TRY BEFORE YOU BUY
Here’s how Richard’s VIP, Guaranteed Small Group Ripper Walk gets underway
DON’T JUST TAKE IT FROM US
A year ago Ripper Walk connoisseur Carl Ryker went on Richard’s VIP, Small Group Guaranteed Walk. His review is a crystallisation of the 516 five-star reviews the walk has received. “I can recommend this tour without reservation. I have been on a JTR tour no fewer than ten times, most of those led by Donald Rumbelow. Richard’s tour, however, is technically more advanced, with headsets to allow for more info to be shared while walking. Moreover, Richard provided information and insights that I had either not heard or considered. With an emphasis on the victims, Richard relayed details that would inspire any Ripperologist to reexamine all that you think you know. Last, Richard is affable, engaging, and passionate about the subject. Do yourself a favor and take this tour.” Carl Ryker, March, 2025
THE ROLLS ROYCE OF RIPPER WALKS
We hold this truth to be self-evident…
YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR
This one’s the high-end Ripper Walk. Yes, it costs a bit more but you get more. A lot more.
You know the acronym USP – Unique Selling Point? Well, this walk has four USPs.
1. It’s sui generis. And it’s only available from London Walks
2. The unbeatable – and indeed unique – combination of a world-class guide and 24-carat, high-end technology.
3. Guaranteed small group tour. A small group tour that is the ideal size. The sine qua non for a more intimate, coherent group. There’s never a distracting, ragtag element. And if you have questions, well, you get a lot more individual attention from Richard, your – bears repeating,* this – world-class guide.
4. The huge advantage of the high-end sound system Richard uses. He doesn’t have to declaim, doesn’t have to belt the decibels out. He talks in a natural, quiet, conversational voice and you hear every word. It’s like walking with a friend who’s quietly telling you something for your ears only.
Huge advantage indeed. It’s magic: it simultaneously speeds the walk up and slows it down. If there’s something of interest in passing you hear about it as you go by. It liberates the tour from the confines – the straitjacket – of the ‘guiding’ only taking place at designated ‘stops.’
And it speeds it up because there’s no ‘dead time,’ no standing around for 25 to 30 seconds or so waiting for a slower walker to catch up. (And boy do those seconds add up over the course of a walk.) Or indeed waiting for someone who’s hung back to take photographs.
Whether you’re walking almost arm in arm with Richard – or bringing up the rear – it doesn’t matter. Everybody hears every word. And embarras de richesses, if there’s a ledge or a bench 40 yards or so from one of Richard’s stops and somebody wants to avail themselves of it – get off their feet for a couple of minutes – well, they can do so, they can have a sit down on that bench and they don’t miss out. They hear every word, as if Richard were at their side whispering in their ear.
So, yes, there’s a huge advantage. Correction: huge advantages plural. You pay £10 more but what you get in return is worth a lot more than that extra tenner.
*And it’s not just us “repeating” it; take a look at what the 516***** five-star reviews say over and over again.
That’s 516***** five-star reviews across the board: 208 of them Trip Advisor reviews; 65 of them Google reviews; and 242 of them London Walks reviews.
Case closed?
MEET YOUR GUIDE
Here’s Richard talking about the area, the times, the people, the walk
DON’T JUST TAKE IT FROM US
“It is absolutely worth the money and time, twice over!”
Here’s a recent review.
“The wireless system works wonderfully and gives the opportunity to share even more facts, anecdotes, suspects and circumstances. A two-hour tour felt like 20 minutes and still I have the idea that he hasn’t shared a tenth of all he knows. It is absolutely worth the money and time, twice over! If there is one tour to do when you visit London and the East End, it’s this one, with Richard.”
Here, below, is nonpareil guide Richard Walker talking about his small group Ripper walk.
There are plenty of Ripper walks and you will probably only go on one.
London Walks guide Richard Walker will lead you through the murder sites starting right where Jack began . . .in the infamous Buck’s Row, Whitechapel.
Practicals:
The small group Ripper walk takes place at 7 pm every Thursday and every Friday evening. But do check the calendar because there are a few exceptions that prove the rule. Earlier this summer, for example, Richard put on an extra one on Monday, June 10th, 2024. The extra one because of demand – the Thursday and Friday that week were fully booked.
Meeting point: The starting point of this walk is Whitechapel Tube Station and the tour ends near Liverpool Street station.
Price: £30 per person
Numbers are strictly limited to 15 so you must buy your ticket online. Only ticket holders can join this tour – so the small group size is locked in. We cannot make exceptions.
Whitechapel in the ancient parish of Stepney.
Stepney* olde English – ‘the landing place’.
For centuries the world supplied the City of London with all it required and it all passed through the Whitechapel docks in the parish of Stepney.
And it wasn’t just goods that arrived.
Refugees from the Huguenots of France, to the starving masses of Ireland, to the persecuted Jews of Europe all made their way to the lanes and alleys of Whitechapel and Spitalfields.
And so did . . .
The monster we call… Jack the Ripper
And the Whitechapel of the 1880s was made for Jack the Ripper.
