For those who are interested in the Jack the Ripper case, there are plenty of reports, photographs and stories to study. However, there is only one site which survives from those dark days in 1888, and that is the site of the fourth murder, in Mitre Square, London.
Catherine Eddowes' body discovered
In the early hours of Sunday the 30th of September 1888, Police Constable Edward Watkins was on patrol when he discovered the body of 46 year-old prostitute Catherine Eddowes in the south-west corner of Mitre Square. The time was 1.45 a.m., just 15 minutes since his last visit to the square. Three witnesses claimed to have seen Eddowes at 1.35 a.m. talking to a man at the entrance to Church passage, which is close to Mitre Square. Could this man have been the infamous Jack the Ripper? Given the timings in this case it seems highly likely.
The post mortem carried out later that day told of severe mutilation of the body of Eddowes. Not only that, the left kidney and the major part of the uterus were removed. All this gruesome work was carried out within fifteen minutes of the two patrols by PC Watkins, within ten minutes of the last sighting of Eddowes and the discovery of her mutilated body, and in barely lit conditions.
Mitre Square today
Today, Mitre Square is a modern environment surrounded by office blocks. During the working week it is a very busy area, but at weekends it is much quieter as the offices in the area are closed. In the corner of Mitre Square is a flowerbed with public seating. This is where PC Watkins found the body of Eddowes.
If Mitre Square is full of modern office blocks, what is it that remains from the murder scene of 1888? If you make your way into the square towards the flowerbed along the cobbled stones, you will be walking in the footsteps of Jack the Ripper, for the cobbled stones still remain from 1888. To stand in the same place where the world's most famous serial killer committed one of his atrocious crimes is a humbling experience.
Getting to Mitre Square is simple. Take the London Underground on the Circle or District Line to Tower Hill (site of the Tower of London), walk under the railway bridge, follow the road ahead until you come to a church on the right. Take a left turn into a narrow passage, which leads to Mitre Square. It is a small square and the flowerbed is easily visible. Alternatively, you could take one of the Jack the Ripper tours which leave from the same Underground station.
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Richard Aitkins - Richard Aitkins is a freelance writer and tutor from Hertfordshire, England. He has a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree in Humanities with ...
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