Jack the Ripper (Key stage 4)
Aims of the workshop
This videoconference workshop is designed for those taking the Edexcel GCSE coursework option on Jack the Ripper. Through a study of original correspondence taken from the Metropolitan Police Letter Books and the Jack the Ripper letters held here at the National Archives, students will investigate why the police were unable to catch the murderer.
They will research the different methods employed by the police in their efforts to apprehend Jack the Ripper, as well as those suggested by members of the public, to question whether or not they were to blame for not bringing him (or her!) to justice.
The Jack the Ripper letters will also be examined to understand the impact they had on the police investigation of the case, and what they reveal about society's attitudes to the murders.
In addition to this, students will examine original census returns from 1881 to build up a picture of Whitechapel at the time of the murders and consider how this evidence can also help us to understand the difficulties faced by police in their investigations into the case.
Who's who
Sir Charles Warren: Chief Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police until November 1888
Sir James Munro: Chief Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police from November 1888
Sir James Fraser: Commissioner of the City of London Police
Henry Matthews: Secretary of State for the Home Office (Home Secretary)
Percy Lindley: a breeder of bloodhounds from Loughton, Essex
Thomas Blair: a member of the public from Gribton, Dumfries
Documents
- Document 1: reference MEPO 1/55 (p.321 - 323)
Police letter, undated. From an unknown person to Henry Matthews, the Secretary of State, reporting on trials of police boots
- Document 2: reference MEPO 1/48
Police letter, 9 October 1888. From Charles Warren to Sir James Fraser, suggesting that the two police forces should be in closer communication
- Document 3: reference MEPO 1/48
Police letter, 1888. From Charles Warren to Percy Lindley on the subject of bloodhounds
- Document 4: reference MEPO 1/55
Police letter, 9 October 1888. From Charles Warren to Henry Matthews at the Home Office, regarding the offer of a pardon to any accomplices that the Ripper may have
- Document 5: reference HO 144/221 A49301C (p.204 - 205)
Police letter, 11 Nov 1888. From Thomas Gribton suggesting that policemen should dress up as women
- Document 6: reference MEPO 2/227
Police letter, 11 September 1889. From James Munro to Henry Matthews, requesting further police officers in the Whitechapel area
- Document 7: reference MEPO 3/142 (4 - 5)
'Jack' letter, 24 Sept 1888. 'Dear Sir I do wish to give myself up ...'
- Document 8: reference MEPO 3/142 (195)
'Jack' letter, 4 Oct 1888. 'Spring Heel Jack The Whitechapel Murderer'
- Document 9: reference MEPO 3/142 (160)
'Jack' letter, 8 Oct 1888. 'I am ... amongst the slogging town of Brum ...'
- Document 10: reference MEPO 3/142 (252 - 254)
'Jack' letter, 19 Oct 1888. 'Dear boss iff you are the boss ...'
- Document 11: reference MEPO 3/3157
'Jack' letter, 29 Oct 1888. Sent to Dr Openshaw, 'Old boss you was rite ...'
- Document 12: reference MEPO 3/142 (272)
'Jack' letter, 17 Oct 1889. 'Dear Sir I shall be in Whitechapel on the 20th...'
Resources
- Worksheet for use with police letters
- Worksheet for use with 'Jack' letters
Activity
This must be completed before the videoconference.
Divide the students into six groups. Give each group one of the Metropolitan Police letters (documents 1 - 6) plus a worksheet, and one of the 'Jack the Ripper' letters (documents 7 - 12) plus a worksheet. Allow them time before the videoconference to study their documents and to complete the accompanying worksheets, either in class or as a homework activity. If the students have any questions, they can save them to ask the Education Officer during the videoconference.
Download exercise materials
The materials are provided in Adobe PDF format so that they are easy to print out. Anyone with a visual impairment who is unable to use PDF documents should visit access.adobe.com for information about converting documents and versions of Adobe Reader with added accessibility features.
If you are unable to print out the preparation materials and need us to send you a paper print out, please email education@nationalarchives.gov.uk or call 020 8392 5365 and leave a message stating the title of the workshop you want the materials for, your name, your school's name, and the date of your workshop.
The workshop
The workshop will begin with a discussion based on the preparation materials taken from the Metropolitan Police Office Letter Books. Students will be asked to share the result of their research into police methods and to draw some conclusions about the advantages and disadvantages of these methods to catch the murderer.
We then go on to examine an 1881 census return for Albert Square in Whitechapel and use this to consider some of the problems the police faced when investigating these murders, particularly the difficulties arising from the area in which they took place.
As a final activity, we consider the Jack the Ripper letters. Students will be asked to consider the advantages and disadvantages of the decision taken by the police to publish the 'Dear Boss' letter. We will then go on to consider how reliable the letters are, as a source for helping us to identify Jack the Ripper, and why they might also have made it so difficult for the police to apprehend the killer.
To conclude the workshop, students will be encouraged to discuss and draw conclusions based on the original evidence they have studied, as to what extent the police were to blame for not apprehending Jack the Ripper.
Knowledge, skills and understanding
Students taking part in this workshop will develop their knowledge, skills and understanding by:
- Studying key events, people and issues in the period appropriate to their course of study
- Studying key features and characteristics of the period and, where appropriate, the social and ethnic diversity of, and the experiences of men and women in, the society studied
- Studying history through a range of sources of information, such as written and visual sources, including the use of ICT
- Using historical sources critically in their context, recording significant information and reaching conclusions
- Debating with the Education Officer leading the workshop, and amongst themselves to organise and communicate their knowledge and understanding of the subject in question
- Drawing conclusions and appreciating that historical judgements are liable to reassessment in the light of new or reinterpreted evidence
Examination board specification
Useful links
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