It was a world of foul tenements, starving children and bottomless despair.
This is Whitechapel and this is the world of Jack the Ripper. It is one heck of a story and I want to tell it to you.
Click here to listen to The World of Jack the Ripper, another short scene-setter podcast by Richard.
Itinerary
I have been guiding for London Walks for 15 years and the Jack the Ripper walking tour was my first.
This is a new twist. I’m starting at Whitechapel Underground Station because this is where Jack the Ripper murders began. Right behind Whitechapel Underground Station in Buck’s Row – now called Durward Street.
Charles Cross and Robert Paul discovered the body of a 43 year-old mother of five children. Mary Ann Nichols known as Polly Nichols ended up walking the mean streets of Whitechapel in the early hours of the 31st of August 1888. A woman whose life was ended by a serial killer who killed at least 4 other vulnerable women on the streets of Victorian London.
Polly Nichols: a victim of a divided society; one of many who suffered in a black hole that festered in the richest city in the world.
We will head to 29 Hanbury Street where Annie Chapman became the second victim. We will get to Spitalfields Market and the Ten Bells Pub by way Brick Lane, Princelet Street and Puma Court. Back streets that still capture the feel of 18th and 19th century Whitechapel. We will see where the worst street in London once stood – Dorset Street. Miller’s Court where the brutal murder of Mary Kelly took place on November the 9th 1888.
Christ Church Spitalfields
Nicholas Hawksmoor’s magnificent church built between 1714 and 1729. An impressive landmark for the 5 ripper victims and still impressing.
The Ten Bells Pub
The Ten Bells pub that stands across the road from Christ Church Spitalfields. And it is from the ten bells that hang in the church steeple that the pub gets its name. It’s believed that at least some of the victims would have drowned their sorrows there. And almost certainly ‘Jack’ would have been seen propping up the bar there.
Image caption: Yes we can still see the Whitechapel and Spitalfields of bygone days. Dark streets light by gaslight.
Bucks Row & The Board School
Buck’s Row has changed since 1888 it’s now called Durward Street. But the board school building where Polly’s body was found is still there.
This is the board school as it was when Polly was found against the gates where the arrow points. And it’s the first location that we will visit.
The People Of The Walk
The People of the Abyss
Jack London spent seven weeks trying to survive the “Abyss”. He said he’d seen poverty in the USA but nothing like the poverty he saw in the East-end of London.
Courtesans of the 19th century
The Victims
Mary Ann Nichols (known as Polly Nichols), Annie Chapman, Liz Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly were dismissed as prostitutes by the police and journalists – though their judgement may have owed more to male attitudes to women than to hard evidence.
Four of them were over 40 and three of them had raised children before a combination of stress and alcohol left them sinking into the abyss.
Certainly Ripperologist Halle Rubenhold is reasonably certain that not all of these women sold sex. The Five is an excellent book which maybe should be compulsory reading for some tour guides who still like to dwell on the depths of depravity that they like to imagine these women sank.
It might be worth concentrating the spotlight onto what kind of society it was that left these women at the mercy of monsters.
From the Guide
I want to do justice to Jack the Ripper’s Whitechapel – especially the victims.
And I want to share the diverse and vibrant world that Whitechapel is today and in order to do that numbers are restricted – which is why you must book online to secure your place!
There is nothing better than sharing London with visitors from near and far. I hope that you will be one of them.
From the walkers – a soupçon of the hundreds of reviews
Thanks Richard that was so interesting and what a great end to the week! You have a fabulous way of narrating and giving context to the mysteries that remain to this day about jack the Ripper. I really appreciated you bringing me back to remembering and bringing focus back to the women who were victims of his horrendous crimes. – Lucy
Really enjoyed it! Fascinating. Thank you from North Carolina,. USA. – Kendi
I will definitely join you again – very interesting thank you! – Claire
Hi Richard, Really enjoyed the virtual tour the other evening, especially the 10 minute chat post tour. Actually I remember you now. Years ago I did a tour about the history of the financial system in the City, you were my guide, it was from you that I learnt about the Remembrancer. I have ordered your book it is due to arrive on the 5th of October. I will look out for your virtual tours in the future hope to see you then. God bless and keep you during these difficult times – Michael
Dear Richard, Thank you very much for the Jack the Ripper tour this evening Milly and James said it was brilliant!! Milly said she learnt more tonight than she did in her history lessons. Please can you let me know your bank details as I only transferred funds for Milly and not James, which we’d like to do. I think they are going to join you on a Saturday at some point soon. Many thanks again. – Susie.
London Walks Private Tours
If you can’t make the regularly scheduled, Jack The Ripper Whitechapel tour why not think about booking it as a private walk? If you go private you can have this walk– or any other London Walk – on a day and at a time that suits your convenience. We’ll tailor it to your requirements. Ring Fiona or Niamh or Peter on 020 7624 3978 or email us at [email protected] and we’ll set it up and make it happen for you.
