The gruesome case of Jack the Ripper continues to fascinate true crime fans over a hundred years after the grisly events took place. While the Ripper’s crime spree was relatively short lived, it had a significant societal impact and is still a source of much speculation today – something that successful autistic author Mickey Mayhew knows from his own research.
The History of Jack the Ripper
Jack the Ripper’s crimes took place between August and November of 1888, in the Whitechapel area of London. The sinister title of the killer derives from the ghastly way he killed his victims, cutting their throats and mutilating their abdomen, sometimes even removing internal organs.
Whitechapel at the time was experiencing a significant influx of immigration and by 1888 was severely overcrowded, with approximately 80,000 inhabitants. This, together with epidemic levels of poverty, led to social unrest and rampant crime rates.
As violent crime, especially towards prostitutes, was prevalent at Whitechapel at the time, there is some debate over how many victims the Ripper actually had. The number is generally believed to be five, known as the ‘canonical five’, but could be as high as eleven.
Jack the Ripper’s Victims
The five canonical victims of Jack the Ripper were Mary Ann or Polly Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly. The potential sixth and first victim of the Ripper was a woman called Martha Tabram, who was brutally stabbed to death in August of 1888, but as her injuries did not quite match those of the other five, her identity as a Ripper victim is still a subject for debate.
Ripper Suspects
Jack the Ripper’s identity has been theorised and speculated upon for over a hundred years. Because of the level of technical skill that some of the murders required, one prevalent theory has been that the Ripper must have been a butcher or even a medical professional. On the other hand, the fact that the murders took place inside a small area and during weekends and public holidays could also indicate that the murderer was in regular employment and lived locally, not supporting the theory that the Ripper was highly educated.
Numerous famous people have been linked to murders over the years, and names such as Prince Albert Victor, artist Walter Sickert and author Lewis Carroll have been amongst those accused of these crimes, all with very little evidence.
