Notorious London: A City Tour Season 1 Episode 10 In the Footsteps of Jack the Ripper
- April 23, 2021
- 28 min
In the Footsteps of Jack the Ripper explores the infamous case of the serial killer who terrorized the streets of London in the late 1800s. The tour takes viewers through the Whitechapel district, where the murders occurred, and introduces us to the key players in the investigation, including Detective Inspector Edmund Reid and pathologist Thomas Bond.
The episode begins with a brief overview of the Jack the Ripper case and the social context in which the murders occurred. At the time, Whitechapel was a poverty-stricken area with high levels of crime and prostitution. Women in the area were vulnerable and often targeted by the killer, who was never caught.
The tour starts at the Ten Bells pub, a notorious hangout for the victims of Jack the Ripper. The pub was located just a few minutes' walk from several of the murder scenes and was where some of the victims were last seen alive. Viewers are introduced to the pub's history and the role it played in the investigation.
From there, the tour takes us to Mitre Square, where one of the most gruesome murders took place. Mary Jane Kelly, the last known victim of Jack the Ripper, was found mutilated in her room on Dorset Street, just a short distance from the square. The episode explores the street and gives viewers a sense of what the area was like at the time of the killings.
Next, we visit the site of the first murder, Buck's Row. Mary Nichols, the victim, was found dead there on August 31, 1888. The episode discusses the details of the murder and the evidence left behind by the killer.
The tour then takes us to the Whitechapel police station, where Detective Inspector Edmund Reid was based. Reid was in charge of the investigation into the Jack the Ripper murders and was one of the most important figures in the case. The episode explores Reid's background and his role in the investigation.
Finally, the tour concludes with a visit to St. Botolph's Churchyard, where Thomas Bond, the pathologist who carried out the autopsies on the victims, is buried. Bond's findings were crucial in establishing the identity of Jack the Ripper, and the episode discusses his role in the investigation.
In the Footsteps of Jack the Ripper is a fascinating look at one of the most notorious cases in criminal history. The episode provides a detailed and informative tour of the Whitechapel district and offers insight into the social and historical context of the murders. Viewers will come away with a greater understanding of the case and the impact it had on London at the time.