Jack the Ripper and Daffodils

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HELLO EVERYONE,

IT WAS A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT—NO REALLY. IT WAS RAINY AND REALLY COLD. I THOUGHT THAT NOT SO MANY PEOPLE WOULD TAKE THE “JACK THE RIPPER” WALK THAT NIGHT, BUT OVER 50 PEOPLE SHOWED UP. SOMEHOW IT ADDED TO THE ATMOSPHERE. OUR GUIDE, DONALD HAD WRITTEN A BOOK ON THE SUBJECT AND IS ONE OF PROBABLY HUNDREDS WHO CLAIM TO BE EXPERTS ON THE SUBJECT. IT WAS INTERESTING TO FIND OUT WHY THEY COULDN’T SOLVE THE MURDERS OF FIVE PROSTITUTES. FIRST, FORENSIC STUDY WAS IN ITS INFANCY—NO FINGERPRINT TECHNOLOGY IN 1888 AND NO WAY OF ANALYSING BLOOD EITHER. SOMEONE HAD TO BE CAUGHT IN THE ACT. THERE WERE WITNESSES, BUT THERE WERE TWO POLICE FORCES—THE CITY OF LONDON POLICE AND THE METROPOLITAN POLICE/SCOTLAND YARD. THEY DIDN’T COOPERATE WITH EACH OTHER—SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE—SO THEY DIDN’T SHARE INFORMATION. I FOUND THE GUIDE’S DESCRIPTION OF LONDON AT THAT TIME TO BE INTERESTING. THE PROSTITUTES WERE NOTHING LIKE THE HOLLYWOOD VERSION. THEY WERE WOMEN WHO HAD BEEN ABANDONED BY THEIR FAMILIES. THEY WERE STARVING, DISEASED, HOMELESS—MOST WERE OVER FORTY. THEY WORE EVERYTHING THEY OWNED IN LAYERS—NOT UNLIKE A HOMELESS PERSON TODAY. THEY MAY HAVE THREE SKIRTS ONE ON TOP OF THE OTHER. THEY WORE KNEE-HIGH HEAVY SOCKS AND MEN’S BOOTS. THE BOOTS WERE GOOD FOR WALKING AND FOR KICKING THE HELL OUT OF OTHER PROSTITUTES. THE AREA IN THE EAST END WHERE THE MURDERS TOOK PLACE WAS ONE OF THE POOREST. PEOPLE LIVED NINE AND TEN TO A ROOM. 55% OF CHILDREN DIED BEFORE THEIR FIFTH BIRTHDAY. THE LIFE EXPECTANCY WAS 40 YEARS. FOR MOST OF THE NIGHT THE INHABITANTS OF THESE ROOMS—KIDS AND ALL—STAYED ON THE STREET SO THE PROSTITUTES COULD USE THE ROOMS FOR BUSINESS. THEIRS WAS SOMETIMES THE ONLY INCOME.

ON ANOTHER WALKING TOUR WE LEARNED THAT NOT ONLY POOR PEOPLE LOST THEIR CHILDREN. QUEEN ANNE HAD 16 CHILDREN. THE LAST ONE DIED ON HIS ELEVENTH BIRTHDAY. NONE OUTLIVED HER.

THE CITY OF LONDON HAS SOME INTERESTING PRACTICES. ONE INVOLVED THEIR NEW CITY HALL. IT IS ROUND AND LOOKS LIKE AN ARMY HELMET. THEY SPENT 40 MILLION DOLLARS ON IT AND THEN SPENT ANOTHER FOUR MILLION ON A CONSULTING FIRM TO COME UP WITH A NAME FOR THE NEW BUILDING.

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Comments

[gary]

safe and sound,
glad to hear you crossed the ocean safely and are exploring ladies of the night...this isn't dramatic foreshadowing is it?...hahaha

[Marg Hambly]

A peek at the past...
And so our course in "TravelBlog History 101" has begun! How much more exciting to get this first hand than reading it from a book. It's really good to hear from you. Hope you had a good flight and your accommodations are comfortable. Do keep us posted and ...take care Marg

[Selma]

Happy Easter
Good to hear from you Donna. Thanks for the "walking tour" and history lesson. The weather here is wonderful - bright, sunny and mild. Great for both Easter and Passover. As for London's City Hall expenditures - WHAT A WASTE!!!! Keep in touch, stay healthy and enjoy yourself. Selma