JACK THE RIPPER TOUR

DARE YOU WALK THE SHADOWS ON THIS ORIGINAL JACK THE RIPPER TOUR OF LONDON?

RICHARD'S BOOK UNCOVERING JACK THE RIPPER'S LONDON IS NOW OUT!

SIGNED COPIES CAN BE PURCHASED FROM OUR JACK THE RIPPER BOOK SHOP.

Richard's new Jack the Ripper Casebook published by Carlton books is now out. The book is an intriguing mix of evocative black and white and full colour photographs coupled with contemporary documents from the investigation itself that give a great impression of Jack the Ripper's London and of the police investigation in to the killings. The book will also provide an insightful look at the murders themselves. In addition there is a section on the leading suspects including the member of the Royal family, whose name has been linked to the killings, as well as the artist Walter Sickert, who was recently named in Patricia Cornwall's book Portrait of a Killer.

The Discovery Channel recently aired the latest Documentary on the case Being Jack the Ripper. Significantly three of our guides (Philip Hutchinson, Lindsay Siviter and Richard Jones) appeared on the programme. They were chosen because they are all leading experts on the case and because they are able to present the subject in a gripping and informative way. This is a point made over and over again by those who take the Jack the Ripper Tour with us and is the reason why many of our clients are repeat clients who join us on the walk many times over to learn the latest facts and discoveries about this fascinating murder mystery. We are able to offer more expert guides on the case than any other Jack the Ripper Tour in London. Furthermore, the fact that ours is the only one of the ripper tours that starts in the heart of the district and follows a chronological route beginning with the very first Whitechapel Murders, gives you a much better understanding of how the case developed in 1888.

Richard has also finished his book on the History and Mystery of Edinburgh. The book investigates Jack the Ripper in so far as a leading suspect actually studied medicine in Edinburgh! In addition, Edinburgh was also the City where Arthur Conan Doyle was born and where he met his mentor, Dr. Joseph Bell who provided the inspiration for Sherlock Holmes. Conan Doyle, inevitably, formed his own opinion about Jack the Ripper and proposed the theory that the murderer disguised himself as a woman to escape from the scenes of the crimes. In December 2008 we will be adding a new section to this website looking at the connection between Sherlock Holmes and Jack the Ripper.

Richard, Philip and Lindsay have also just finished filming for a major new Jack the Ripper documentary, details of which will be released shortly. In the meantime our suspects and history sections continue to expand and more information will be added over the next few months.

For December 2007 we have added another section to our popular suspects section and have looked closely at Montague John Druitt, the man who, until very recently, was the favoured suspect of many Ripper historians. We look at why he was suspected, who it was that suspected him and then provide the evidence both for and against his being Jack the Ripper. Druitt committed suicide at the end of November 1888 and his body was found floating in the Thames on the last day of the year. But was he Jack the Ripper?

From October 2007 we have begun adding a new section to the website that will provide our walkers with a detailed look at the Jack the Ripper Suspects. This is an ongoing project that, when finished should form a comprehensive look at all the major (and one or two minor) names that, over the past 119 years, have often been put forward for the mantle of Jack the Ripper. We begin with a look at Sir Melville Macnaghten, the police official whose writings on the case have formed the bedrock of Ripper research for the last forty or so years. In 1894 he compiled what has become known as the Macnaghten Memoranda to refute claims being made in the press that jack the Ripper was related to a senior police officer. In so doing he made several statements that have been accepted as the basis for much modern research into the case. We will look carefully at the statements that Macnaghten makes, establish their veracity and then look one by one at three suspects that he names. Thereafter we will look at other police officers who expressed a view on Jack the Rippers identity and bring you the arguments both for and against their favoured suspects. In so doing we hope to bring you far more information in advance than any other Jack the Ripper Tours in London in order that you will be able to join us with a firm understanding of the case and be able to chat with our expert guides on your own theories and suspects.

WE'RE OVER A QUARTER OF A CENTURY OLD!

