tour  is a tour for anyone's budget.

Jack the Ripper private tours are also offered by our excellent team!

MAP AND SELF-GUIDED TOUR OF JACK THE RIPPER LOCATIONS

This is a free Jack the Ripper Tour and map of important locations in these unsolved murders.

We recommend taking our more in-depth  GPS-led audio tour  (£1.99).

The audio tour has more detailed descriptions of crime scenes and horrific slayings by an unidentified assailant, known as Jack the Ripper. 

Here's a sample.

We also offer a guided  Jack the Ripper Tour  in person.

Throughout this walk, we will discuss the unsolved, brutal murders, of five London's East End prostitutes.

Tour Length : 

• 3 miles - just under 5 km
• Approximately 2.5 hours, depending on your walking pace
• 14 stops, with a discussion of the aftermath

NOTE : For guests with mobility issues, or those with prams or buggies, there are no steps on the route, but there are cobbled streets to take into consideration.

This self-guided Jack the Ripper Walking Tour begins near Whitechapel Underground Station. 

Click the map to enlarge or to use on a smartphone.

A - Victim #1 - Mary Ann Nicholls

Exit Whitechapel Station and turn LEFT. The road dead-ends on Durward Street where you should take a RIGHT.

Walk to the old school building - the large brick building - ahead, if possible. If construction prevents you from getting there, simply stand as close as you can. 

Our story begins on the 31st of August 1888. The ‘Autumn of Terror’ is about to begin when the first victim of the canonical five is murdered right here: Mary Ann Nicholls.

Mary left the Frying Pan Pub around half past midnight. She was found at 3:40 am.

The Police Constable sees that her throat has been violently slit - from left to right, twice over, with the incision going all the way through to her vertebrae. 

Detective Chief Inspector Frederick Aberline is called to work on the case and he is determined to bring Mary’s killer to justice.

( Learn more about the suspects )

But Frederick finds there is nobody with a bad word to say against Mary Nichols. With no idea of a perpetrator or motive, an entire week passes with no progress on finding her killer. 

Seven nights after the murder of Mary Ann Nicholls, Jack the Ripper would strike again.

B - Victim #2 - Annie Chapman

Backtrack along Durward Street until you get to Vallance Road and turn RIGHT. Take the first LEFT onto Old Montague Street and an immediate RIGHT onto Hanbury Street. Continue on Hanbury Street.

As you walk you will pass Deal Street and Spital Street, and you will cross Brick Lane until you reach a car park on the RIGHT-hand side - opposite 28 or 32 Hanbury Street.

The house where Jack the Ripper’s second victim, Annie Chapman, was murdered, no longer stands. But it would have looked similar to the houses you see across the street, such as Numbers 28 and 32. 

A small space off the street, that offered a little privacy made the back gardens of Hanbury Street a popular location for prostitutes to take their clients.

At 5:40 am, a man living above 29 Hanbury St came downstairs and into the back courtyard where he discovered the body of Annie Chapman.

She was slumped against the fence with her throat slashed and her body cut open from her groin to her chest, nearly cut into two. 

C - Frying Pan Public House - Where Mary Nicholls Last Seen Alive

Continue down Hanbury Street and turn LEFT onto Wilkes St.

Take the second LEFT onto Fournier Street, lined with original 18th-century homes, giving you an idea of how the buildings in this neighbourhood appeared in the 1880s.

Take a RIGHT onto Brick Lane and walk down. Stop when you get to the decorative archway that spans the road. When under the arch, turn around to face where you just walked from and take a look at the Shaad Restaurant. 

The Shaad Restaurant is the site of the former Frying Pan Pub. The two crossed frying pans carved into the stone are the original decoration of this 19th-century pub.

This is the pub where Mary Nicholls drank away her money on the 30th of August, 1888.

She is reported to have stumbled out of the pub around half past midnight and was seen by her friend just around the corner a few minutes later.

Somewhere between where you stand now and where our tour began, Mary would run into Jack the Ripper and her life would come to an end.

D - Early Suspects - Kosminski and John Pizer -  Mulberry Street / Zion Square 

Continue down Brick Lane. When you get to Whitechapel Road, cross the street and enter Altab Ali Park. Walk diagonally to your LEFT, through the park, and exit the park onto Alder Street. Go RIGHT and immediately turn LEFT onto Mulberry Street. Stop in the middle of the buildings on the right.

None of the original buildings from the Victorian era still stand here, but in the 1880s there was a square of houses here, which housed mostly Jewish immigrants.

This densely populated area was home to two suspects in the Jack the Ripper murder investigations: Aaron Kosminski and John Pizer.

