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  • Jason
    Detective
    • Dec 2009
    • 382

    #1

    Advice

    I am coming down to London at the end of October and would like to do a Ripper Tour. Does anyone have any advice as to which, if any of the official walks/tours is better ? i have been to a couple of sites myself previously however not with a guide. Failing that should any local to the area on here wish to volunteer their expertise then it would be most welcome .

    Jason
  • Rob Clack
    Inactive
    • Feb 2008
    • 1708

    #2
    Can't go wrong with Richard Jones's Company. Philip Hutchinson and John Bennett regularly do the Ripper tour for him so you might get lucky.

    The Original Jack the Ripper Tour that is widely considered the best in London and is conducted by guides who have written books on the Whitechapel Murders.


    Rob

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    • claire
      Sergeant
      • Aug 2008
      • 645

      #3
      Yep, I'll second that. Mr. Bennett was fab on the tour we went on.
      best,

      claire

      Comment

      • Jason
        Detective
        • Dec 2009
        • 382

        #4
        superb, i have had a look on the link and it looks amazing. Good thing is that in October it will be nice and dark, the atmosphere should be appropriate.

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        • The Grave Maurice
          Premium Member
          • Feb 2008
          • 1674

          #5
          So, has Rumbelow finally packed it in?

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          • claire
            Sergeant
            • Aug 2008
            • 645

            #6
            He was out and about and looking very dapper in July...with an entourage of about 80...
            best,

            claire

            Comment

            • The Grave Maurice
              Premium Member
              • Feb 2008
              • 1674

              #7
              Jason,

              I'm sure that Philip and John are both excellent, but they're still young(ish) and you should have plenty of opportunities to take their tours. If you can only take one tour, and Rumbelow is working in October, I really recommend that you go with him. He may very well retire soon and it would be a shame to miss the opportunity of seeing the master at work.

              Comment

              • Jason
                Detective
                • Dec 2009
                • 382

                #8
                i shall have a look, does anyone have a link or contact for him ? 80 seems like quite a large number, does he do special requests a la Dave Lee Travis ?

                Comment

                • The Grave Maurice
                  Premium Member
                  • Feb 2008
                  • 1674

                  #9
                  Here's the link http://www.walks.com/London_Walks_Ho...r/default.aspx

                  Yeah, 80 is a lot, but that just goes to show how popular Don's tours are. Besides, it's not like you have trouble hearing him, no matter how big the crowd. The guy can project.

                  Comment

                  • Jason
                    Detective
                    • Dec 2009
                    • 382

                    #10
                    Aside from the normal routes taken by the tours, does any recommend a particular site which is worth visiting under my own steam ? i am down for 6 days and would like to spend a fair amount of time looking around. If there are any sites which JTR historically speaking are worth a peak then please let me know. I will probably do the Rumbelow tour so he may well cover all angles however i imagine that there may be some further tips from others on here.

                    Comment

                    • kensei
                      Sergeant
                      • Feb 2008
                      • 983

                      #11
                      I toured with Rumbelow in '04 and Phil Hutchinson in '08. Both were good but Phil's visited more sites and was a smaller group. Don has a more scholarly approach while Phil inserts a lot more dark humor- what's your preference?

                      Also, I think there is a lot to be said for doing a full solo tour if you have the time, which I also did in '08. I visited all the C5 murder sites plus Tabram, Smith, and Coles, the old Commercial Street police station, the Goulston Street site, "Mary's corner" including a drink in the Ten Bells, and even two of the cemeteries (graves of Kelly, Nicholls, and Eddowes) all in about nine hours. Started at the Whitechapel tube station across from the Royal London Hospital at 7 a.m. and ended at the City of London Cemetery at around 4 or 4:30 p.m. You will wear your feet out but it is well worth it.
                      Last edited by kensei; 08-28-2010, 11:30 AM.

                      Comment

                      • Jason
                        Detective
                        • Dec 2009
                        • 382

                        #12
                        i like the sound of that Kensai, that sounds exactly what i was thinking. i will need to do a bit of a preparation for that though...otherwise i will be aimlessly walking about the east in areas which even for a lad from the rough arse of Liverpool may lead to some shady corners !

                        Comment

                        • kensei
                          Sergeant
                          • Feb 2008
                          • 983

                          #13
                          The book "Uncovering Jack the Ripper's London" by Richard Jones & Sean East has an excellent map that I used and I had only very minimal trouble with getting lost.

                          Comment

                          • Jason
                            Detective
                            • Dec 2009
                            • 382

                            #14
                            i have that book, i will have a look at the one you mean

                            Comment

                            • lemonjelly
                              Cadet
                              • Jun 2009
                              • 27

                              #15
                              Just to add that in recent weeks I attended one of Mr Rumbelow's tours.

                              On the positive side, I found him to be informative, and considerate to all participants in the tour. He strove to ensure everyone could hear & see what was going on, always asked if people had questions. The tour itself was over 90 mins long.

                              I have to say I am convinced there were more people in the crowd at the end than at the beginning! My conscience is clear, as I paid my dues, and also bought a second copy of his book, which he kindly signed.

                              I would say that I was suprised at how few actual sites we went to. We did Mitre Square, the site of the Goulston St Graffitti, & the site which used to be dorset street. Seems to me a shame to miss out on more than 50% of the areas which are relevant.

                              That said, I do plan to do another tour (perhaps with Mr Jones' company) & also my own personal tour.

                              Comment

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