Whitechapel (1870-1900)

Which police force was in charge of policing Whitechapel?

H Division

Which immigrant groups moved to Whitechapel during the 1800s?

Irish immigrants and Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe and Russia

What was a 'beat constable'?

A police officer who had a specific area of Whitechapel where they were expected to walk around and patrol.

Who built the 284 flats in the Peabody Estate?

A wealthy American philanthropist called George Peabody

What were workhouses?

A place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment. Conditions were terrible E.g oakum picking

What were lodging houses?

Sometimes called doss houses. Cheap accommodation, people often lodged together in one room. 3 eight hour sleeping shifts. Some people slept on a penny hang.

What were rookeries?

Slum-like areas of Victorian Whitechapel with 'maze-like' streets, alleys and courts

What were the 'sweated trades'?

Industries with long working hours, poor working conditions and low pay. Included trades such as tailoring and shoe making.

Give an example of overcrowded accommodation in Whitechapel

There could be over 25 people living in one apartment

What was the population of Whitechapel?

30,000

How many people were estimated to have been homeless?

1,000

Why was alcoholism a problem in Whitechapel?

There were many public houses (pubs) and access to cheap alcohol such as gin

What were protection rackets?

Gangs organised protection rackets where businesses were intimidated into paying money to the gangs in return for protection

Name two gangs which operated in the Whitechapel area

The Bessarabian Tigers and the Odessians

What was the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee?

Created by George Lusk. A group of middle class businessmen who patrolled the streets and offered rewards to the public to try and gain more information about Jack the Ripper

Name three investigative techniques that the police used in Whitechapel

Sketches (the Bertillon system), photographs, interviews

What police rivalry existed in Whitechapel?

The Metropolitan Police (H Division) faced some competition from the City of London police

Who was the Metropolitan police commissioner during the Ripper murders?

Sir Charles Warren

Who created a poverty map of Whitechapel and why was it significant?

Charles Booth. It helped to demonstrate the link between higher levels of poverty and higher levels of crime.

Who was Jack the Ripper's first victim?

Mary Ann Nichols (found August 31, 1888)

Who was Jack the Ripper's second victim?

Annie Chapman (found September 8, 1888)

Who were the two victims (third and fourth) who were found on the same day?

Elizabeth Stride (found September 30, 1888), Catherine Eddowes (also found September 30, 1888)

Who was Jack the Ripper's last victim?

Mary Jane Kelly (found November 9, 1888).