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Jack the Ripper Victims

Home Casebook Jack the Ripper Victims

The Victims of the Whitechapel Murders

The Whitechapel Murders are recognised as one of the most notorious unsolved crime series in history. A number of brutal killings took place between the period of April 1888 and February 1891 across London’s East End, leaving local residents and police searching for answers.

Whilst not every murder committed was linked directly to one suspect, many historians believe that at least five women were killed by an individual known as Jack the Ripper. These women are remembered today as the Canonical Five and are famously held as being the victims of Jack the Ripper. Their names, Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, and Mary Jane Kelly, continue to be studied by researchers till today.

Many consider Mary Ann Nichols to be the first victim of Jack the Ripper, while Mary Jane Kelly is noted in history as Jack the Ripper’s last victim. Due to the killer never really being identified, it remains impossible to know how many victims there really were and who was murdered first and last.

This Casebook looks into the victims and suspected victims of Jack the Ripper. With examination, evidence, and historical records surrounding each case, those who embark on the Jack the Ripper walking tour can discover more about the women whose lives became linked to one of history’s largest mysteries.

Below are the names of the Jack the Ripper victims along with details about their lives and information about their murders, all of which continue to fascinate thrill seekers to today.

victim #1

Emma Smith

Emma Smith was violently assaulted in April 1888, dying from severe internal injuries. Her murder marked the start of a wider Whitechapel murder investigation. Many historians believe her attacker was most likely from a local gang rather than Jack the Ripper. Her murder brought to light the danger faced by vulnerable women who lived in Whitechapel and set the stage for the terror that followed in that year.

victim #2

MARTHA TABRAM

Martha Tabram is not officially counted as being a part of the Canonical Five or even a victim of the Ripper. However, she remains one of the most debated figures within the Whitechapel Murders based on whether she was a Ripper victim or not. She was found dead on 7 August 1888, suffering multiple stab wounds that may have been done by more than one weapon. Because of the brutal attack and her connection to the Whitechapel streets, investigators believed she could be one of the first victims of Jack the Ripper. Opinions on this matter have often been debated, but her case continues to play a large role in discussions about the real number of victims of Jack the Ripper.

victim #3

Mary Ann Nichols

Mary Ann Nichols is largely recognised as the first victim of Jack the Ripper and is among the Canonical Five. She lived a past filled with misery, with a broken marriage, five children and little money to her name. This led her to become a prostitute to try and provide for her children. She was found dead on 31 August 1888, suffering a severed throat and abdominal injury. Investigations around her case found that her throat was cut multiple times to the spine. Her death caused concern across Whitechapel and represented the start of a series of murders most likely linked to one murderer, Jack the Ripper.

victim #4

Annie Chapman

Annie Chapman was discovered dead in the backyard of 29 Hanbury Street by the resident of the property on 8 September 1888. Living in difficult financial circumstances and struggling to survive, similar to Mary Ann Nichols, she resorted to prostitution. Her injuries also resembled those of Mary Ann Nichols, strengthening the chances that both murders were committed by the same person. Her death only intensified fear within the community, putting further pressure on the police to identify the killer.

victim #5

Elizabeth Stride

Elizabeth Stride was murdered on 30 September 1888 and was found next door to a Jewish anarchist club. Unlike the previous murders, Elizabeth’s body showed no signs of mutilation other than that of a throat wound. This led historians to believe that she may not have been a victim of the Ripper. Some people question whether the attack on her may have been continued but was interrupted, making her case one of the most discussed and debated.

victim #6

Catherine Eddowes

Catherine Eddowes was murdered in the early hours of 30 September 1888, the same night as Elizabeth Stride, during what became known as the "Double Event." Catherine’s body was found viciously mutilated, shaping the theory that the murderer had some sort of surgical experience due to having removed organs from her body. This fact is something that’s still debated today.

victim #7

Mary Jane Kelly

Mary Jane Kelly is generally considered the youngest and last of the Canonical Five, speculating that she may have been the final victim of Jack the Ripper. At just the age of 25, she was killed in her room at Miller’s Court. Her body was mutilated beyond recognition, with her body parts removed and placed around the room. Her murder shocked Victorian society and is recognised as one of the most disturbing crimes in British history.

victim #8

Rose Mylett

Rose Mylett was found dead in December 1888. There was a large questioning around the cause of her death, leading to an ongoing debate about whether she was among the victims of Jack the Ripper or not. Her death illustrated the fear that continued to exist in Whitechapel after the Canonical Five murders.

victim #9

ALICE MACKENZIE ("CLAYPIPE ALICE")

Alice Mackenzie, often known as "Claypipe Alice" due to her smoking habit, was found murdered in July 1889 at the age of 40. The wounds she suffered were similar to those of the previous Whitechapel murders, which brought suspicions of Jack the Ripper’s involvement. Alice was an occasional prostitute, which also matched the murder profiles of the previous victims.

victim #10

The Pinchin Street Mystery

The Pinchin Street Mystery involved the discovery of a torso which was unidentified beneath a railway arch in Whitechapel. Due to the victim never being identified, the case remains one of the most puzzling Whitechapel murders to this day. Though many experts on the case do not believe the victim of this murder was linked to Jack the Ripper, the discovery of the mutilated body flared public fear and concerns that the killer was still around.

victim #12

Frances Coles

Frances Coles was the last and final case which was within the Whitechapel murder files. She was found with her throat slit and lay beneath a railway arch in February 1891. Though some suggest that she may have been among the last and final victims of Jack the Ripper, there has been little evidence to suggest any form of connection. Nonetheless, her death continued to be part of a brewing mystery surrounding the East End murders.

POSSIBLE VICTIM - SURVIVED

Annie Farmer

Just days after the murder of Mary Jane Kelly, Annie Farmer was attacked by a man in the lodging house she stayed at. The newspapers speculated that the Ripper had struck again, although there isn’t any actual evidence that it was him. Annie also survived and, because police investigators weren’t convinced it was the Ripper and because she survived, she isn’t on the list of Whitechapel murder victims.

Book Your Jack the Ripper Tour

Beyond reading about the victims and the deaths they endured, you can walk the streets of Whitechapel where the real events once unfolded. You can book your place on the Jack the Ripper tour today and explore the evidence and stories that sit behind one of the world’s most famous unsolved mysteries.

FAQs

How many victims did Jack the Ripper have?

The exact number of victims is unknown. Though five women are accepted as the Canonical Five, several other murders within the period of 1888 and 1891 have been linked to the same Jack the Ripper case over the years.

Who was the first victim of Jack the Ripper?
Mary Ann Nichols is largely recognised as the first victim of Jack the Ripper under the Canonical Five, though some believe Martha Tabram to be an earlier victim.
Who was Jack the Ripper's final victim?
Mary Jane Kelly is most commonly considered Jack the Ripper's final victim.

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Disclaimer: The Jack the Ripper Tour contains graphic descriptions, stories and images that some people may find upsetting. Parental guidance is advised.

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Mon - Wed

7:30pm

Thu - Sun

5:00pm & 7:30pm

duration

1hr 45mins

where to meet

Outside the Whitechapel Art gallery
Exit 3 of Aldgate East Station

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