Jack the Ripper: Identity, History, and Locations of London's Serial Killer

The one who was the terror of London streets during the Victorian era, the one who haunted the dreams of children and adults alike after seeing cinematic depictions, the one whose identity remains a mystery... who are we talking about? None other than Jack the Ripper, the heinous killer of London in 1888. Officially, 5 victims have been attributed to him, though it is believed the number may actually have been 11. All the victims were prostitutes, and the modus operandi was always the same: death by throat-slitting followed by mutilation.
Approximately 100 years after the events, Scotland Yard still keeps his file, and various cinematic depictions continue to fuel the myth...

Between August 7 and September 10, 1888, a killer terrorized the Whitechapel district in London's East End. He murdered at least five prostitutes, mutilating their bodies in unusual ways.
This led investigators to believe that the killer had a deep understanding of human anatomy, and suspicion fell on upper-class men and notable figures of the time. This man was never captured and remains one of the most infamous criminals remembered by the world.

Over the years, many theories about the killer's true identity emerged. Hundreds of theories, some wildly implausible, implicated prominent names such as the poet Oscar Wilde, the author Lewis Carroll, Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale, as well as Joseph Barnett, Francis Tumblety, and Walter Sickert.

In 2014, Russell Edwards, an author and private investigator, presented a theory claiming to "prove" the real identity of Jack the Ripper. According to his book, DNA analysis of a shawl belonging to one of the victims, Catherine Eddowes, led to his identification.
Edwards claimed that Jack's real name was Aaron Kosminski, a Polish immigrant and barber in the historic district. Kosminski reportedly showed strong homicidal tendencies and an unexplained hatred of women. He was eventually committed to an asylum, where he died due to gangrene in his leg.
Yet, Edwards' theory faced heavy criticism and was never officially confirmed. To this day, the mystery remains unresolved...

Today, the legend endures, so much so that, for a few pounds, you can take a walking tour of the locations linked to Jack the Ripper (starting at €15.00 with a guide). From the dark alleys where victims were lured and killed to the museum dedicated to one of the most fascinating 'cult' figures in history. Today, we take you through the tour stops, retracing the true story of Jack...
PS: A nighttime visit to these locations is highly recommended... just to make it even more chilling!

Taking a step back in time, we find ourselves in London in 1888, with its pubs, red-brick buildings, horse-drawn carriages moving through the dense fog, and men brawling in the darkest street corners: this was the setting in which Jack the Ripper committed his heinous murders.

Our journey following the trail of the killer starts in London's East End, in the Whitechapel district, specifically at Buck's Row, where the first victim, Mary Ann Nichols, a 44-year-old prostitute, was found on August 31, 1888. Her body was brutally mutilated and left on the street. An autopsy revealed that the killer was left-handed... though this was later disproven.

Our chilling tour continues in Whitechapel, this time at 29 Hanbury Street... it was here, on September 8, 1888, that the body of the Ripper's second official victim, Anne Chapman, was discovered. Once again, the woman's body was almost unrecognizable: her throat was slashed, and her head was nearly severed from her torso.

The last murder in the district was that of Catherine Eddowes, whose body was found in Mitre Square. Although never confirmed, it is believed she was the second victim on the same day, as the Ripper was disturbed by a passerby during the first killing.
While taking the tour, a mandatory stop is the White Hart Pub. According to themed plaques decorating its interior, this was where George Chapman, one of the main suspects, allegedly ran his business.

Next, we move to Spitalfields, near Liverpool Street Station and Brick Lane. This area straddles Commercial Street and houses the historic Old Spitalfields Market. The last victim, Mary Jane Kelly, was found here.

This was the most gruesome of the murders committed by the killer: what remained of her mutilated body was discovered on November 8, 1888. She was completely unrecognizable. The identity of the killer was never revealed and remains one of Scotland Yard's most complex cases. While there were suspects, no one was ever arrested.

Another must-see stop is the Ten Bells Pub, located right across from Old Spitalfields Market: it was a frequent stop for some of the victims and, perhaps, for the killer himself.

Our tour concludes with a visit to the London Dungeon Museum. Inside the museum, recreations of some of London's most notorious crimes are brought to life with the help of actors-most notably, Jack the Ripper's!

If you're a thrill-seeker, take this macabre tour that blends reality with a dash of fiction...
See also: The 20 Most Unusual Museums in the World