Robert Campbell –
I really enjoyed this walk. Using the headsets made the commentary continuous and easily heard. This walk is a must for ripper enthusiasts
Stephen Jackson –
The London Walks Jack the Ripper Whitechapel Tour was absolutely fascinating — a perfect mix of history, mystery, and dark atmosphere. Richard was incredibly knowledgeable and brought the Victorian streets to life with vivid storytelling and expertly researched details. I particularly enjoyed Richard’s detailed theories about who was the actual Ripper. It’s a fascinating story made even more real by walking through the very spots where the events unfolded. It’s a great way to spend some quality time for anyone interested in London’s darker past or true crime history.
Meghan –
Richard Walker was a very knowledgeable guide and I felt like I was in college again learning from a professor. He’s intelligent and well-spoken, and I loved his extensive knowledge of these cases and specifically how much he spent teaching us about the victims and the conditions of the time period. Walking the area, it was really incredible to see how close all of these murders took place between each other and in such a short time span. It was a great tour and I’d definitely be interested to read his thoughts on the suspects.
Kaci Sewell –
A great, small group walking tour that was full of facts and theories. It was also very respectful of the victims and provided intriguing information that pushes back on alleged evidence and eye witnesses. Loved it! Try to get Richard. His knowledge is extensive!
Patrick –
C’est moi, David. Putting my oar in. In the first instance, thanking you, Patrick, for taking the time to share your take on this much loved walk. And in the second instance, a Winston Churchill V for Victory for you Richard because there’s everything to be said for people knowing you’re not ice cream. Or puppies. (The only two things that please everyone.)
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Richard clearly has invested an immense amount of time researching these killings and the socio-economic conditions in Whitechapel in the late 19th century. I chose his tour specifically due to the all the comments I’d read online and really was ampted to go on this tour, but honestly I left a bit disappointed…
The pacing of the tour was off for me. We spent a good 20-30 minutes outside Whitechapel Station (the meeting point) while Richard described the poverty that existed in 1888, before moving on to the approximate location of the first canonical killing, where we spent another 20-30 minutes. Then we moved onto the second canonical murder site, where we spent another 20-30 minutes. We wrapped up the night near Liverpool St Station, spending the remaining time walking through some details of the remaining three victims, before some Q&A. Are those three any less important to the total story?
The walks in between were a few hundred yards, and although we all had bluetooth headsets, with the size of the group and the narrow sidewalks (i.e., single file) we frequently were out of range and missed much of Richard’s commentary while on the journey.
This tour would have been more impactful for me if we had journeyed to ALL of the locations and had spent more time talking about the victims, the (presumably) increasing panic in the city after each of the murders, and the strongest suspects, both at the time, and in the 130+ years that have followed.
Be advised that there is A LOT of standing in place on this tour!
Sandra Story –
I have so enjoyed Richard’s tour that I have taken it two times with two different friends (once in 2024 and once in 2025)who also greatly enjoyed his expertise. Be aware that the subject is by its nature gruesome. Richard gives a clear, if disturbing, picture of the society at the time in that area. His explanation of changes in our understanding of some criminal matters is fascinating.
Patrick –
We just did this tour and it was fantastic. Our guide, Simon, was great. He was very informative and kept us engaged the whole time. Definitely recommend it.
Jon –
My wife and I recently spent a delightful evening with Richard and the promised small group of Ripper lore enthusiasts, an evening which began with the the dying remnants of the end-of-summer sun and ended cloaked in the darkness of the Whitechapel evening. In between, Richard regaled us with his fascinating original research, intriguing historical information and well-selected visual aids. Frequently during the tour, it was quite easy to find oneself travelling back in time to those vicious Victorian evenings when Saucy Jack was plying the streets, keeping his evil eyes open for another unfortunate victim. Richard’s background in theater was clearly apparent and provided a wonderful dramatic element to the heavy subject matter. And his focus on the victims as human beings with lives of their own is much appreciated when it’s so easy to view them only as “the canonical five” and focus on the Ripper himself. I cannot recommend this tour enough to anyone with a deep curiosity of the Ripper murders, the victims themselves, and the elements of the East End that may have contributed to those events of almost 140 years ago.
Ursula –
This was truly an exceptionally good tour where everything fell into place. Of course, the topic is ‘old,’ but Richard is a real expert who not only dives deep into the subject matter but can also present it in a captivating way. I learned so much about the social conditions of that time (especially in this district), about newspaper journalism of that era, about inconsistencies and shocking oversights in the police investigations. And above all, it was moving to learn about the backgrounds of the five victims and their fates. This was done with great respect! Time during the tour flew by and with the in-ear headphones no time was lost. All in all, it was an evening to remember, and I can wholeheartedly recommend Richard and his tour!
Jim –
Wow – Richard has such depth of knowledge about JTR and an easy way of sharing this knowledge for everyone to follow. We all enjoyed this tour. I was particularly impressed with how Richard approached the discussions around the victims. He brought them to life and we left with a greater understanding of them. They were more than what the papers and society believed back at the times of their murder. Great tour – I highly recommend it for those who have a keen interest in JTR.