the centre of the modern world.

My reputation spread far and wide

London as the wealthiest, strongest city in the world, and my people were
The people call me London — you've probably heard of me. Some
proud of me. The truth, howiter, was a little more complicated.
say I'm theCreatest
o m a pcity in the world, but others aren't so kind. They
urfallrA
My people saw different sisa of me. If you were born rich, then
call me 'the Big Smoke' because of the pollution that always happe ns
you lived in my finest houses, ate in my excellent restaurants and
when millions of people live in one place. The invaders called m e bought your clothes in my luxury shops. A visitor to London might
Londinium, and from then on, my name has been spoken across the see my green parks and clean streets, but that is only a part of me.
planet. My streets are famous — my history is legendary. Millions of I've always had secrets, and during the age of the empire, my darkest
people call me home. I'm a special place, they say. secret was the East End. The rich people never saw it, and the people
It all started with a bridge. The invaders from Rome built a bridge around the world could not imagine the reality.
over my river, the Tameses. People came in boats, and I began to At the end of the 19th century, the East End was neither wealthy
nor strong. It didn't fit the dream image of London — it was a living
grow. Queen Boudicca burnt me down, but I came back, as I always
nightmare. Thousands and thousands of people all lived together in
do. After the Romans left, the Saxons came, and then the Danes
filth (AalieAverty. Its ne/aDr iI:gv4treets were full of stiTeand animal
attacked. I saw so much fighting and was injured many times, excrement. People threw their own excrement into the streets. The
but I was always rebuilt stronger than before. air was full of noise and smoke. Dirty water l'ali'`drown"```"I'h``eValls
Life was good for some, but difficult for many otihers. Some tried and made 6pools on the ground. Horses, dogs and pigs were
hard to survive, and I couldn't help them. I provided the resound( 0,0 --A,212
for life, but the people didn't share them equally, so some had everywhere. Carts and trams ran noisily up and down the street, and
er6 bc. s
full stomachs, while many more were hungry. There have been people squashed together in tiny Whole families lived in
hub tra , wcimaR
revolutions, fighting, war and peace for CenluilIes. The plague a single room, if they were lucky. Many had nowhere to live. They
and annihilated my people, and then the Great Fire &Airy destroyed slept on the cold, wet streets or in a IfciaAfril house. Hundreds
me, although at least it killed the plague. of ,
0..rerc5Cry70
In the 16th century, people jleft London on ships and went to people paid for a night on the floor, or in a dormitory. I was
take control of distant lands. ft was the start of the British Empire. ashamed to see such conditions, but there was nothing I could do
Wealth from all over the world was brought to me, and I became to stop it.
nebra-
For many, the only escape was gig. The poor gathered together in
the pubs, drinking to stop the pain. They walked weakly through the
streets, half-dead.
The people call me London. My streets
arefamous—myhistoryislegendary.
poverty is like a disease and it 44'4'1
throughfamiliesand communitothersturnedtocrime.They The British Empire has lost its glory, and there are many other
was a fight to survive. They didrr cities now which arc just as grand, or even grander than me, but I'm
dangerous jobs if they could, still here. I've seen many changes and I'll see many more, but I hope
_but that never again see a time like this one. I hope I never know
; s7 another man as terrible as the one they call 'Jack the Ripper'.
. People w ere so poor that every d ay
things
ati'L..." for money. Some did
‘sfole-lood
terri CHAPTER 2
ble to eat, or they robbed each other
Charlie Harris
to pay for a place to sleep. Women
My name's Charlie. The police - or 'coppers', as we call them
sold their bodies to men for just a
-

