Visiting London for the First Time

[Barnaby]

I am in London and finished my first Ripper tour and had a beer at the Ten Bells. It was great. My tour guide was Mick who wrote a book Jack the Ripper: One Autumn in Whitechapel if any of you have read it.

I was prepared for the worst but actually was pleasantly surprised at how much of the architecture is still there. Maybe not crime scenes but I was able to get a sense of what buildings looked like (e.g., by looking at the other side of Hanbury Street) and such.

Really confused about Mitre Square. It does not look like a square. A part of it is fenced off and is either a parking lot or a playground but the guide said that wasn't part of the square but rather had been houses. So I had trouble envisioning the square as it had existed even though I was able to stand on the spot.

Overall it was great! I'm going back to Whitechapel probably on Monday and hope to spend the day there just walking around.

Thanks for your other suggestions!

[Pcdunn]

Yes, Gary. I think the rats are an integral part of the Late Victorian experience - shades of The Talons of Weng-Chiang, for those who remember the classic Doctor Who story.

I do, of course! I believe the large rodents in that story were inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's mention of "The Giant Rat of Sumatra" as an untold adventure of The Great Detective, Sherlock Holmes.

[Sam Flynn]

I do, of course! I believe the large rodents in that story were inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's mention of "The Giant Rat of Sumatra" as an untold adventure of The Great Detective, Sherlock Holmes.

Tom Baker was certainly channelling Sherlock Holmes in that series and, as a ripperologistic aside, it also featured Christopher Benjamin as music hall proprietor Henry Gordon Jago. Benjamin had previously appeared in the 1973 "Jack the Ripper" series with Barlow and Watt.

[Herlock Sholmes]

For anyone who isn’t aware Tom Baker actually played Sherlock Holmes in a two part TV version of The Hound Of The Baskervilles in 1982. Its ok and available to buy on dvd (for Holmes nerds like me ) Baker made a pretty decent Holmes. He’s made it clear that he’d have liked to have reprised the role but the opportunity never came up.

Here’s a clip of Tom playing The real Master

https://youtu.be/NCdJpY5cni0

[Herlock Sholmes]

I do, of course! I believe the large rodents in that story were inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's mention of "The Giant Rat of Sumatra" as an untold adventure of The Great Detective, Sherlock Holmes.

“A story for which the world is not yet prepared.”

[Herlock Sholmes]

I am in London and finished my first Ripper tour and had a beer at the Ten Bells. It was great. My tour guide was Mick who wrote a book Jack the Ripper: One Autumn in Whitechapel if any of you have read it.

I was prepared for the worst but actually was pleasantly surprised at how much of the architecture is still there. Maybe not crime scenes but I was able to get a sense of what buildings looked like (e.g., by looking at the other side of Hanbury Street) and such.

Really confused about Mitre Square. It does not look like a square. A part of it is fenced off and is either a parking lot or a playground but the guide said that wasn't part of the square but rather had been houses. So I had trouble envisioning the square as it had existed even though I was able to stand on the spot.

Overall it was great! I'm going back to Whitechapel probably on Monday and hope to spend the day there just walking around.

Thanks for your other suggestions!

Every time I’ve visited Mitre Square over the last few years it’s changed. I’ve always thought it a shame that wasn’t any cine camera footage of it in its original form. Just like I can’t help being disappointed that when they filmed that excellent documentary The London Nobody Knows with James Mason they didn’t shoot more footage in the yard at Hanbury Street. Why couldn’t they have panned around with the camera to show the yard or even filmed the passage way?

[Robert]

Caroline John, who played Liz Shaw, was also in the Baskervilles production.

The scene at the end where Holmes confronted the vicious hound with the words "Have a jelly baby" still causes me nightmares.

[Joshua Rogan]

Every time I’ve visited Mitre Square over the last few years it’s changed. I’ve always thought it a shame that wasn’t any cine camera footage of it in its original form.

It's probably no consolation, but there never was an "original form" for Mitre Square, even in 1888 the area was in flux. I wonder if Eddowes was on a nostalgic sightseeing tour when she met her end?

[DirectorDave]

This site has far too much influence upon my life....I am now watching The Talons of Weng-Chiang with a bottle of London Pride nicely chilled.

[Sam Flynn]

This site has far too much influence upon my life....I am now watching The Talons of Weng-Chiang with a bottle of London Pride nicely chilled.

You could do a lot worse, Dave.

[MrBarnett]

I am in London and finished my first Ripper tour and had a beer at the Ten Bells. It was great. My tour guide was Mick who wrote a book Jack the Ripper: One Autumn in Whitechapel if any of you have read it.

I was prepared for the worst but actually was pleasantly surprised at how much of the architecture is still there. Maybe not crime scenes but I was able to get a sense of what buildings looked like (e.g., by looking at the other side of Hanbury Street) and such.

Really confused about Mitre Square. It does not look like a square. A part of it is fenced off and is either a parking lot or a playground but the guide said that wasn't part of the square but rather had been houses. So I had trouble envisioning the square as it had existed even though I was able to stand on the spot.

Overall it was great! I'm going back to Whitechapel probably on Monday and hope to spend the day there just walking around.

Thanks for your other suggestions!

I'm pleased you're enjoying London, Barnaby. If you get back to Commercial Street, pop your head inside the church - it's stunning.

[Barnaby]

Today I went back to the East End and walked around by myself and found other Ripper-related landmarks that we did not see on the tour. Probably because they are too far out of the way, both the Nichols and Stride sites were not on the tour. I think I managed to basically find them but I have a few questions. I also have questions about where Miller's Court was. I'm going to post a few pictures and ask each question separately.

[Barnaby]

This is Durwood Street looking (east?) to Brady Street from I think Vallence?

This area is under a lot of construction and I could not figure out where the actual murder site would have been. Is it basically on the right hand side of this photo in the construction.

[Barnaby]

Is this the correct gate that opened into Dutfield's yard? I noticed that the IWMEC does not appear to be there. The building to right appears to have been built in the early 1900s.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/4QGXvtEoTZrqPWSD6

[Barnaby]

Is this where Hutchinson saw Mary Kelly and Astrakhan man? If so, did they walk up what is now Fashion Street? Was Millers Court on the left or right? This is the murder site that I'm most confused about. Thanks!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/MitEtQTdkHxZiD7C9