The Lives of the 5
This woman is historically recognized as the first of the 5 victims, murdered in Buck’s Row on August 31, 1888?
Who is Mary Ann "Polly" Nichols?
Her friends and family knew her as Polly, she was a mother to 5 children, and had been divorced from her husband recently.
This is the specific name of the 1888 letter that first used the signature "Jack the Ripper," giving the killer his world-famous nickname.
What is the Dear Boss Letter?
The "Dear Boss" letter is the 1888 message sent to the Central News Agency that famously coined the name "Jack the Ripper." Written in red ink, the author mocked the police and predicted he would "clip the lady's ears off" in his next crime. Although it was the beginning of the Ripper legend, many modern experts believe it was actually a hoax written by a journalist to sell more newspapers.
This myth suggests that Jack the Ripper was a wealthy “mad surgeon,” but most evidence points to him living in the same impoverished, unsafe district where the murders occurred, allowing him to avoid detection due to poor police system and currupt conditions.
Whitechapel, East London.
In 2014, DNA found on a silk shawl was used to "name" this man as the killer, though many scientists say the sample was ruined by 130 years of handling.
Aaron Kosminski.
He was an original suspect of the time due to his ¨hatred for women¨ and his homicidal tendencies , however modern forensic examination was able to directly link him, which was unable to be done at the time, because of how long its been he can not be officially deemed the killer.
Jack the Ripper was the official name used by the London Metropolitan Police in their case files
False.
The police and local residents usually referred to him as "The Whitechapel Murderer"; the name "Jack the Ripper" came from a letter sent to a news agency
Contrary to the popular myth that all the victims were lifelong Londoners, this Swedish-born woman moved to England after the death of her family
Who is Elizabeth Stride?
She immigrated to London on Febuary 7th of that year, 3 years later she got married, and opened a coffee shop with her husband for several years before their separation.
This infamous postcard, mailed shortly after the "Double Event," claimed the killer "clipped the lady’s ears off," a detail that appeared in the news the next day
What is the Saucy Jacky Postcard?
The "Saucy Jacky" postcard was a follow-up to the "Dear Boss" letter received on October 1, 1888. It specifically references the "double event", the murders of Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes which had occurred just hours before the postcard was delivered. Like the Dear Boss letter it used the signature "Jack the Ripper" and is widely considered by modern historians to be a journalist's hoax designed to maintain media interest in the case.
This London news agency helped spread the “Dear Boss” letter, which first introduced the name “Jack the Ripper” to the public.
The Central News Agency.
This famous "item of clothing" was bought at an auction and tested for DNA in 2014, but many historians doubt it was ever actually at a crime scene.
What is Shawl?
The famous shawl was found at the scene of Catherine Eddowes and while they were unable to examine it at the time, forensic experts examined it in 2014.
Despite the hundreds of suspects named over the years, no one was ever officially charged or tried for the murders
True.
The case remains officially unsolved
This victim was the only one killed within the boundaries of the "City of London", rather than under the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Police.
Who is Catherine Eddowes?
It was believed that she was married to a soldier and they had 3 children together. She earned her living by selling what were called chapbooks on the streets to passing people.
This is the term used for the "study" of the Jack the Ripper case, a word that makes it sound like a science, though it’s mostly hobbyists and historians
What is a Ripperology?
Ripperology is the study of the Jack the Ripper murders and the social history of London's East End in 1888. It involves researchers known as Ripperologists who analyze police files, Victorian newspapers, and forensic evidence to identify the killer or understand the era. While often focused different theories, modern Ripperology also emphasizes the lives of the victims and the poverty of the Whitechapel district.
This dense, coal-filled atmospheric condition in Victorian London, often called a “pea-souper,” was caused by industrial pollution mixing with fog and was so thick it allowed criminals to move unseen through the East End.
Smog or London Fog.
To find a "match," scientists often compare DNA from evidence to the modern-day living people who are related to the suspects, known as these
What are Descendants?
Modern forensic experts have been using descendants to link dna found (like the shawl) to suspects from the time of the killings.
Queen Victoria’s grandson, Prince Albert Victor, was considered a prime suspect by the police during the 1888 investigation
False.
The "Royal Conspiracy" theory didn't actually appear until the 1960s; at the time of the murders, the Prince wasn't even in London.
While the press often labeled all the victims as "prostitutes," recent historical research shows that this victim was actually a skilled lady’s maid and a mother of three.
Who is Annie Chapman?
Annie Chapman led a very good life before her unfortunate passing and she worked very hard to provide for herself and her children. Following her passing, light was shed on the women from the class she lived within.
In the movie From Hell, this famous actor plays Inspector Abberline, portraying him as a psychic detective—which is pure fiction
Who is Johnny Depp?
Johnny Depp stars as Inspector Frederick Abberline in the 2001 film From Hell, a fictionalized take on the Whitechapel murders. In the movie, his character is an opium-addicted detective who uses psychic visions to uncover a conspiracy. Depp's portrayal focuses on a dark, stylized version of the investigation rather than historical accuracy.
In London’s East End, extreme poverty forced many people into temporary housing, where they could pay a small nightly fee to sleep in overcrowded, unsafe communal rooms known for poor sanitation and limited privacy.
Common Lodging Houses or "Doss-houses".
Because the Ripper victims were female and the suspects were male, scientists look for this specific type of DNA found only in men to prove a suspect's presence.
What is Y-DNA (or the Y-Chromosome)
The killer was famously known for wearing a long black cape and carrying a doctor’s black bag, as seen in most movies
False.
Witnesses descriptions varied wildly, but none mentioned a cape; this image was created by later stage plays and films to make the villain look more dramatic.
At the time of her death, the final canonical victim, Mary Jane Kelly, was reportedly using this "alias," which she claimed was the name of a former husband
What is Marie Jeanette?
Mary moved to London around 1884, where she made the acquaintance of a French woman who ran a high-class brothel in Knightsbridge, in which establishment Mary began working. She told Barnett that, during this period in her life, she had dressed well, had been driven about in a carriage, and, for a time, had led the life of a lady. Following this time she began going by the name Marie
Though thousands were questioned, this is the total number of people actually convicted for the Whitechapel murders
What is 0?
No one was ever convicted of the Jack the Ripper murders because the police lacked modern forensic tools like DNA profiling and fingerprinting. Without eyewitnesses or physical evidence, detectives could never gather enough proof to bring a suspect to trial. The case remains officially unsolved to this day.
This conspiracy theory suggests the Whitechapel murders were linked to a royal cover-up involving a secret marriage between a prince and a working-class woman, a narrative later popularized in a 1990s graphic novel and its film adaptation.
"From Hell".
Because the "Ripper" letters were closed using this body fluid, some researchers tried to extract DNA from the back of the stamps
What is Salvia or Spit?
The "Goulston Street Graffito"—a message written on a wall—is the only piece of physical evidence the killer is confirmed to have left behind.
False.
While it was found near a piece of a victim's apron, it’s a major point of debate. The police commissioner ordered it washed away before it could be photographed, so we know for sure if the killer wrote it.