On June 10th 2007 our walk celebrated its 25th anniversary. It's now 26 years since Richard began his world famous tour. In other words Richard has been conducting his CSI into this fascinating murder mystery for longer than any other regular Jack the Ripper tour guide. It's that experience and local knowledge, gleaned over so many years of walking these streets, that makes this the most in depth and atmospheric ripper walk in London. And remember, ours is the ONLY tour that limits the number of participants to a manageable and sensible number. With other tours you may find yourself herded round on a huge cattle drive that may well number 200 to 300 participants all struggling to hear and see just one guide. We're proud to be different, proud to be innovative and, above all else, we're proud to offer you an unrivalled level of service and expertise. Richard is assisted by a team of handpicked freelance guides each of whom is an expert on the subject whose knowledge comes from years spent studying and researching the world's best known murder mystery. Our degree of expertise is reflected in the fact that a recent documentary on French television concerning the Jack the Ripper murders featured three of our guides. That is because with our dedication to researching and publishing as much information as we can we are constantly up to date with the most recent developments in the fascinating world of ripper research.

In the autumn of 1888 Jack the Ripper terrorised the streets of London's East End and left a trail of bloodshed and mayhem in his menacing wake. Today it is still possible to follow that trail through the creepy backstreets and shadowy courtyards of London's East End on a walk that is widely acclaimed as being the best Jack the Ripper Tour on offer in London. It takes you into the very streets where this fascinating murder mystery was played out, and of all the Jack the Ripper tours in London it is the only one that starts right in the heart of the area. We begin by showing you an evocative photograph of Whitechapel High Street as it looked in 1890, two years after the murders. It is the view from the exact spot on which you are standing and it really does spirit you back to that long ago era. You will clearly see the church of St Mary's, the original White Chapel, and will also see that one or two of the buildings visible in the old photograph are still standing today. That done we set off in the direction of the photograph and within seconds have turned beneath a sinister old arch and stepped on to the cobblestones of what was formerly George Yard. Immediately on the left is the pub in the cellar of which one of the many suspects whose names have been put forward as being Jack the Ripper, worked as a barber in 1890. A few seconds later and we are huddled beneath the looming bulk of a building above which the year when it was built, 1886, is clearly displayed. In 1888 it operated as a shelter and centre for homeless young women and was actually mentioned in several newspaper accounts of the Jack the Ripper murders. Continuing along George Yard (which is now Gunthorpe Street) we come to the site of what some experts believe was the first of the Jack the Ripper murders. Here we discuss the effect that this murder had on the neighbourhood and explain how it may have caused the murderer to change his methods. As our walk progresses through streets and past buildings that have survived from 1888 we will show you original Victorian photographs of the murder sites as they were then, and you will get the true atmosphere of the 1880's as you walk those very streets and alleyways. Ours is the only Jack the Ripper tour to be consistently led by experts on the subject. Their knowledge of the infamous Whitechapel Murders is impressive; their enthusiasm is contagious; their dramatic approach will breathe life into the history that surrounds you; whilst their delivery will almost convince you that you have stepped back in time.

So when planning your Jack the Ripper journey be sure that you join the one that limits the size of each group to a reasonable and manageable number and the one that is consistently led by guides who know their subject inside out and are thus able to provide you with a memorable tour through the darker recesses of London's East End. So if you want to follow in the actual footsteps of Jack the Ripper then be sure to join London's leading ripper tour and prepare to be engulfed by the shadows.

THE JACK THE RIPPER TOUR MEETS OUTSIDE THE TOYNBEE HALL EXIT OF ALDGATE EAST UNDERGROUND STATION.

THE TOUR LASTS APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS.

OUR JACK THE RIPPER TOUR COSTS £7.00 PER PERSON.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE JACK THE RIPPER WALK SITE.

HOW TO BOOK YOUR PLACES ON OUR JACK THE RIPPER TOUR.

When you book your places on our tour you will be taken to the Paypal shopping basket. Simply enter the number of places you want to book on the Jack the Ripper Walk and then proceed to checkout. This will take you through to the Paypal payment system. If you have a Paypal account then enter your email and password and pay for the tour via Paypal. If you don't have a Paypal account simply click on the "Don't have a Paypal Account" Link. This will take you to a secure credit card payment page on which you will be able to pay for the Jack the Ripper tour. You do not need to have or open a Paypal account to pay by this latter method.

