Over a century ago, the streets of London’s East End were the backdrop to some of the most heinous crimes that left people in fear for their lives. In the autumn of 1888, Jack the Ripper carried out gruesome murders across the Whitechapel area and left everyone intrigued about where he would strike next. These narrow streets and dark locations were, and still are, chilling parts of the bustling city, becoming known as the Jack the Ripper murder sites. Today, each site still stands, even though some look different, and they continue to intrigue and fascinate visitors from all around the world. Some even still have traces of Victorian London to transport visitors back to the time of one of history’s most infamous mysteries.
These Jack the Ripper locations can be explored through our immersive and utterly thrilling Jack the Ripper tour to help you understand what truly unfolded on those cold, dark, autumnal nights. But what were the infamous locations? Find out more about the key locations and landmarks, which are closely related to the Ripper’s crimes, in this guide to understand the journey our tour takes you on.
Most of the Jack the Ripper crime locations are in the heart of the Whitechapel area in London’s East End. They are all within a short distance from each other, showing police at the time and historians and enthusiasts today that the Ripper was local to Whitechapel. As well as this, the compact area of each crime scene, victim sighting and important clues has helped to create an accurate Jack the Ripper locations map that can be followed today to uncover what truly happened in 1888.
On this map that our tour follows, you will go on a journey to vital murder scenes, historic pubs, the surviving Victorian streets that haven’t changed since the murder spree and the iconic landmarks. All of these help to paint the picture of just what the Autumn of Terror was like for locals and uncover the story behind the murders.
Osborne Street is where our tour begins because it’s one of the possible Jack the Ripper murder locations where the reign of terror began. A brutal attack occurred near this street in April 1888 before the infamous murders of Jack the Ripper began. Emma Smith was violently assaulted and later died from her injuries. Although this death isn’t directly linked to the Ripper, it has been argued by some researchers that this could have been an early attack by the unknown killer before the Autumn murder spree began.
However, many historians believe that Emma Smith was attacked and killed by a local gang rather than the Ripper, which has led to many debates on whether this was an early murder by the killer or not. This location is essential to the case because her death marked the beginning of a period of fear and violence in Whitechapel and the emergence of the Ripper, starting the murder files of that chilling year.
Believed to be one of the first Jack the Ripper victim locations, Gunthorpe Street is an excellent starting point for our tour because it transports you back to the cold, foggy and dimly lit streets of 1888, giving you a sense of old London and feeling the terror of walking the dark corners where the Ripper waited for his victims.
Although this Jack the Ripper site isn’t linked to the canonical five, it’s one of the most possible crime scenes of the infamous killer. It’s where Martha Tabram was found on 7th August 1888 and was believed to have been murdered. She was found on a stair landing in George Yard Buildings, which today is located just off Gunthorpe Street. Martha had been stabbed dozens of times, which is why so many experts believe that it was the Ripper, and even though it’s unclear if this was done by the Ripper, the murder at this site shares many similarities to the later attacks during the Autumn of Terror.
The Frying Pan Pub is one of the confirmed Jack the Ripper crime locations because it’s directly linked to the first victim of the canonical five murders, Mary Ann Nichols. Many historians and experts agree that she was the first victim of Jack the Ripper due to the way in which she was murdered, and this landmark is where she was last seen alive.
Mary Ann Nichols was in her 40s, and she struggled with alcoholism and poverty at the time. Many reported seeing her in the vicinity of the pub before her body was discovered in the nearby Bucks Row, which is now known as Durward Street. She was found dead on 31st August 1888 with large bruises on both sides of her face and throat wounds. As well as this, it was later discovered that she was stabbed twice and her abdomen had been mutilated, which led many to believe that it was the Ripper who killed her.
This Whitechapel Jack the Ripper location is one of the most famous sites that we stop at on our immersive tour. On the 8th September 1888, Annie Chapman was found dead on Hanbury Street in the backyard of number 29. Found by an elderly resident of number 29, Annie had deep wounds on her throat and her body was mutilated. This led police to connect her murder with Mary Ann Nichols, which began the search for a deadly serial killer.
Even though the original building where Annie was found in the backyard of has long been gone, this street is still one of the most important Jack the Ripper locations today because it’s the place where it was determined that the same person had killed Annie and Mary. This murder shocked the people of Whitechapel at the time due to the gory and brutal way in which she was killed and the fact that there was now a serial killer on the loose.
Although this isn’t one of the main sites of Jack the Ripper’s murders, Wilkes Street is a key location to visit due to the fact that it has been untouched since those gruesome days. In the heart of Jack the Ripper’s London, Wilkes Street transports you back to the gaslit, eerie nights of the late 19th century, as it still looks like it did back then.
This pivotal stop in our tour really immerses you in the chilling details of the Ripper and makes you feel as though you are right there in the centre of the chaos. With narrow cobbled streets and historic, preserved and untouched Georgian and Victorian buildings, you can see for yourself exactly what Whitechapel was like when the Ripper was lurking in the dark to strike again.