John Pizer had a prior conviction for a stabbing offense and was suspected of a string of assaults on local prostitutes.

He was arrested after the Ripper’s first two murders but was cleared as there was no concrete evidence against him, and he had strong alibis for the nights the murders were committed.

Kosminski was known to be mentally unstable, having previously threatened multiple women with knives.

In memoirs published in 1910, Assistant Commissioner Sir Robert Anderson also names Kosminski as his prime suspect.

His reasoning is that he believed Jack the Ripper was a local Jewish man of low class and Kosminski was known to be mentally unstable, having previously threatened multiple women with knives.

Anderson also claimed that the identity of the Ripper was known by one person who wasn’t willing to testify as they were also Jewish and didn’t wish to turn over a fellow Jew to the police.

E - Victim #3 - Elizabeth Stride -  Henriques Street 

Continue down Mulberry Street and take a RIGHT onto Plumber’s Row. And the end of the road, turn RIGHT onto Coke Street and take the first LEFT onto Weyhill Road.

When that road ends, turn LEFT onto Commerical Road and take the first RIGHT onto Henriques Street, formerly known as Berner Street. Walk along until you come to the Bernhard Baron Building on your LEFT.

You are standing now where Jack the Ripper’s third victim would meet her untimely end.

Elizabeth Stride was the Ripper’s only non-English victim.

She had moved to London at the age of 22 and married a local man. It appears that she took up prostitution again, part-time, after the collapse of her marriage.

In the early hours of the 30th of September, a man's horse shied away from the movement in the dark streets. After the man returned to the scene with his lantern, he found the body of Elizabeth Stride.

It is believed that the Ripper was interrupted, and the man's retreat to the pub to pick up his lantern gave the culprit enough time to flee the area. 

But Jack the Ripper was not yet done for the night.

F - St. Botolph-Without-Aldgate

Retrace your steps to Commercial Street and take a LEFT. Follow the road until it dead-ends then take a LEFT onto busy Whitechapel Street.

Pass Aldgate Station, then Aldgate East Station, until you get to the church of St. Botolph-Without-Aldgate Church. This is your next stop.

Prostitution was illegal. However, since the police understood prostitution was the women's only means of survival, there were two rules for area prostitutes: 

• Prostitutes could not loiter or stay in a single place for a long time - they had to always keep moving. 
• The women were not allowed to approach customers, the customers had to approach them. 

Providing the women followed these rules, the police would turn a blind eye. For this reason, up to 200 prostitutes a night continuously walked in circles around this church, waiting for clients.

Jack the Ripper’s fourth victim was last seen alive circling this building.

G - Victim #4 - Catherine Eddowes

On your RIGHT are some interesting pictures and information about the history of the Whitechapel area, which may help give you a visual reference to how this area looked during the time these murders took place.

After viewing those, turn LEFT and walk between the buildings until the space opens into Mitre Square.

The proximity of this location to St. Botolph’s Church leads us to believe that after being interrupted during his slaying of Elizabeth Stride, Jack the Ripper headed straight to the prostitutes' church to pick up his next victim, Catherine Eddowes.

An eye-witness report puts Catherine at the entrance of this alleyway at 1:35 am, in conversation with a man. The PC on duty the night of Catherine’s murder passed by at 1:45 am, finding her mutilated body at the bottom of this passage in the darkest corner of Mitre Square. 

The state of her body and a missing organ after less than 15 minutes suggested a rage and fury that had not yet been seen in the Ripper case. 

Walk to the end of Mitre Square and pause when you get to the gates on your LEFT. Just through the gates is a tree - this is the approximate location of where Catherine Eddowe’s body was found.

H - Evidence- Graffiti and Apron Found

Now, turn RIGHT onto Mitre Street. Take the first RIGHT onto Creechurch Lane which you should then follow along until it turns into Stoney Lane as you walk across Houndsditch Road.

Walk ahead until you come to White Kennett Street where you will make a RIGHT. Take the first LEFT onto Gravel Lane and walk until the lane stops at Middlesex Street.

Take a LEFT then an immediate RIGHT onto New Goulston Street. Walk until the Street Ends at Goulston Street.

Across the street stands the Wentworth Model Dwellings. Take a look at the doorway between numbers 40/41.

An hour after Catherine Eddowe’s body was found in Mitre Square, PC Alfred Long stumbled across a bloody piece of cloth taken from Catherine’s apron, stuck to the doorway.

And written in red chalk: ‘ The Juwes [original spelling] are the Men that will not be blamed for nothing. ’ This is one of the only clues discovered during the period Jack the Ripper was active.

The bloody pattern of the knife blade on the apron appeared to belong to a type of knife used in surgical amputations. So at the very least, this suggested to the police that Jack the Ripper had access to surgical weapons. 

