On this day in history….27th September 1888

On this day in history : 27th September 1888 – A letter is received by the Central News Agency, London, signed ‘Jack the Ripper’….so giving the name to one of the most infamous murderers in British history….

The letter was addressed to ‘The Boss, Central News Office, London City’…. It began ‘Dear Boss’ and was signed ‘Yours truly Jack the Ripper’…. The contents of the letter were of a gloating nature – and at first it wasn’t taken seriously, being put down to another crank letter…. Two days later a postcard arrived, signed in the same manner – so both were passed on to the Metropolitan Police….

Although it has been commonly accepted by experts that neither correspondence was from the actual killer the name ‘Jack the Ripper’ stuck…. Previously names such as ‘The Whitechapel Murderer’, ‘Leather Apron’ and ‘Red Fiend’ had been used….

Jack the Ripper was responsible for five murders between the dates of August 31st and November 9th 1888…. All of the victims, Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly, were prostitutes and all but one had been brutally mutilated…. As well as the five proven cases the Ripper may well have been responsible for a further four murders – and possibly even another two in addition to that….