Among all of the Jack the Ripper murder sites, Dutfield’s Yard is one of the most intriguing due to all of the unanswered questions that surround the murder that took place here. We stop at this location on our tour as one of the most well-known and talked about victims, Elizabeth Stride, was found here on 30th September 1888. Located just off Berner Street, now known as Henriques Street, Elizabeth’s body was discovered, and it showed that she was brutally attacked.
This is one of the most important Jack the Ripper victim locations because there was evidence that could have revealed who the Ripper was. Elizabeth had the usual deep cuts on her throat that the Ripper became known for, as well as clotted blood on her hand and a deep abrasion on her face above her eyebrow. What was most interesting about this murder was that she was also found with a silk neckerchief around her neck, which was pulled tightly and was believed to have been used to strangle her and pull her down onto the ground from behind. As well as this, Dutfield’s Yard is a key location to visit because this murder was one of two on the same night, known as the double event.
The Ten Bells pub and Christ Church in Spitalfields are the centre of the Jack the Ripper locations and are both very significant to the case. Sitting on the corner of Commercial Street and Fournier Street, the Ten Bells Pub is a frequently visited location that’s linked to the Ripper and his unfortunate victims.
We stop at this iconic landmark because it is where several of the victims were believed to have been sighted or known to have frequented regularly. Many have speculated that the pub could also be somewhere that the Ripper himself visited due to its prime location. Across the street is Christ Church that still dominates the skyline as it did during the Victorian era, transporting you back to the eerie days of 1888 and connecting you closer to the story.
On the double event night, the 30th September 1888, the unknown killer struck again, less than an hour after Stride’s murder. The second murder of the night occurred in Mitre Square, making it one of the most famous sites of Jack the Ripper’s murders.
Catherine Eddowes was brutally murdered in this square, and her body was severely mutilated and disembowelled. Mitre Square is one of the best-preserved Jack the Ripper locations today as it hasn’t changed much over the years, so much so that you can still see the corner where Catherine’s body was discovered. As well as this, the location is important because vital evidence was left at the site – a blood-stained fragment of her apron.
After the murder of Catherine Eddowes was discovered, so was a piece of her apron that was soaked in blood and faecal matter. This was found on Goulston Street and is one of our important stops on our tour because this was vital evidence that had the potential to uncover the murderer.
Alongside this, near to where the piece of apron was found, police uncovered a crude chalked message on the wall that implied a Jewish man or group of Jewish people were responsible for the murders. The writing quickly became highly controversial and was evidence for the investigation to lead police to the killer. Even though this stop isn’t one of Jack the Ripper’s crime locations, it gives you an insight into the killer’s movements and pieces clues together for you to work out whodunnit.
One of the most well-known Jack the Ripper victim locations is Dorset Street. This site is known for the last and most brutal murder of the Ripper, showing how horrific the killer was.
The final attack led this location to be known as one of London’s most dangerous streets during the Victorian era and instilled dread and fear in everyone who lived in and around the area. This is where Mary Jane Kelly was murdered and severely mutilated on 9th November 1888. She was killed indoors in Miller’s Court, which gave the unknown serial killer a lot more time to enjoy his vile crime with no fear of being caught. Due to this, she was the most mutilated out of all of his victims. She was found lying in the middle of a bed naked, with her breasts cut off, the surface of her abdomen and thighs removed, her arms mutilated with several jagged wounds and her face hacked beyond recognition. Her neck was also severed down to the bone, and her internal organs were removed from her body.
This is a very important Jack the Ripper murder site to visit to uncover the terrifyingly gruesome details that ended the Ripper’s reign of terror. It’s a final stop that allows you to delve into the twisted mind of the killer and speculate just why he stopped. Did he finally get to do what he wanted with Kelly due to having privacy and no fear of getting caught?
You can explore the chilling Jack the Ripper locations today on our immersive, thrilling tour and learn all the details of the unknown killer to work out just who he was. From Osborne Street that started a series of murders all the way to Dorset Street that ended the killing spree, visiting these sites of Jack the Ripper’s murders with our expert guides transports you back in time to the dark, cold, autumnal nights and the terror residents faced with a killer lurking in every corner, while uncovering the true mystery that has fascinated millions of people over the years.
Join us on our tour today and gain the unique opportunity to learn more about the gory murders through gripping drama and factual information. Book now, if you dare!
88 Whitechapel High Street, London, London Borough of Tower Hamlets E1 7QX, United Kingdom
Disclaimer: The Jack the Ripper Tour contains graphic descriptions, stories and images that some people may find upsetting. Parental guidance is advised.
7:30pm
5:00pm & 7:30pm
1hr 45mins
Outside the Whitechapel Art gallery
Exit 3 of Aldgate East Station
or call
07803067544
