Jack the Ripper

One of the most mysterious serial killers ever was Jack the Ripper. The Whitechapel district of London was haunted by an unknown evil killer between 1888 and 1891, who preyed on women and mutilated their bodies. No one knows exactly how many victims of Jack the Ripper there were but officially it was five victims. They were named Mary Ann (Polly) Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly. 

Polly Nichols was from a working class background, who later married and had five children. Their marriage wasn't happy, as they separated and Polly moved out and left her children with their father. It was believed she was a heavy drinker and entered a workhouse, and also dabbling in prostitution. She had been in trouble with the police. She encountered the unknown killer and lost her life age 42.

The next victim was a woman named Annie Chapman, who was murdered at the age of 48. Chapman was from a middle class family who moved around. She was born out of wedlock, and sadly she was addicted to alcohol since she was a child, but later married a coachman, then became a housekeeper in a manor house. She had three children but one passed away of an illness and this caused a lot of pain. The couple resorted to alcohol and Annie got into trouble with the police. She lost custody of her remaining children after leaving her husband, then her life went downhill. 

The next victim was Elizabeth Stride, who was 44 when she was murdered by Jack the Ripper. Originally from Sweden, Elizabeth learned to speak English and also Yiddish, while have a relationship with a policeman. Later she married a carpenter, and they both ran a coffee shop. Things seemed rosy for a while but that faded, and financial troubles happened. The shop was sold and their marriage broke down. Elizabeth ended up in a workhouse but was discharged because bronchitis, but then she became penniless. She found income through sewing, cleaning and prostitution. Her dependence of alcohol led to her getting into trouble, and tragically she was murdered. 

Another victim was Catherine Eddowes, from a large family but was orphaned at 15 when her parents died. All the kids were sent to an orphanage and a workhouse, but she moved to Wolverhampton and lived with her aunt. She was educated and well read. There was a fling with a soldier that caused her to get a tattoo on her arm. The couple moved to London and started a family, but the relationship turned violent. She left although times were hard and then for her it was a fatal end. 

The final victim we know is Mary Jane Kelly, nicknamed Ginger, Black Mary and Fair Emma. The youngest victim age 25, who was originally from Ireland. At 16 she married a coal miner, then no records mention a lot. She moved to London and work in a tobacconist shop, although its believed she had tried prostitution before then. She moved into lodgings with a boyfriend although there was no rent being paid and a lot of aggression was happening between them. Again after a break up, her life spiralled downwards and she was murdered. It seems all of the five victims have similar patterns, their lives all ending horribly in a dark dismal London street. They all struggled to maintain jobs, homes and even relationships. All of them come from broken homes and were desperate. Jack the Ripper was a predator, who targeted these lost women. Today the actual killer remains unknown. 

Shadow Girl