I - The Workhouse

With New Goulston Street at your back, turn LEFT onto Goulston Street. Keep walking and Goulston Street turns into Bell Lane.

Keep following until you see Frying Pan Alley on your LEFT. Just past this, still on Bell Street is the old workhouse. 

You’ll notice two entrances here, separate doorways for men and women. On a typical day, you would have around 200 women and children queuing up for a place in the house, and a similar number of men on their side.

The dormitories themselves only slept 200 in coffin-shaped boxes. If a person arrived when all the beds had been allocated, they would be given a rope attached to the wall and would have to sleep upright against the rope.

These workhouses were horrendous places to be. And the price for all of this? A 16-hour shift of manual labour.

Today this building serves a student accommodation for the London School of Economics - and are hopefully a bit more comfortable today than they were just over a century ago.

J - Victim #5 - Mary Jane Kelly

With the Workhouse to your back, look across the street to the modern building directly opposite you.

This building sits on the site of what used to be Dorset Street, and the location of Jack the Ripper’s final slaying.

In the 19th century, Dorset Street was considered to be the most dangerous Street in London - and some said even the entire country.

A person walking down that street in the 1880s would be unlikely to make it all the way down retaining all their possessions.

This is the murder site of the Ripper’s final victim: Mary Kelly, who lived at 13 Millers Court here on Dorset Street.

A 24-year-old Irish girl, Kelly was to be the last known Jack the Ripper’s victims.

Her murder was so brutal and the desecration of her corpse so barbaric that the only way she could be identified was by the clothing she had been wearing the night before.

Why? Hers was the first of the Ripper’s murders to take place indoors.

Without having to constantly look over his shoulder to avoid detection, the murderer had all the time in the world.

And this horrific scene provided the imagery of the first-ever crime scene photograph.

14 - End of The Line

From here, we will walk to the location where Jack the Ripper would have emerged from Dorset Street all those years ago.

Still with the workhouse behind you, take the street that is slightly to the right and ahead of you, White’s Row.

Walk until you get to the corner of Toynbee Street and then turn LEFT. Walk until you get to the corner of Brushfield Street.

Jack the Ripper would have walked out of Mary Jane Kelly’s room, headed down Dorset Street, and onto the road we are standing on here.

And what would he have seen? Nearly exactly what you are seeing right now: St. Christ’s Church Spitalfields, Spitalfields Market, and the Ten Bells Pub. 

All five of his victims were known drinkers at the Ten Bells.

It is the belief of investigators both at the time and now that whoever Jack the Ripper was, it’s incredibly likely he was a regular at the Ten Bells.

Now cross the street to Christ’s Church and stand nearby, surveying the buildings here and the unchanged streets surrounding you as we pause to consider who the Jack the Ripper may have been.

There have been over 300 suspects in the Jack the Ripper murder investigations. For brevity’s sake, we will take you down a few of the top suspects.

• Aaron Kominsky, a known misogynist previously mentioned
• Montague Druitt, a school teacher and banker who fit the physical description of Jack the Ripper
• Walter Sickertt, a well-known impressionist artist with an interest in Jack the Ripper
• Prince Albert Victor, Queen Victoria’s eldest son who has a rumored child with a Whitechapel prostitute
• Dr. Frances Tumbledy, an American quack-doctor from upstate New York and known misogynist 

There are dozens more, and even suggestions of a JANE the Ripper, rather than a Jack.

But each theory has its supporters and detractors and the reality of the situation is that it’s highly unlikely the killer’s identity will ever be positively known.

16 - Aftermath and Conclusion

It is worth mentioning that the Ripper killings had long-lasting and far-reaching positive ramifications for the people of the East End. 

This now-legendary story was the first tabloid murder sensation!

With all this attention on Whitechapel, people all over the world were wondering why, in the richest and largest city on earth, were their own people living in these conditions.

Massive social reform came about as a result of the murders with new charities and actions by The Good Samaritans and the Church of England to end child homelessness and help the poor.

Even American millionaires got involved.

If you’ve enjoyed your Jack the Ripper Tour with us, take a look at our other self-guided tours :

• City of London
• Royal London
• Harry Potter 

We also offer pay-what-you-like  walking tours on a daily basis here in London and we’d love to have you join us - simply make a reservation online.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Was Jack the Ripper ever found?

No, Jack the Ripper was never found. The identity of the notorious serial killer remains a mystery to this day.

As per the latest news reports, Mr Hyam Hyams, a cigar maker who lived in the area, has been identified by some as Jack the Ripper.

Every few years, new details of the infamous killer are revealed, but so far confirmation of the identity of the killer has not been established.

