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Jack The Ripper

Between August and November 1888,the Whitechapel area of London was the scene of five brutal murders. The killer who was later named 'Jack the Ripper' murdered five prostitutes, and horribly mutilated Elizabeth Stride. 

The first murder, Mary Ann Nicholls, took place on 31 August. Annie Chapman was killed on 8 September. Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddoweson 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 theorised by some 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, 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 unstable. 

A quarter of a mile from the scene of Catherine Eddowes' murder, the words 'The Juwes 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 are theorised to have been hoaxes.

Jack the Ripper is thought to have not killed again after November of 1888 and to this day has never been caught.