Come and join me, Ulrike, on my tour through Whitechapel to discover the other side of the Jack the Ripper story. And no, this isn’t just another London Jack the Ripper Tour. Those Whitechapel murders – this Jack the Ripper crime scene, that Jack the Ripper chamber of horrors – that’s the background; this Jack the Ripper Walk shines a different light on what happened in the East End of London in the autumn of 1888.
There are no murders without victims, and before they were victims, “the Five” were women with lives more difficult than we can imagine.
I am going to introduce you to these five women. I’m not going to talk about their deaths. I’m going to talk about their lives. The tragic turns and decisions in their lives that led them to “the prototype of hell” – Whitechapel and Spitalfields in the 1880s.
Jack London called the Victorian East End of London the Abyss, the pit of hell, once you fell in, there was no way out. It was an area of squalor and destitution at an unimaginable level.
Come with me and meet Polly…
And Annie…
And Elizabeth…
And Kate…
And Mary Jane…
See where they existed. The streets and alleyways they knew.
Where things closed in on them. See and imagine what it felt like to be lost, forgotten, out at the edge – on the very margin of the richest society on eath. Where despair was writ in the very fabric of their surroundings. And imagine how brave they must have been trying to keep it at bay. Their lives mirrored those of millions of other Victorian women. Let’s give them a face, a voice and let us not define them only by their deaths.
Fränzi Heinrich –
A stunning tour and the antidote to all those misogynistic “Jack the Ripper” tours out there that we needed! The walk finally sheds light on the lives, achievements, and struggles of poor working-class women in the late 19th century—living in a world that wasn’t made for them and trying their hardest to survive. I feel like, a century after their brutal deaths, their voices are finally being heard. I doubt many people listened to what they had to say while they were still alive. It’s about time this tour changed that.
Sue –
The dull grey sky, the Autumnal rain that shrouded the tall modern buildings of The City of London, provided a stark backdrop to the Sunday morning walk in the East End. Then as now, poverty and wealth rested cheek by jowl. We were introduced with great empathy, to the lives and families, of five Victorian women, who are more famous, because of their deaths.
Ulrika described the squalor, the filth and the appalling living conditions and circumstances that many people, especially women suffered, in the richest metropolis in the world at the time. Her depth of knowledge, her storytelling and her fantastic delivery, was deeply thought provoking. A must book walk.
Nikki –
We took the “Women of the Abyss” tour today and it was excellent. Ulrike is a natural storyteller and ensured the stories of the FIVE came to life as she took us around London’s White Hall. We were all unfazed by the difficult weather because the stories were so engrossing and the journey so lively. Highly recommend!
J.D. Smith –
Ulrike had mentioned during one of her other walks this summer that this one was coming up. I’m glad I was back in London today to experience it.
It was unforgettable because the life stories of these women were all so heartbreaking. All of it expertly described by Ulrike and compelling.
Chad Wilson –
This was my first London walks tour, Ulrike the guide was very knowledgeable and passionate about the subject. The tour is a tribute to the victims lives focused on the dire hardships of the age and the unfortunate circumstances and turns of fate which lead each woman to their death. I urge anyone who is a fan of the subject to take this tour and learn the truth about Polly, Annie, Kate, Elizabeth and Mary-Jane. There is more to the story than meets the eye. Bravo Ulrike!
Carolyn S. –
Ulrike was knowledgeable, interesting and had deep insight into the 5 women victims’ lives. A different, thought provoking perspective on a historic murder mystery. Would highly recommend this tour as very enjoyable.
beth hayes –
This was a fantastic walking tour, Ulrike was a brilliant and knowledgeable guide. Having already read the five, this tour really brings it to life and gives the women victims a voice. I would highly recommend this tour for a more realistic view of the ripper murders without the unnecessary sensationalism and the lives of the woman in focus.
Tony Potter –
Well planned and researched. Kept enthralled throughout. Engaging guide. Thoroughly recommend.
Antonia –
Jack the Ripper walks are ten a penny, but Ulrike’s tour de force looking at the lives of the five murdered women and the society in which they lived is one set apart from the rest. Not only does Ulrike capture the lives of these women and the tragic twists which led to their ultimate demises, her wide-ranging research and considered choice of route create a real sense of what the Victorian East End was truly like. Set against the buzzing metropolis we see today, this is eerily moving. Perhaps most enjoyable part of Ulrike’s tour is the keen sense of empathy she clearly feels for the victims, which helps bring this story alive. As such, whether for those interested in the Ripper, London’s urban history or simply looking for a fascinating day out, this tour represents two hours exceptionally well spent.
Aaron –
Really enjoyed this tour. Great to have a focus on these women and their lives and not the salacious myths and horrific murders. Ulrike was knowledgeable and engaging. A different and refreshing perspective on the societal paths and wrongs which put these women at risk.