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.
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.
Steven Butler –
An excellent and really fascinating tour, looking at the lives of Jack the Ripper’s victims instead of their untimely deaths. The two hours flew by. Well worth the ticket price.
Emily Hassan –
Having attended my first London walks tour this morning, I cannot recommend Ulrike enough. Not only was this a profoundly informative experience, but I was also deeply moved by the content, with a particular focus on the lives of the women involved, and the unique sets of circumstances that drove them onto the streets. Ulrike is a marvellous storyteller and she paints a fascinating picture, not only of the lives of the five women conventionally characterised as ‘Ripper victims’ but of the society in which they struggled to survive. It is all too easy to reduce Polly, Annie, Kate, Elizabeth and Mary-Jane to stock characters, prostitutes whose lives are to be read solely in the context of their violent demises. Ulrike’s tour is a true antidote to this mawkish, lazy and outdated reading, and is therefore an absolute must!!
Alison Pearson –
Incredibly moving & fascinating walk given by Ulrike. A completely different perspective on an emotive and infamous subject. Highly recommend.
Michael –
It was a privilege to be one of the first people to do this amazing walk with the fantastic Ulrike.
This tour is as far removed from other types of tours on the subject of Jack the Ripper as it’s possible to get. It’s informative, fascinating and heartbreaking. She skilfully weaves the tragic tales of The Five with the complicated and festering history of Victorian London.
But it’s all told with sensitivity and insight. A truly excellent addition to The London Walks canon.
Bev Steele –
I attended Ulrike’s “Women of the Abyss” tour on Saturday 31st August. It was so enlightening to be taken back to the East End in the bad old days to learn so much about these poor women and their unfortunate circumstances. It was both graphic and deeply intriguing put across so well by our knowledgeable guide. I thank Ulrike very much and greatly recommend this tour.
Mr Bev Steele.