How long does a free Jack the Ripper tour take?

A free tour typically takes around 2 to 3 hours. Tour durations may vary depending on the guide and group size.

Is the free Jack the Ripper tour suitable for children?

Most tour operators state that the tours are not suitable for children under 12.

However, exact suitability differs from tour to tour, and there's a strong likelihood that some children will be more than comfortable. Ultimately, the decision about whether or not to bring your kids along is up to your own discretion, but do keep in mind that most tours include brutal details about the murders which may disturb younger guests.

Is the free Jack the Ripper tour scary?

Yes, the free tour of Jack the Ripper can be scary for some people, especially those who are easily frightened or sensitive to gruesome and dark historical content.

The tour typically delves into London's dark history and details the brutal murders committed by Jack the Ripper.

Guides may use dramatic storytelling to create a spooky and atmospheric experience.

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• Jack the Ripper Victims
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• The Whitechapel murders took place in the East End of London between April, 1888 and February, 1891.
• There were eleven Whitechapel murders victims, of whom five are believed to have been victims of the killer who became known as "Jack the Ripper.".
• The murders were investigated by two police forces, the Metropolitan Police and the City of London Police.
• Site Author and Publisher Richard Jones
• Richard Jones

JACK THE RIPPER HISTORY

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE WHITECHAPEL MURDERS

One of the first problems you encounter when you attempt to write a history of the Jack the Ripper crimes is establishing just how many of the Whitechapel Murders were, in fact, carried out by the killer who became known as Jack the Ripper.

Although the exact number of victims most frequently bandied around is five, it should be remembered that this is based upon a later statement made in 1894 by Melville Macnaghten and this is not, by any means, a definitive number.

Indeed, the Whitechapel Murders file, which is the generic file that encompasses the actual Jack the Ripper crimes has the names of eleven victims on it, some of whom were victims of Jack the Ripper, some of whom may have been, and several of whom most certainly weren't.

THE CANONICAL FIVE VICTIMS

The five aforementioned names most often put forward - and often referred to as the canonical five victims - as having been murdered by the ripper are:-

Mary Nichols - Murdered on 31st August 1888

Annie Chapman - Murdered on 8th September 1888

Elizabeth Stride - Murdered on 30th September 1888

Catherine Eddowes - Murdered on 30th September 1888

Mary Kelly - Murdered on 9th November 1888

EMMA SMITH - THE FIRST WHITECHAPEL MURDERS VICTIM

However, the file also contains the names of two victims who were murdered before Mary Nichols, whose body was found on August 31st 1888.

The first of these victims was Emma Smith, who was attacked in the early hours of the 3rd April 1888.

She later died of her injuries in the London Hospital and, as a result, hers became the first name to appear on the Whitechapel Murders file.

Emma Smith was, almost certainly, not a victim of Jack the Ripper. Indeed, before she died, she was able to tell the doctor who treated her at the London Hospital that she had been attacked by a local gang.

MARTHA TABRAM - JACK THE RIPPER'S FIRST VICTIM?

A few months later, on the 7th August 1888, the body of Martha Tabram was found in George Yard, a sordid thoroughfare that led, and for that matter still leads, off Whitechapel High Street. She had been subjected to an horrendous and very violent attack in the course of which she had suffered 39 frenzied stab wounds to her throat, chest and abdomen

Martha Tabram (also referred to as Martha Turner) may, or may not, have been a victim of the criminal who later became known as Jack the Ripper.

The case against her having being a victim is that her throat hadn't been cut and she had not been disembowelled, injuries that almost all the canonical five victims would later endure.

Evidence that suggests she was a victim is that her killer had targeted her throat and abdomen, just as Jack the ripper would do with the five canonical victims.

It is, therefore, safe to say that the jury is, most certainly, still out on whether or not Martha was a ripper victim.

THE JACK THE RIPPER MURDERS

We move into more certain territory with the murder of Mary Nichols on August 31st 1888

Again, this was a savage and brutal attack. This time, however, the killer demonstrated the modus operandi of cutting her throat and disembowelling her.

Blessed as we are with the gift of hindsight, we can now look back on the murder of Mary Nichols and pinpoint this crime as the start of Jack the Ripper's so called "reign of terror", the police at the time lacked the luxury of such certainty.

They certainly connected Mary Nichols murder with that of Martha Tabram, and many of the officers who worked on the case believed that Martha was indeed the first of Jack the Ripper's six victims.

In addition, they were also, in the early days at least, influenced by Emma Smith's claim that she had been attacked by a local gang, into believing that the crimes were, in fact, gang related.

