Jack the Ripper is the most well known and notorious serial killer in history. The identity of Jack the Ripper is still unknown today, and the murders unsolved. He has become the most infamous in the annals of crime. It was during 1888 and 1891 when the Ripper murdered many women in areas in and around the East End of London in 1888. The name ‘Jack the Ripper’ caught on when a letter (believe to be a hoax) was posted to the central news agency and signed by this name. They forwarded this letter to the Metropolitan Police.
To understand more about Jack the Ripper, many visitors to London would recommend going on a Jack the Ripper Tour that lead by an excellent guide will take you at night around Whitechapel and show you where the murders took place. The crime scene tours will give you the opportunity exploring places which include the dark passages and alleys that had changed very little almost looking the same since those long-ago nights when this entire neighborhood was gripped by fear as the Ripper’s reign of terror gained momentum and the police fought a desperate battle to hunt him down.
The walking tour lasts for 2 1/2 hours and explores the historical background of the Whitechapel murders. You get to walk the same streets of the unfortunate women who lost their lives to this sick murderer. You get to remember the tragic lives of those women who had friends and loved ones, who struggled daily to survive with experience after the murders. You can also go on private tours for smaller groups if that suits you more and each tour is conducted in the early evening, which gives an eerily feeling to the tour. The tour also takes you to the locations used in the mini-series Whitechapel.
So what can you expect from a Jack the Ripper Sightseeing Tour? Well, it’s most certainly not for the faint-hearted… Be ready for an in-depth discussion about how the victims died, the guides of the crime scene tours take a real interest in getting you to really understand the pain these victims would have gone through. The terror than London was in at this time and also gives you an insight into the Ripper’s state of mind. You certainly will think twice about taking that walk down the dark alley late at night after a tour of this caliber.