WHERE DID THE NAME JACK THE RIPPER COME FROM?

One of the first questions people ask us when they join our Jack the Ripper tour is "where did the name Jack the Ripper come from?" In the course of the walk we do answer this question, but there is a lot more additional information that the constraints of time prevent us from going into on the tour itself. The name actually came from a letter that was sent to a London news agency in late September 1888. It was written in red ink, was addressed to "The Boss," and was signed Jack the Ripper. The police made the Jack the Ripper Letter public on 1st October 1888 and by the 4th October its contents were being reported in newspapers all over the world. The impact of the letter cannot be understated for its arrival in the mystery had the effect of turning five sordid East End murders into an international phenomenon and turned the unknown miscreant responsible for them into an international legend. In our Jack the Ripper History section we have a detailed article on this letter and the subsequent avalanche of similar correspondence that it caused. READ OUR JACK THE RIPPER LETTERS ARTICLE.

IS THIS THE FACE OF JACK THE RIPPER?

A recent television programme claimed to have used "state of the art profiling" to create an e-fit of what "the monster, who strangled and butchered five London prostitutes in 1888 could have looked like." By analysing evidence from the case using modern police techniques Laura Richards, head of analysis for Scotland yard's Violent Crime Command was able to form "the moist accurate portrait of the Ripper ever put together." Her analysis reveals the Ripper to have been aged between 25 and 35, 5 feet 5 inches to 5 feet 7 inches in height and of stocky build. Modern techniques were also used to even pinpoint his address.

Using contemporary witness descriptions from those who may have seen the Ripper with his victims shortly before they were murdered the experts were able to create a composite sketch of what the Ripper looked like. as you can see he bore a remarkable resemblance to the late Freddie Mercury! Strangely the image also bears an uncanny likeness to another Jack the Ripper suspect Severin Klosowski or George Chapman. On our Jack the Ripper tour one of the first buildings we pass is the White Hart Pub. We pass it as we turn into the wonderfully atmospheric and slightly sinister Gunthorpe Street, which in 1888 was known as George Yard. In 1890 Chapman worked as a barber in the cellar of this pub and as you pass into the wonderfully atmospheric Gunthorpe Street you will see a board on the wall of the pub that effectively tells you that "Jack the Ripper woz 'ere!" We pause to discuss this seemingly important suspect and weigh up the evidence both for and against his having been Jack the Ripper. The tour then continues to Wentworth Street and turns right then left along Brick Lane to pause at its junction with Thrawl Street. It was here that Mary Nichols, the first of Jack the Ripper's victims, was lodging at the time of her murder. The next street along (now gone) was Flower and Dean Street, which according to the television programme Jack the Ripper: The First Serial Killer was where Jack the Ripper lived. It was a street made up of Common Lodging Houses and was considered by many to be one of the worst streets in London. When you join our Jack the Ripper tour your guide will paint a vivid verbal picture of what these Common Lodging Houses were like and will pass around genuine Victorian photographs that will give you the true image of what this place was like. So if you join our tour you will be immediately pitched back in to the autumn of terror and will straight away find yourself walking the streets and seeing the places that provided the backcloth against which the Jack the Ripper saga was played out. In this way you will go to the places where the witnesses, whose statements were used to piece together this modern image of Jack the Ripper, may have caught those tantalising glimpses of the killer who would become the most infamous murderer of all time. By seeing those places and by hearing those witness descriptions in the context of the streets and places where those sightings occurred you will be able to get a clear impression of the veracity of those statements. In addition, by snaking your way through the complex warren of streets, alleyways and passageways that make up the area you will be able to use your own powers of deduction to form your own opinion as to where Jack the Ripper might have lived. And of course you will be able to answer for yourself the question that has been posed time and again since the Channel 5 documentary aired:- Is the face above that of Jack the Ripper? As it is our policy to give you as much information as possible BEFORE you join our Jack the Ripper Tour you might like to read for yourself those witness statements that were used to recreate the face of the Ripper. You can click on the following link to read Richard's detailed article:- Is This The Face of Jack the Ripper?