INSPECTOR ABBERLINE TAKES CHARGE

As a result, it was decided that the investigation needed to be headed by an officer who had a good working knowledge of the East End criminal underworld.

Thus it was that, in early September 1888, Inspector Frederick George Abberline - a man who, prior to his promotion out of the area the previous year, had spent the best part of fourteen years as a detective in the district where the crimes were occurring - was brought in to take overall charge of the on the ground investigation.

Abberline would become one of the most important of the investigating officers and, on the whole, he was able to avoid the general press criticism and ridicule that other, more senior officers, were subjected to.

Indeed, it seems that Abberline was universally respected, not just by his fellow police officers and superiors, but also by the press and the public at large.

THE LEATHER APRON SCARE

It was around this time that police enquiries amongst the prostitutes in the area yielded a possible suspect in the form of a man whom the local street walkers had nicknamed "Leather Apron", on account of the fact that he habitually wore such a garment.

According to the prostitutes this "Leather Apron" was running an extortion racket amongst them and threatening to rip them open if they didn't give him their money.

Unfortunately, when the press learnt of this suspect, several newspapers began emphasising the man's supposed Hebrew appearance, a fact which led to anti-Semitism surfacing in the area.

ANNIE CHAPMAN IS MURDERED

It was against this background that, on the 8th September 1888, the body of another prostitute was discovered in the back yard on 29 Hanbury Street, less than a mile away from Buck's Row where the previous murder of Mary Nichols had taken place just a week before.

The Hanbury Street victim was identified as Annie Chapman , and this time the violence had escalated, with the killer having removed and gone off with her womb.

The fact that a freshly washed leather apron was found close to her body, coupled with the press sensationalism concerning the identity and race of the polices main suspect, caused the anti-Semitism to boil over into full scale racial unrest.

Desperate to restore order, the authorities flooded the area with police officers, an action which had the effect of both stilling the agitation and, since no murders took place for a few weeks, appears to have made it difficult for the killer to strike again.

LEATHER APRON ARRESTED

Shortly after the murder of Annie Chapman, Sergeant William Thicke arrested local man John Pizer, maintaining that he was known in the area as "Leather Apron".

Pizer, however, was able to provide cast-iron alibis as to his whereabouts at the time of the most recent murders.

He was, therefore, ruled out as a suspect, and he even appeared at the inquest into Annie Chapman's death, where he was officially and publicly cleared of any involvement in the crimes.

THE MILE END VIGILANCE COMMITTEE

On the 10th September 1888, a group of local businessmen and tradesman formed the Mile End Vigilance Committee and elected local builder Mr George Lusk as their president.

In films about the Jack the Ripper murders these committees (there were several in addition to this one) are often depicted as vigilantes.

But in reality, their stated aim was to supplement the police numbers in the area and to raise sufficient funds to offer a reward for information that might lead to the killer's arrest.

As a result of his Vigilance Committee activities Mr George Lusk became something of a local celebrity and his name began appearing in the newspapers on a regular basis.

WAS THE KILLER A MEDICAL MAN?

Meanwhile, at Annie Chapman's inquest, the Divisional Police Surgeon, Dr George Bagster Philips, expressed his opinion that Annie Chapman had been murdered in order that her killer could obtain her womb. Philips also opined that the skill and speed that he displayed in removing the organ suggested that the murderer possessed some anatomical knowledge.

THE CORONER CAUSES A SENSATION

During his summing up at the inquest into Annie Chapman's death, the Coroner, Wynne Baxter , caused a sensation by revealing that the sub-curator of a Pathological Museum at one of the London Medical Schools had approached him with information about a certain American Doctor who had offered him £20 for each womb that he could provide him with.

Baxter wondered if the "knowledge of this demand" had incited some deranged wretch to carry out the most recent murder in order to obtain a womb which could, presumably, then be sold on for profit?

Needless to say Baxter's revelations and ponderings caused an absolute sensation and, it must be said, added a bizarre twist to what was rapidly becoming the pantomime of the Whitechapel Murders.

The medical profession itself, it should be said, were quick to disprove Baxter's allegations, and it is interesting to note that such a theory was not mentioned at any of the inquests into the deaths of subsequent victims.

AN INCREASED POLICE PRESENCE DETERS THE KILLER

On the streets of Whitechapel the police were battling to bring the killer (or killers) to justice and were coming in for an awful lot of press criticism for their inability to do so.

However, their increased presence appears to have deterred the killer and, by the end of September, the people of the area had begun to relax, with many of them believing that the murder spree had ended.

THE NIGHT OF THE DOUBLE MURDER

But, on 30th September 1888, the Whitechapel Murderer returned and killed two women in less than an hour.

