Walking the Jack the Ripper Murder Sites in London

An unidentified serial murderer prowled the narrow, unlit alleys of Whitechapel and Spitalfields in autumn 1888, claiming at least five victims in a killing spree that would define an era. Today, all the canonical Jack the Ripper murder sites lie within a walkable radius of less than one square mile—a journey through London's East End that takes roughly an hour to complete.

The first canonical victim, Mary Ann Nichols, was discovered on 31 August 1888 at approximately 3:40 AM on Buck's Row (now Durward Street, Whitechapel). Her throat had been cut. The body was found by Charles Cross, a local carter. The site is now a car park near a former Board School converted into flats—a stark reminder of how thoroughly the Victorian streets have been rebuilt.

A week later, on 8 September 1888, Annie Chapman's mutilated body was found in the backyard of 29 Hanbury Street in Spitalfields. The discovery marked an escalation in the killer's violence and confidence. The location today houses an art gallery, making it one of the more easily identifiable modern landmarks on the route.

The most dramatic night came on 30 September 1888—remembered as the "Double Event." Elizabeth Stride was murdered around 1:00 AM in Dutfield's Yard off Berner Street (now Henriques Street, Whitechapel). Her throat was cut, and evidence suggests a witness or interruption may have limited the killer's time with the body. Less than an hour later, at approximately 1:45 AM, Catherine Eddowes was attacked in Mitre Square near Aldgate—then under City of London jurisdiction rather than the Metropolitan Police's authority. Her body, discovered by PC Watkins, bore extensive mutilation. Notably, Eddowes had been arrested for drunkenness earlier that evening, released from custody around 1:00 AM, giving her just minutes of freedom before her fatal encounter.