RICHARD'S JACK THE RIPPER DVD RECEIVES A FAVOURABLE REVIEW IN AMERICA'S LEADING JOURNAL ON RIPPER STUDIES.

Ripper Notes, America's leading journal of Jack the Ripper related studies has just reviewed Richard's acclaimed documentary Unmasking Jack the Ripper. The review his highly favourable and applauds Richard's "exceptional skill" and his "ability to convey" his "terrific knowledge of the East End's history in general and the Jack the Ripper crimes in particular." This is a point that is made time and again by satisfied clients who often send us unsolicited emails applauding Richard and his team of expert guides for providing them with a superb night of informed entertainment on the Jack the the Ripper tour. Clients such as Metropolitan Police Officers; LAPD detectives and teachers who often use the tour as an introduction to the history of the East End for their school groups. We work hard to ensure we bring you a comprehensive and complete insight into the 1888 crimes, and even conduct detailed research to ensure that our Jack the Ripper tour is up to speed on the facts of this fascinating murder mystery. In July 2006 the Metropolitan Police's Crime Museum called a press conference in which they named the suspect whom the two highest ranking officers of the time believed was Jack the Ripper. The revelation came as no surprise to those who had joined Richard on his Jack the Ripper tour, as the suspect named was the one that Richard has been talking about on his walk for the last 24 years. Indeed the man in question is even featured in Richard's DVD Unmasking Jack the Ripper of which America' leading journal on Ripper related studies Ripper Notes had this to say:-

"As it stands now Unmasking Jack the Ripper is far and away the best independent documentary on the subject to have come along, and it even puts to shame many of the televised productions of years past... Unmasking really rests on the efforts of one man: Richard Jones. Familiar to viewers of the History Channels documentary on Jack the Ripper, Jones has been a relatively quiet contributor to the case until now. While many of us can be regularly found in the pages of journals such as the one you're holding...Jones has been in the field, conducting walking tours and amassing a terrific knowledge of the East End's history in general and the Jack the Ripper crimes in particular. As not only the writer and director of the film but also its host and narrator, the success of Unmasking rests solely on Jones' ability to convey this knowledge. Thankfully, he does so with exceptional skill, and the result is a fluid narration that is appropriately dramatic, even chilling at times, without stepping over the line into Cheeseville... You can now count one more voice among the ever growing chorus calling Unmasking Jack the Ripper one of the best, if not the best, Ripper documentaries in years..." TOM WESTCOTT REVIEWER RIPPER NOTES #26.

So when considering which walking tour company to undertake your Jack the Ripper Walk with, be sure to choose the one that those who really know something about the case applaud. The one that won't herd you round the streets in a massive and unsightly cattle drive that might number 200 to 300 people. The one that is continually led by experts who know the subject inside out and whose narrative will truly breathe life into the history that surrounds you.

JOIN THE EXPERTS ON THE JACK THE RIPPER TOUR THAT IS HEARD NOT HERD.

We want to provide you with as much information as possible on the Jack the Ripper murders before you take one of our tours. We truly believe that the more you know about the case then the better your experience will be when you join us for the walk.

That is why ours is the only Jack the Ripper tour in London that actually provides you with a full Jack the Ripper History BEFORE you join us for a tour. This way you can learn all about the area and what it was like in 1888. In addition you can ponder the answer to the often asked, and potentially confusing, question Who Was Jack the Ripper? And you can learn why the unknown killer of five East End prostitutes, a criminal who was - officially at least - never brought to justice, and whose identity was, therefore, never ascertained, became known as Jack the Ripper.

None of the other London tours that follow the Jack the Ripper trail give you all this information before you join them for a Jack the Ripper tour. This is one of the reasons why our tour is so popular and why we ask you to book your places in advance. By doing this we can limit the number of participants to a sensible and manageable number making them better for you, better for our guides and better for those who live in the area.

We feel committed to offering you the best walking tour experience in London and we put as much information as we can on our website to prove that when you book a tour with us you are indeed joining guides who know their subject inside out and who have an in depth knowledge of the Jack the Ripper murders.

HERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF DETAIL ON THE JACK THE RIPPER MURDERS

TO WHET YOUR APPETITE.

There is a consensus amongst experts that the killer who became known as Jack the Ripper committed five murders over a relatively short period of time. The first murder, that of Mary Nichols, was on August 31st 1888. The final murder, that of Mary Kelly, happened in the early hours of the 9th November 1888.

So, by modern standards at least, his victims were relatively few and his killing spree lasted a mere twelve or so weeks. Yet this particular set of murders have achieved almost legendary status and have become famous throughout the world. Why should this be?

Well, the first and perhaps the most important reason is that Jack the Ripper was the first serial killer to strike in a major metropolis at a time when the popular press was on the ascendance. The murders struck a chord with their combination of sex and violence, two themes which - as journalists quickly learnt - were guaranteed to sell newspapers.

Indeed, the name Jack the Ripper was, as you will hear in the course of the tour, probably invented by a journalist. From the moment it was first used in October 1888 the name caught on and was used by the newspapers to turn five sordid East End murders into an international phenomenon. In all honesty it was the name more than anything else that helped make this particular killing spree famous and ensured that the murders of five Whitechapel prostitutes would send shock waves reverberating around the civilised world.

Think about it. Jack the Ripper is a name that can instantly conjure up vivid images of gas light and fog. He represents the terror that lurks in the night, the unseen killer stalking his hapless victims through the cobblestone streets of the Victorian metropolis.

Of course, Jack the Ripper is an iconic figure and the killer himself, whoever he was, was a person far removed from the popular image of the murderer. Indeed, more inaccuracies and fallacies have probably been peddled about these murders than about any other aspect of London's history. The question is, how can you separate fact from fiction in the fascinating hunt for the Whitechapel murderer?

The best way to do it is to join one of our inexpensive Jack the Ripper tours of London, on the only walks to be constantly led by guides who are experts in the field? Guides who have appeared on the History Channel's The Hunt For Jack the Ripper. Guides who featured on the DVD that accompanied the Johnny Depp film From Hell. Guides whose dramatic approach and storytelling skills will bring the streets of 19th century London vividly to life, and almost convince you that you have been transported back in time to that long ago autumn when an unknown killer stalked the shadows and left a trail of blood and terror in his menacing wake.

We also show original police photographs of the murder scenes and of the victims themselves, chilling memories from that long ago era when London walked in fear. These pictures really provide you with an insight into what the area was like in 1888 and are a valuable enhancement that truly help you get to grips with the history that surrounds you. We have recently unearthed several previously unknown photographs taken of the area in the years that immediately proceeded the ripper murders. These are in the process of being enhanced to make them as crisp and as sharp as possible and will soon be available for you to peruse on our walk.

So join the original one of the Jack the Ripper Tours the first that was operated seven chilling nights a week and the only one that lets you read the full story story of the killings before you come on the London walks that we conduct.

THE NEW BOOK 'UNCOVERING JACK THE RIPPER'S LONDON.'

Richard Jones's book 'Uncovering Jack the Ripper's London' was published in June 2007 and has been well received. Many of the photographs that you will see on the tour were unearthed for the book and you will be able to see these on your walk around the East End in the company of Richard, Jenny, Lindsay, Philip or Mark.

AN ARMCHAIR JACK THE RIPPER WALK.

We are also forging ahead with our video presentations and will soon be offering what we call the 'Armchair Jack the Ripper Walk.' You will actually be able to watch the walk on your computer before taking it. If you won't be coming to London for a while or if you don't fancy actually taking the tour you will be able to enjoy it from the comfort of your own home or office. But please be warned you may still find yourself glancing nervously over your shoulder!

WE ARE PROUD OF OUR TOUR ROUTE AND HERE IS WHY.

The dark and sinister alleyway into which our tour goes first has just got more sinister and more spooky. They have demolished one of the modern buildings immediately on the right as we go in and as a result some of the light that used to illuminate the alley is no more. That means it's darker than ever, making the perfect spot from which to cast you imagination back to August 1888 when the murders began.

Many people who take our walks want to look at and experience the area in which the murders occurred, and the crimes most certainly do provide a window through which to gaze back on that long ago era.