The first victim was Elizabeth Stride , whose body was found by Louis Diemschutz, as he turned his pony an cart into a dark yard off Berner Street at 1am.

The fact that her throat had been cut, but the rest of her body had not been mutilated, led the police to surmise that the killer had, in fact, been interrupted by Diemschutz as he entered the yard.

The second victim that morning was Catherine Eddowes , whose horrifically mutilated corpse was found in Mitre Square, in the City of London, at 1.45am.

In addition to the injuries suffered by Mary Nichols and Annie Chapman, the killer had also mutilated Catherine Eddowes face. He had also removed and gone off with her uterus and left kidney.

JACK THE RIPPER'S ONLY CLUE

As the police pursued Jack the Ripper through the streets of the East End of London, they discovered a clue.

In a doorway in nearby Goulston Street, a police constable, Alfred Long, patrolling his beat came across a piece of Catherine Eddowes bloodstained apron in the doorway of an apartment block.

Scrawled in chalk on the wall above the apron was a message which read "The Juwes are the men that will not be blame for nothing."

This message was the source of a great debate between the Metropolitan Police, who wanted to erase it lest it lead to racial unrest in the district, and the City of London Police, who wanted to photograph it as they felt it might be an important lead in their hunt for the killer of Catherine Eddowes.

The dissent between the two forces was ended at 5.30am when Sir Charles Warren , the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, arrived at the scene and order its immediate erasure. Read more...

THE KILLER IS GIVEN THE NAME JACK THE RIPPER

In the wake of what the press dubbed the "double event" the police decided to make public a letter which, a few days previous, had been sent to a London News Agency.

Written in red ink, it purported to have been written by the killer and boasted that the police "wont fix me yet". Having gloated over what he had done to his, supposed, victims and stating what he would do to his next victim, the author signed the letter "Jack the Ripper".

Once the police made the letter public, the name "Jack the Ripper" caught on immediately and helped turn a series of sordid East End murders into an international phenomenon. Indeed, it is safe to say that part of the reason why this particular set of crimes are still so famous is because of that name.

HOAX LETTERS START COMING IN

Unfortunately, releasing the letter proved to be a mistake.

The police quickly deduced that it hadn't been written by the killer but, rather, was the work of a London journalist.

However, such was the allure of the name, hoaxers began sending in letters with the same or, or similar, signatures and the police investigation came close to melt down with this veritable avalanche of Jack the Ripper correspondence.

MR LUSK'S LETTER FROM HELL

One of the most famous of these prank missives was sent to Mr George Lusk, the president of the Mile End Vigilance Committee, in mid-October 1888.

Famously, this was letter was addressed "From Hell" and it contained half a kidney which, according to the letter's writer, he "took from one victim."

Despite lurid press speculation that the kidney sent to Mr Lusk was, indeed, half of the one taken from the body of Catherine Eddowes, the consensus amongst police and doctors was that it was, in fact, a sick prank perpetrated by a medical student.

However, the whole of October went by without another murder and, once more, the people of the area entered November believing that the killing spree was over.

THE MURDER OF MARY KELLY

Their relief, however, was premature.

On the 9th November 1888 the body of Mary Kelly was found in her room at 13 Miller's Court, off Dorset Street in Spitalfields.

Her body had been virtually skinned down to the bone. Indeed so extensive and horrific were her mutilations that her live in lover, Joseph Barnett, was only able to identify her by her eyes and ears.

Although it is generally believed that Mary Kelly was the last of Jack the Ripper's victims, there are several more names of later murder victims on the Whitechapel Murders file.

ROSE MYLETT MURDER

On 20th December 1888, Rose Mylett was found dead, but un-mutilated, in Clarke's Yard, Poplar. Although the newspapers were full of speculation that she had been murdered by Jack the Ripper, the police doctors concluded that her death had been accidental. However, the Coroner and the jury at her subsequent inquest disagreed and a verdict of "Murder by person or persons unknown." was returned.

ALICE MCKENZIE'S MURDER - THE RETURN OF THE RIPPER?

On July 17th 1889 the body of Alice McKenzie was found in Castle Alley, off Whitechapel High Street.

There were two stab wounds to her throat and a long, though not unduly deep, wound ran from her left breast to her navel. In addition, there were also shallow wounds and scratches to her lower abdomen.

Although, at the time, some police officers and doctors believed that Jack the Ripper had returned, the general consensus was, and still is amongst experts, that she was not a victim of Jack the Ripper.

PINCHIN STREET MURDER - ANOTHER RIPPER CRIME?

On 10th September 1889 the mutilated torso of an unidentified woman was found under a railway arch in Pinchin Street , a little way from Commercial Road, and a short distance from Berner Street where Elizabeth Stride had been murdered almost one year before.