know me as Charles Kingsley Harris, and so did my teachers, on the

few coins. The East End was a
few occasions I went to school. To everybody else, I'm just Charlie.
savage, violent place, and the I'm 15 years old, according to my mum, and since I was old enough
people were miserable. They to walk and talk, I've been out on the streets of Whitechapel, in the
protested for a better life, and in 1887, East End of London, hanging around with my friends and getting
when 40,000 people gathered in rr
into trouble. 1 don't look for trouble, but trouble always seems to
Trafalgar Square to demand change, find me anyway! °breu,
a battle with the police broke out.
I know Whitechapel like the ,back of my hand. Being ,ca little bit
Lives were lost and the people small for my age, I can sneak nut getting noticed.
grew angry. I could sense a change I know all the secret aileyways and all the best places to hide, which
in the air. is useful when the coppers are after me for stealing a bit of bread,
But what came next w as or a slice of ham. I don't really enjoy stealing, but I've got to eat,
even tome. I've known hunger, fire, haven't I?
A lot of people say Whitechapel's a dangerous place, and I can
war see what they mean, but its all I've ever known, so I'm used to it.
I sometimes wonder what it must be like to live in the nicest parts
of London, but I don't think I'd enjoy being rich. I wouldn't want to
sit around all day in a classroom, wearing an uncomfortable school
uniform and listening to a boring teacher. At least, in Whitechapel,
l'm free to do what 1 want. This place is my home. The drunk old man
asleep outside the pub is my uncle, and the woman begging for coins
w on the corner is my neighbour. Everybody knows everybody here -
we're like one big family. Sometimes, it can get a bit dangerous, and
He was the cruelest, most evil
man I've ever known, and he known sho8c8kj sometimes people get hurt, but these recent murders are a bit scary,
walked my streets in search of even for me.
First, a prostitute called Emma Smith was robbed. That wasn,t couldn't look after them because she was drunk all the time. She
unusual — lots of people get robbed around here, but I overheard couldn't keep a job and couldn't even pay for a night in an inn. I'm
someone say that the robber hurt her badly and she died a f ew hour's later. glad my mum doesn't drink. My dad drank all the time, but I haven't
seen him in years. I feel very lucky that my mum works so hard to
People started to be a little bit more careful after that.
Then, another woman was killed. Her name was Pearly Polly, and pay the rent on our house, unlike poor Mary Ann. I started to think
she was stabbed to death by a lunatic in George's Yard. r about her children and it made me sad.
- used to My friend's dad told us everything. Another woman had been murdered.
play on George's Yard all the time, but I don't go there now. The I couldn't believe it. 1 think it must be the same killer as before,
coppers closed it for a while after the murder to clean up all the blood because it's unlikely that three different murderers would be
My mum was terrified. She started to ask where I was going an y, attacking women
what I was doing all the time. She tried to make me stay at home, but in Whitechapel
I told her not to worry about me, I'd be alright. I've got two sisters, at the
and they're both younger than me, so they need to be looked after
more. Mum walks them to school now, and picks them up too, and
she never sends them out on errands after dark. Mum doesn't know
about the latest killing yet, but she'll hear about it soon, becau se
everyone's talking about it.
I was walking down by the river with friends, looking for old bits of
wood or metal to sell. We hadn't found anything good, so we decided
to go fishing instead. My friend's dad had a fishing rod, so we w ent
back up to his house on Buck's Row.
We knew straight away that something bad had happened.
Coppers were patrolling the whole street, knocking on doors and
asking people if they'd seen or heard anything strange the night
before. One copper tried to make us leave, but my friend pointed at
his house and he let us stay.
same time. I wonder who it is. When my mum finds out, she won't
When we went into his house, my friend's dad told us everything.
let my sisters leave the house again. I hope they're going to be OK.
Another woman had been murdered, but she wasn't just stabbed
We didn't go fishing after that. Instead, we decided to investigate
to death — the killer nearly cut her head off! We were shocked and
the crime ourselves. We went up and down Buck's Row, pretending
I called him a liar, but he swore it was true. His best friend, James,
to be detectives, searching the ground for clues. The coppers had
worked in the slaughterhouse on Winthrop Street, right next to already cleaned up, so I didn't find anything, but my friend found
where the murder happened. He said a copper came and interviewed a penny. He ran home after that to give it to his mum. I stayed out
everybody who was working that night. James and some other men until it was too dark to sec. I'm going to try and help catch the killer,
from the slaughterhouse went and saw the body with their own eyes. if I can. Whitechapel is my home, and I don't want to share it
He said he'd never been so scared in his entire life. with a monster like that.
The woman's name was Mary Ann Nichols. I didn't know her, but
my friend's dad did. She was a heavy drinker and also a prostitute,
he said. Mary Ann used to have a husband and children, but she
attacked on the streets after dark, and the police wanted to put an end
to it quickly.
Frederick Abberline
Today started just like any other day. I got up, said a prayer and
ashed my face. Then , I brushed my teeth, shaved two w lines w
face in the mirror had one or
iv es
c u t m y m o u s t a c h e . M y
around the eyes and mouth, and I had some new grey hairs, but
I looked at myself with satisfaction. I had come a long Way in my
r