One of the great advantages of starting your tour at Aldgate East is that you are ideally placed to step straight into the dark alleyways and sinister passageways where time has, apparently, stood still.

One of the intriguing things about guiding Jack the Ripper tours is waiting for the reaction from the group the moment, which occurs about five minutes into our walk, that you step into a narrow cobble-stoned street that really does have an eerie, menacing, ambience about it.

The moment the group turns the corner out of the busy and well-lit Whitechapel High Street and enters this time capsule of lengthening shadows, a ripple of amazement washes through the group. People literally gasp at the sight of a thoroughfare that stretches off into who knows what.

It makes the perfect scene setter for the next two or so hours spent exploring a warren of similar looking streets, all of which have a feel of age and menace about them.

But, for our guides at least, that initial gasp that runs through the group is a moment to be savoured. It is so difficult to describe the feeling of anticipation as you walk along the busy Whitechapel High Street, knowing that, in a few short minutes, just one quick turn will transport the group back to the East End of 1888 and capture their imaginations as they really begin to get the feel for what the streets and thoroughfares of Whitechapel and Spitalfields were like when Jack the Ripper held them in a grip of terror.

As of 5th April 2006 Richard's Jack the Ripper book has now had the photographs added to it and many new and original never seen before photographs have found their way into the completed and final manuscript. These include a wonderful shot of George Yard taken in 1890, just two years after the Jack the Ripper murders. There is also a rarely seen picture of the back yard of number 29 Hanbury Street taken in the late 1960's as the re-developers moved in and began to demolish it. That is, of course, one of the major problems with the streets of Whitechapel and Spitalfields today. All the actual murder sites were demolished long ago and so today it is very difficult to get the true ambience of the area as it was in the late Victorian period. That is why we have gone to great lengths to include as many photographs of the area as it was then, and that is why we are forever combing the archives to find new and unique photographs that give a true insight into what the streets and thoroughfares through which we pass were like during Jack the Ripper's reign of terror. Indeed, a major new find that we now include on the tours is a set of recently discovered photographs of the inside of 29 Hanbury Street. You can actually now see inside the building as it was on 8th September 1888 when Annie Chapman's body was discovered in its back yard. It is this attention to detail that makes are tour far more than just a guided walk. Our approach is, apparently, much appreciated by our clients many of whom send us complimentary e-mails to say how much they enjoyed their evening with us.

WOULD JACK THE RIPPER BE CAUGHT TODAY?

An intriguing point was raised by some-one on the Jack the Ripper tour the other evening. A lady asked the pertinent question "would Jack the Ripper be caught if he were murdering today?"

Obviously this is a difficult question to answer. If he was killing in the same relatively small geographic area then the chances are that he would be caught. The streets are reasonably well lit today (not all of them are mind, as those who venture out on our walk will find, for on the tours we go into some pretty sinister and creepy thoroughfares!) so the killer wouldn't have the advantage of the numerous dark alleyways and passageways that facilitated his escapes from the scenes of his crimes in 1888.

But if he was the murderer was operating throughout a wider geographic area then the probability is that Jack the Ripper wouldn't be caught today for the same reason that he wasn't caught in 1888 - he left no clues behind. Well actually he did leave one clue behind, a piece of bloodstained apron that was found in a doorway in Goulston Street. The apron had been taken from one of the victims and hints at which way the killer was escaping from the scene of his atrocity. We actually visit the doorway in the course of our Jack the Ripper Tour and discuss the significance of this clue.

But aside from that the killer left no real clues behind him; he wasn't known to his victims so the police couldn't look amongst those who knew them for the perpetrator of the crimes; and he was able to strike in out of the way places where the police seldom trod. So is all that the police could do in 1888 was flood the area with police officers and hope that the next time the killer struck there would be a police officer nearby to apprehend him. But that didn't happen and so Jack the Ripper got clean away.

Hope that answers the question and, of course, if you have any other questions, please email us and they will be answered on this thread. Alternatively, why not join us on our world famous and original Jack the Riper tour, the only one of the tours that takes you deep into the area where the infamous murders occurred in 1888.

Jack the Ripper Walk