Jack the Ripper was an unidentified serial killer active in the districts of Whitechapel, the east end of London in the 19th century. In most cases, Jack the Ripper was involved with female prostitutes. Their throats were sliced before the removal of their internal organs. This led to speculation about Jack the Ripper’s surgical knowledge. People began to wonder if these deaths were connected. Jack the Ripper remains one of England’s and the world’s most infamous criminals.  

Several letters were allegedly sent by the killer to the London Police Service, taunting officers about his gruesome activities and speculating on future murders. The title “Jack the Ripper” originates from a letter that may have been a hoax published at the time of the attacks. These five killings attributed to Jack the Ripper took place within a mile of each other, from August 7 to September 10, 1888. At the time, prostitution was only illegal if the practice caused a public disturbance, and thousands of brothels and low-rent lodging houses provided sexual services during the late 19th century, making prostitution easy to access. 

Various theories about Jack the Ripper’s identity have been produced over the past several decades, including claims accusing the famous Victorian painter Walter Sickert, who was a polish migrant and the grandson of Queen Victoria. Since 1888, more than 100 suspects have been named, contributing to widespread folklore and ghoulish entertainment surrounding the mystery.

In the late 1800s, London’s East End was a place that citizens viewed with either compassion or utter contempt. Despite being an area where skilled immigrants, mainly Jews and Russians, came to begin a new life and start businesses, the district was notorious for squalor, violence, and crime. However, Jack the Ripper’s killings would end during the fall of 1888. 

Jack the Ripper has been the topic of news stories for more than 120 years, and will likely continue to be for decades to come. This case is a very interesting and special one that has yet to be solved. Many will remember Jack the Ripper and his crimes along with the victims in this tragic case.

Sources: 

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jack-the-Ripper

https://www.jack-the-ripper.org/