Press reports at the time mentioned similarities to the mutilations to the torso and the injuries sustained by Jack the Ripper's victims, but the then Metropolitan Police Commissioner, James Monro , considered the modus operandi to be different to that of Jack the Ripper and ruled the woman out as one of his victims.

FRANCES COLES THE LAST WHITECHAPEL MURDERS VICTIM

The final name to appear on the Whitechapel Murders file is that of Frances Coles , whose body was found at 2.20am on 13th February 1891 in Swallow Gardens of Mansell Street, not far from the Tower of London.

He throat had been cut, but she had not sustained any further mutilations.

The fact that she was still alive when found, by Police Constable Ernest Thompson, led to speculation that the killer, as in the case of Elizabeth Stride, had been interrupted.

When it transpired that she had spent the days prior to her death with a sailor by the name of Thomas Sadler and that he had, not only been involved in several drunken altercations around the time of her murder, but that he had also sold a clasp knife shortly after her murder, the police arrested him and considered him a likely suspect, not only for the murder of Frances Coles, but also for the other murders.

However, the case against him soon collapsed and Sadler was cleared of any involvement and released.

THE END OF THE MURDERS

With the murder of Frances Coles, "by person or persons unknown" the Whitechapel Murders came to an end and, shortly afterwards, the file itself was closed.

April 3rd 1888 - Emma Smith is attacked by a gang.

April 4th 1888 - Emma Smith dies of her injuries and police open the "Whitechapel Murder" file.

August 7th 1888 - The body of Martha Tabram is found in George Yard.

August 31st 1888 - The body of Mary Nichols, generally held to be the first Jack the Ripper victim, is found in Buck's Row.

September 8th 1888 - Annie Chapman is murdered in the back yard of number 29 Hanbury Street.

September 30th 1888 - The so called "double event" when the body of Elizabeth Stride is found in Dutfield's Yard, off Berner Street at 1am and, 45 minutes later, the body of Catherine Eddowes if found in Mitre Square in the City of London.

November 9th 1888 - The body of Mary Kelly is found in her room at 13 Miller's Court, Dorset Street.

July 17th 1889 - The body of Alice McKenzie is found in Castle Alley, off Whitechapel High Street.

February 13th 1891 - The body of Frances Coles is found beneath a railway arch between Swallow-gardens and Orman-street..

Running Tours: What to Expect and Where to Try One

S ix years ago, I suffered through one of the worst bouts of jet lag in my life. I had been traveling in Southeast Asia for about 10 days, but my mind and body were still stuck in Vampire mode. When I arrived in Siem Reap in Cambodia, my hotel concierge suggested I go for an early morning run to Angkor Wat. It would be a simple 5K, he told me-a scenic run that would recalibrate my body clock. I had a pair of sneakers and limited experience as a runner. He gave me a 5 a.m. appointment with the general manager, who would be my guide.

That morning, I ran from the city to the temples and arrived just in time to watch the sunrise over Angkor Wat. The experience put me on a runner's high and made me a travel runner, aka that person who schedules a run in every city they visit. Over the years, I've run with guides in Tokyo, Washington, D.C., Torino, Italy, and more. I've even curated my own runs, reading about sites I've wanted to see in cities including Milan and Athens and dropping pins for my personalized 5K tour.

The advantage of running tours? "You explore the sites at your own pace, learn about the culture, see areas you might never have discovered on your own, and really focus on being present," says Lena Andersson, founder of Go! Running Tours, a company operating in more than 65 cities and six continents. "You just need a pair of running shoes and an open mind."

Running tours, long or short, immerse you in a location and its vibe. They cover more ground in less time than a walking tour, leaving more time to take in some lesser-known sites. Plus, you don't have the headache of parking and locking up a two-wheeler like you would if you were sightseeing by bike. A running tour isn't just about culture, curiosity, and combatting jet lag; it also brings a sense of accomplishment.

What to expect on a running tour

Running tours are usually a mix of running, site stops, and brisk walking. Most guides will share anecdotes as you run, but don't feel like you need to keep up a conversation. Shorter running tours tend to average five kilometers (which takes about an hour), but you can find tours that go 10 kilometers or longer. Safety is always a priority, so guides use their expertise to design paths that avoid highly trafficked roads. You can schedule a running tour for any time of the day, but early morning hours are better for avoiding crowds.

There are two main types of tours: private and group. The advantage of a private running tour is personalization-you set the pace, intensity, and distance. Want to run Rome's imperial monuments, baroque piazzas, and enjoy the Eternal City's best cappuccino spots? You can do that.

