Section C: Tensions in Whitechapel

Why did many Irish immigrants first come to London in the 1840s?

They planned to travel to America but ran out of money and settled in the East End.

What jobs did many Irish immigrants do in Whitechapel?

They worked as navvies on canals, roads and railways or as dockers on the River Thames.

Why were Irish immigrants often unpopular in Whitechapel?

Violence was common and they were associated with crime and disorder.

Who were the Fenians?

Irish nationalists who wanted freedom from UK rule and were seen as terrorists.

What event in 1867 increased anti-Irish feeling?

A Fenian bomb attack on Clerkenwell Prison.

Why was Special Branch created?

To counter Irish terrorism.

Why did many Eastern European Jews come to London after 1881?

They fled pogroms after the assassination of Tsar Alexander II.

How Jewish was Whitechapel by 1888?

Some areas were about 95% Jewish.

Why did some local people resent Jewish immigrants?

They accepted lower wages, sold goods cheaply and competed for housing and jobs.

How did religious differences increase tension between Jews and locals?

Jewish traditions and language differences made them stand out from the local population.

How did antisemitism increase in Whitechapel?

Rising tension over jobs and housing led to antisemitic attitudes and physical attacks.

How were Jewish people stereotyped during the Ripper murders?

Imaginary sketches showed exaggerated features like hooked noses and dark beards.

What is anarchism?

A movement that opposes all forms of organised government.

Why did some Londoners fear anarchists in the late 19th century?

Revolutionaries who fled after the failed Paris uprising (1871) settled in London, raising fears of terrorism.

What was the Social Democratic Federation (SDF)?

The first socialist party in Britain, formed in 1881, which supported revolutionary change.

What did Special Branch begin doing in 1893?

It launched an undercover operation to monitor Eastern European revolutionaries.

What did leaders of the Social Democratic Federation (SDF) want?

They wanted a revolution to overthrow the capitalist system.

How did socialists view the police in the late 19th century?

They saw the police as the public face of a government that ignored the poor.