Identifying the victims

[HelenaWojtczak]

Given that nobody carried ID in those days, and that most/all of the victims were unattached and without family, when the police found a body how long did it take before someone reported them missing or came to identify the body?

It occurred to me that with the kind of lifestyles these women led, they could easily go missing for a few days and nobody would miss them. Did the police let a whole load of people view the faces until someone recognised them?

[Mary Kelly excepted, of course, as I realise the man who found her knew who lived in that room.]

Helena

[Monty]

Hi Helen,

The police hired photographers to take photos of the unknown dead.

These were displayed at police stations in hopes the family of the missing would come forward and identify them.

Monty

[HelenaWojtczak]

Hi Helen,

The police hired photographers to take photos of the unknown dead.

These were displayed at police stations in hopes the family of the missing would come forward and identify them.

Monty

Ahhh... I see. And that explains too why there are photos of them I suppose.

Any idea how long it took for them to be identified?

Helena

[Errata]

I suspect it didn't actually take that long, because they had a history of prostitution. Ironically, I think if it was a more respectable woman, it would have taken longer. Basically, they would have been able to tell by the dress (and in some cases, lack of) that these victims were prostitutes. Prostitutes don't work terribly far from their home base, so they would have been known to other prostitutes in the area. Wearing everything they own means they live in a workhouse or a doss, so that significantly cuts down on the number of places they have to go looking for a missing woman. I would imagine a simple description would suffice to get someone down to identify the body. And it's likely that someone would identify the body before there was an official identification. A certain degree of closeness is required for an official identification, family, boss, coworker, landlady... so it's possible that within a few hours of discovery someone told them "I think that's Annie Chapman" and then they went looking for someone who could make the official identification.

[RavenDarkendale]

[Mary Kelly excepted, of course, as I realise the man who found her knew who lived in that room.]

Helena

Indeed, but that was about the only identifying thing left after the butchering. Joseph Barnett said he recognized her hair and eyes, and it was her clothing folded neatly on the chair.

And yet she was supposedly identified by witnesses outside the room long after that body in the room was cold and unrecognizable. The witnesses knew her well, saw and spoke to her every day. Could it be that it wasn't her at all. but another "unfortunate" who for some reason traded clothes with her? Improbable, but not impossible.

[Addy]

Hi all,

That is actually a discussion on its own, whether it was Mary Kelly who was killed in Millers Court.

Most victims were identified within a couple of days, a description and photo or drawing published in the newspapers.

Greetings,

Addy