Chapter 1-4

Jack The Ripper – The Definitive History

So I have begun to read this book throughout the week, the book was not what I expected I did expect the book just to have more detail about Jack the Ripper but it also explained a bit more about Jack the Rippers era.

The First Chapter which I read was about the East End, reading this chapter I have gained a better picture of how the generation was like when Jack The Ripper was around. By reading this Book I could imagine a picture in my head of how some parts of the East End was like and how rough it was. A quote which related to Jack the Ripper “… notoriously and repeatedly one of the most dangerous streets in the neighborhood…” this was related to Dorset Street where Jack the Rippers last victim was killed.

The Second Chapter which I read was leading more towards Jack the Ripper and what may believed to be by some Jack the Rippers First victim Emma Elizabeth Smith. Emma was in her early 40’s, a widow who kept her past a secret. She was one who was fond of a drink but could not handle the affects of alcohol, which lead her to be repeatedly abused and attacked. A quote which I found played a good image of Emma was “when Emma had had drink she acted like a madwoman” you can just imagine a lady whom is drunk and lavish around in a bar.

The Third Chapter related towards Emma’s attack but then drifted towards the area she was killed and why the area had been so over populated. “Flower and Dean Street, the whole street was rented out, either as common lodging or, even more frequently, converted into tenements – homes formally occupied by one family being rented out by the room, often to whole families. Converted into brothels or rooms used for prostitution… “This whole paragraph on this chapter gives you a visual understanding and how people lived to survive, it also explained why there was so much murder caused, living in a house with so many people whom you may not know, which can make it easy for criminals to attack people.
The fourth Chapter was about the murder on Martha Tabram. Martha was out with her friend on a bank holiday night, early Tuesday morning she was found on a hallway where she was left brutally murdered “Martha Tabram had been stabbed 39 times…” The chapter then goes more towards the investigation of her murder.

So far reading this book I expected more about Jack the Ripper but you do understand why there was such criminal attacks in that generation and how someone like Jack The Ripper survived.

For me I feel that the book becomes more interesting when the author talks about Jack the Ripper, as I expected more detail about him. I have only read the first few chapters so hopefully the book goes on to explain more about Jack The Ripper