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IntroductionI hope to have some more details here from David Waters about Jack the Ripper and the East End of London. Until then, the following provides some background information. Jack the RipperFrom 7 August to 10 November, 1888, an unknown murderer killed at least seven women, all prostitutes, in the East End of London, England. These murders constitute one of the most notorious unsolved criminal cases of modern times. The name Jack the Ripper was signed to a series of taunting notes sent to police authorities, presumably by the murderer. That the murders were all committed by the same person is likely. Each victim's throat was slashed, and each body was mutilated in a manner suggesting that the killer had a considerable knowledge of anatomy. There was a great public outcry over the crimes, and the police made strenuous efforts to capture the murderer. The failure to catch the murderer was a factor that led to the resignation of London's police commissioner. A sizable literature has grown up about Jack the Ripper. Novels as well as serious investigations into his identity have been popular for many decades. One of the most successful novels was 'The Lodger', published in 1913, by Mrs. Belloc Lowndes, from which three films have been made. A list of the literature about the crimes can be found in 'Jack the Ripper: a Bibliography and Review of the Literature' (1979), by Alexander Kelly.
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