"Private tours are ideal because you set the pace, the goals, and what you want to do," says Raoul Spronken, founder of RunningTours.Net , an online marketplace for independent running tours around the world.

Group tours, on the other hand, are follow-the-leader runs. They can bring together more than 20 people for a set route, though some tours have multiple guides to create smaller groups when necessary. It's a fun way to meet people, but it has no room for improvisation.

Where to go on a running tour

The beauty of running is that you can do it anywhere: a capital city, a quiet town, a coast, or even a mountain peak. The following tours immerse you in a location, be in the context of history, landscape, or culture.

ArcheoRunning Roman Bridges Running Tour

• Book now: ArcheoRunning Roman Bridges Running Tour
• Location: Rome, Italy
• Type: Private running tour
• Cost: $100/person, prices incrementally decrease with each additional participant

My hometown favorite: This Ancient Rome–focused running tour starts at the epic Circus Maximus and takes you across antiquity's oldest bridges. Licensed tour guide and devout runner Isabella Calidonna stops at Ancient Rome's epic bridges (like the ancient Ponte Rotto) to tell their histories and relationships to nearby monuments. Over the approximately five-kilometer run, Calidonna also points out lesser-known historical information.

Go! Running Antigua Guatemala

• Book now: Go! Running Antigua Guatemala
• Location: Antigua, Guatemala
• Cost: $87.40/person, prices incrementally decrease with each additional participant

This 5K tour through Antigua, Guatemala, is all about baroque architecture, mountain views, and UNESCO World Heritage sites. Runners pass through the historic center and witness Mayan culture and contemporary life at places including the Cathedral of San José, the ruins of the Santa Clara convent, and the Santa Catalina Arch.

Go! Running Bangkok Street Art to Street Food

• Book now: Go! Running Bangkok Street Art to Street Food
• Location: Bangkok, Thailand
• Type: Private Running Tour
• Cost: $79.20/person, prices incrementally decrease with each additional participant

Street art and street food in Asia's most dynamic city are the focus of this tour. The run starts on Bangkok's oldest colonial thoroughfare, Charoen Krung Road, and goes through two centuries of history and culture via architecture, street markets, and street art before ending at the markets of Yaowarat Road.

BlacklistLA

• Book now: BlacklistLA
• Location: Los Angeles, California
• Type: Group running tour

BlacklistLA is a community-focused nonprofit running group that meets every Monday evening at 8 p.m. for a 90-minute run through the Arts District in Downtown Los Angeles.

Sightrunning Istanbul

• Book now: Sightrunning Istanbul
• Location: Istanbul, Turkey
• Cost: $45/person, prices incrementally decrease with each additional participant

Sightrunning Istanbul's "Historical Peninsula" tour winds through the Sultanahmet neighborhood, starting by the Sultanahmet metro stop at Poika Caffe. The tour takes you around popular sights such as the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, and the Bosphorus Strait.

Maastricht Running Tours - Highlight Tour

• Book now: Maastricht Running Tours- Highlight Tour
• Location: Maastricht, Netherlands
• Cost: $37/person

Owner Raoul Spronken's personal favorite, this is the tour that started the RunningTours network. Raoul takes you on a 1.5-hour run (about six kilometers) through the major attractions. Runners pass watermills, through squares, and over Maastricht's city walls, all while learning about the town's history.

SecretLondonRun Jack the Ripper

• Book now: SecretLondonRun Jack the Ripper
• Location: London, England
• Cost: approximately $30/person

This 10-kilometer group running tour weaves through the alleys of East London while taking travelers back to the Victorian era, during the time of the Whitechapel Murders and Jack the Ripper. Runners learn about the Whitechapel Murder victims as well as theories as to Ripper's actual identity.

Go! Running Train with Kenyans

• Book now: Go! Running Train with Kenyans
• Location: Ngong Hills, Kenya
• Cost: $133.10/person, prices incrementally decrease with each additional participant

More than 2,000 meters above sea level, the Ngong Hills are the training ground for Kenya's world-class runners. This 15-kilometer tour goes through the hilly countryside, which overlooks Nairobi and the Great Rift Valley. Besides getting a glimpse into the lives of Kenya's elite runners, travelers can get running and training tips for their own workouts.

Runstreet NYC Art Run

• Book now: Runstreet NYC Art Run
• Location: New York City, New York
• Cost: starting at $50/person, prices incrementally decrease with each additional participant

Marnie Kunz's by-request-only Art Run is a curated five-kilometer run through downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn, with New York's iconic street art as a backdrop. Kunz stops at a variety of murals and street art in the Lower East Side, Bushwick, and Williamsburg, sharing stories about the works and the artists.