life. Things were much simpler when I was a young man, m aking
clocks for a living, but I didn't join the police for a simpl e life. I
joined because I wanted to make a difference in this city. For years, I
patrolled the streets of London, and I solved many crim es. Being
promoted to Scotland Yard was the prize for my hard work. N ow, I
have got a new case — I've got tog o to Whitechapel, in the East E nci. 1
don't think my wife, Emma , is going to be pleased. It's a terrible area I
went downstairs to the kitchen. Emma had made a special break [ am of
smoked herrings and toast. I sat at the table to eat and she stared at
me expectantly. She knew I was keeping a secret from her. My wiie is
impossible to lie to — she'd make a great police inspector!
"Any tea?" she asked, as I started to eat. I nodded and she poured me
out a cup from the teapot. Finally, she could stay silent no more
"Well?" she said. "What was your meeting about yesterday?"
I put down my knife and fork and wiped my mouth. The time had
come for the truth. "They're sending me back to work in Whitechapel,•
I told her. Emma looked confused.
"But you just left Whitechapel to work at Scotland Yard," she said.
"Precisely," 1 said. "My knowledge of Whitechapel will b e very useful
right now."
I took a bite of toast, trying to postpone the moment of truth. Emma
sat patiently and stared at me with her fierce eyes. I had no choice but
to tell her about the murder of poor Mary Ann Nichols.
I explained to Emma that an increase in violent crimes was causing
alarm amongst the population in the East End. Women were being
Emma listened carefully, but still didn't understand why I had
to investigate the murders. "Surely, a younger man can investigate
them," she said. "Why do they need a specialist like you?"
She was right, but I couldn't reveal to her how diabolical the latest
crime was. I had seen the photographs and I would never forget
them. How could a person do this to another human being?
Mary Ann Nichols was still lying cold on the table in the
mortuary. Her face was clear in my mind, and I could see her as
I looked at Emma. I imagined somebody hurting Emma in this way
and felt sick. I was going back to Whitechapel to catch a demon.
I had to catch him to protect Emma, and all the other wives, sisters
and daughters in Whiiechapel. This was why I had to go, but if I had
told Emma my reasons, she would have been afraid.
I've always tried to protect her from the hard reality of my police
work. When she asks me about my day, I tell her only the plainest
stories — never about violence, robbery or murder. Still, she waited at
the kitchen table, too intelligent to believe any lies.
had seen the photographs and 1 would never forget them.
ht be lo
„There have been a few particularly violent murders," I said. finally "A
woman was killed most savagely, and a mad man mig o but I can't go back, I'm here now, and t need to make the best of it. At
in Whitechapel." least, I've got a roof over my head and good friends, which is more than
some people have.
"Who was she?" Eillilla asked.
This evening, I was on my way to the pub to meet some of the girls.
"She was an unfortunate homeless woman, who was desperate, poor," I We like to get together and gossip. I walked more quickly than usual
replied. "She worked as a prostitute to survive. These wo, arc because of what happened to Mary Ann Nichols. Everybody seems a bit
particularly vulnerable. There's nobody to protect them,- more nervous these days. Nobody wants to hang around outside if they
"Except you," said Emma, with a sad smile. She stood up, cleared don't have to.
the kitchen table and stood at the sink with her back t o /Tie,
On the way to the pub, two soldiers stood in my way and blocked the
I couldn't see the tears as she spoke. so path. They were drunk and looking for a good time. They were friendly
"I know you must go," she said. "I know you can catch the man enough at first, but when I told them that I didn't want to go drinking
faster than anybody else, but please be careful." with them, they became aggressive. I was scared, of course, because
"I'm always careful, my dear," I assured her. I can't defend myself against two big soldiers.
"Please don't go after him alone," she begged. Luckily, a police officer came by and sent them away. I don't trust
"Don't worry. I'll have a team of excellent officers with me at all soldiers at all. They say that poor Pearly Polly was drinking in a pub
times," I said. ‘vith soldiers just before she was killed. I'm sure they did it. I won't talk
Emma kissed me on the cheek before I left the house and said to soldiers now. A young woman like me can't he too careful.
"You're a real hero, Detective Frederick Abberline - go and get him,'
I kissed her goodbye and began my journey down the narrow street,
Two soldiers stood in my way and blocked the
on that dark foggy morning. I prayed that I'd have the strength f or
what was about to come.

CHAPTER 4
Mary Kelly
Gosh, what a dirty place the East End of London is! I've been through
some difficult times in my life and they've made me strong, but it's still
not easy living in a poor place like this. When I see the broken windows
and broken brick walls, I think of the little country cottage I grew up in,
which was safe and comfortable. H was surrounded by fields and trees,
horses and birds. There are no fields or trees here. The only horses arc
the thin, dirty workhorses, and the only birds are the filthy pigeons that
search through the rubbish for food.
grew up under a blue sky, but here in Whitechapel, you can hardly
see the sky through all the smog. I don't belong here - I know that -