Private Walking Tour: Jack The Ripper and East End

In the autumn of 1888 the worlds most famous and mysterious murderer began his or her reign of terror in the squalid and overcrowded slums of London's East End. Known as 'The Whitechapel Murders' at the time, we now know the perpetrator by his nickname Jack the Ripper.

Today Whitechapel and Spitalfields areas are a mix of trendy hipster bars and cafes and a strong migrant population of Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities. Back in 1888 the area was populated by a growing Jewish community fleeing the pogroms in Russia and eastern Europe. These Jewish settlers and the local working class Londoners lived in poor housing conditions, and many Women earned a meagre living by prostitution. They were simply known as 'The Unfortunates'.

Jack the Ripper is believed by most experts to have killed five Women, however some accounts and theories would have him responsible for more. Whitechapel was a rough and dangerous place in 1888 and murder was common. What made these murders different was the sheer brutality of the mutilations, the emergence of the first properly documented serial killer, and the sensational press accounts and police in fighting.

To this day Jack the Ripper has never been conclusively identified. 

There have been many suspects put forward from Royalty, to Midwives, Dukes, to down and outs. 

On this tour we will visit all the main Murder sites, and important places relating to the case. We will examine the main suspects, and some of the more wild theories. Our tour will end at one of the surviving Victorian Pubs that many of the victims were seen in before they were murdered. Perhaps Jack himself was a regular?

This tour will also take in some other locations like the shop where Joseph Merrick 'The Elephant Man' was displayed in a freak show before being taken in and cared for by Dr Treves at the Royal London Hospital opposite. We will also stop by at the Whitechapel Bell foundry which cast the Liberty Bell, and Big Ben. 

For those wanting to go deeper, and cover more ground there is an extended tour available which involves a little more walking.

This is suitable for people with a deep interest and knowledge of the case or those wanting to expand their knowledge or research particular sites. This tour requires having a day travel card for the London Underground as we can cover more sites, and give your legs a rest between points of interest. (I can assist with travel card purchase when we meet, or your hotel will be able to help)

For those with mobility problems I am more than happy to assist with Wheelchairs, or adapt the tour to suit your personal needs.

A non rushed, bespoke and flexible tour with an expert guide. We go at your pace!