Gunthorpe Street Ripper sign

[kensei]

While touring the Ripper sites last September, the only overt display I found anywhere dealing with the crimes was a sign on the east wall of the White Hart pub at the entrance to Gunthorpe Street. It reads:

"Who was Jack the Ripper? There have been numerous attempts to uncover the identity of the man who brutally murdered five east end women between 31 August- 30 November 1888. Among those suspected were Queen Victoria's heir, the Duke of Clarence. A less prominent suspect was George Chapman, a barber/surgeon, who at the time lived in the cellar of this pub. He was later found guilty of poisoning his three wives for which he was hung. Was he also Jack the Ripper?"

Let's ignore that the date of "30 November" is in error. Maybe this should have been posted as a George Chapman thread, but I find it more interesting and a bit perplexing that this sign is mere yards from the site of Martha Tabram's murder, yet the traditional and canonical number of five victims is given without any nod toward Martha at all. I would think that passers by with any interest at all would like to know that one possible victim died only a minute or two's walk north of the sign, even if she was noted to be in dispute. Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

[Andrew Firth]

That would be this one....


An interesting point Kensei, and thanks for bringing it up. We can only wonder!

I must admit, it seems very strange that Martha isn't mentioned on this sign. It seems to be a sign made by a professional signwriter, either commissioned and paid for by the landlord, or perhaps the brewery.

It's almost as if whoever decided on the wording, didn't know anything about the Whitechapel murders, and obtained his/her information from one wildly inaccurate book? The location of the sign suggests that it's been placed there to catch the eye of passing tour groups, but if that is the case, then why did they not ask themselves why groups were heading up Gunthorpe Street in the first place?

All the best
Andrew