by Katy Mack

Created on: August 17, 2008   Last Updated: August 29, 2008

In the fall of 1888, the East End of London's prostitutes got the scare of their lives when one of their own was found murdered. Mary Ann (Polly) Nichols was found on Friday, August 31, 1888 on Buck's Row. The police officers nearby reported not hearing or seeing anything suspicious. She died at the age of 43 after having five children between the ages of 9 and 21 (one son of which died in an accidental fire in 1886) and her husband, William Nichols, who worked as a printers' machinist behind who had left her in 1881 due to her alcoholism but gave her five shillings a week to help her out. Poor Mary Ann was mutilated including having five teeth missing, bruising on the face in the position of a hand having suffocated her or at least holding her down while incision were made on her face and neck. There were not injuries, cuts or blood located on the chest of the body but they reappeared on the lower abdomen and all the cuts were made from left to right. This was thought to have been a clue that the murderer was left handed. Sadly no body claimed the body of Mary Ann Nichols and was laid to rest in a wooden coffin in The City of London Cemetery in Ilford.

As if to taunt the police, there were letters and postcards sent in an innumerous amount to the department, but only a very small handful were believed to be from the actual murder, later to be named Jack the Ripper due to an insignia in of the letters. As well as the letters, there was also a preserved kidney sent to George Lusk at the station. Before being named Jack the Ripper, the serial killer was called "Whitechapel Murderer" and "Leather Apron". Oddly enough, all of Jack the Ripper's victims were prostitutes. His second victim was Annie Chapman who died at the age of 47. Annie was killed Saturday, September 8, 1888 in the yard of 29 Hanbury Street. She was known as "Dark Annie" to her clients. Her body was found by the son of the lady who lived at that address after hearing a commotion outside and was told by his mother to check it out. Annie's head was almost completely severed from her body and had had her bowels removed and layed next to her. There is said to be a hankerchief that was tied around Annie's neck before it was sliced. Her surviving family had astranged her when she picked up the habit of alcoholism but a few relatives came after her death to claim the body.
The third victim of Jack the Ripper was 44 year old Elizabeth Stride who was found murdered Sunday, Septemeber 30, 1888 on 36 Berner

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>