Jack the Ripper in the Yorkshire Post Archives

Here we look at these chilling accounts and take a peek back into the fog shrouded streets of Victorian Whitechapel.

The full detailed reports of the Jack the Ripper murders are very explicit and we hestitate to publish them here but they can be viewed at The British Newspaper Archive.

Our first extract is from The Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer from Tusday 4th September 1888.

This is the account of the first of the five canonical ripper murders, that of Mary Ann Nichols.

Mr. Baxter, Coroner for South-East Middlesex, resumed yesterday morning the inquiry into the circumstances attending the death of Mary Ann Nicholls, whose body, terribly mutilated, was found in Whitechapel early on the morning of Friday last.

Evidence was given by Inspector Spratling as to the finding of the body of the deceased. He discovered severe injuries to the abdomen.

Inspector Helson, who described minutely the position of the various portions of the deceased’s dress, said it would have been possible to inflict the wounds while the clothing was on and without cutting it.

William Nicholls identified the body as that of his wife, from whom he bad been separated over eight years. Other evidence having been given the inquiry was adjourned for a fortnight.

The murder of Mary Ann Nicholls has so many points of similarity with the murder of two other women in the same neighbourhood recently that the police admit their belief that the three crimes are the work ot one individual.

All three women, it is alleged, were of the class called “unfortunates,” each so very poor that robbery could have been no motive for the crime.

Each was murdered in a similar fashion, and all three murders were committed within a distance of yards each other. These facts have led the police to almost abandon the idea of a gang being abroad to wreak vengeance women of this class for not supplying them with money.

Detective-Insprctor Abberline, of the Criminal Investigation Department, and Detective Inspector Henson, of J Division, are both of the opinion that only one person, and that a man. had a hand in the latest murder.

While news was breaking of the beginning of this most famous of serial killer cases, life in Yorkshire was being reported as normal.

Sleaford Anti-Vaccinators

Yesterday afternoon, at the Session House, Sleaford, eleven residents in the district were summoned by the vaccination officer for Sleaford Union for neglecting to have children vaccinated.

The Strike of Joiners in Leeds

A largely attended meeting of the carpenters and joiners who are out on strike in Leeds was held last night at St. James’ Hall, Mr. J. Pallister presiding.

Burmantofts Flower Show

The fourth annual exhibition of the Burmantofts Floral and Horticultural Society was opened yesterday by the Mayor of Leeds Alderman Scarr.

Bradford Model Yacht Club

The second saling meeting of this club took place onthe lake at Lister’s Park on Saturday afternoon.

In the next installment we move on to the second ripper murder, that of Annie Chapman and how it was reported in the Yorkshire Post.

To read the full reports of the Jack the Ripper murders and much more go to The British Newspaper Archive at http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk