“THIS pub is considered one of the most haunted in the UK.”
My guide points to the first floor of the Ten Bells in East London’s Whitechapel – one of many stops on my unique small group Jack the Ripper walking tour.
Several of the Rippers’ victims were thought to have drunk here before being brutally murdered in 1888 and, despite almost 140 years having passed, the morbid fascination lives on.
Why such intrigue? It’s because the killer was never caught, making this one of the biggest unsolved whodunnits of all time.
So popular has this two-hour experience become that its operator, Empire Tours, has recently announced that it’s their No. 1 attraction.
It’s also the fastest-growing tour for foreign visitors, second only to Buckingham Palace’s Changing of the Guard.
Who could have predicted the Ripper giving the royals a run for their money?
Be warned, though, this tour is not for the faint-hearted. The notorious serial killer is believed to have struck five times, butchering his victims’ bodies on nearly each occasion – and you’ll learn all the gory details.
Storytelling brings everything to life, discussing the who’s, how’s and where’s of each murder as we visit the crime scenes.
There are seven of us in total (group sizes are kept small), and when the guide shows images of the Ripper’s mutilated bodies, we gasp and gawp at the graphic horror.
It’s an important reminder that, while much of this story is now cloaked in lore, these shocking murders were horrifyingly real. As we walk from Brick Lane to Spitalfields and the Square Mile, we also get a glimpse into Victorian society.
There were no equal rights for women back then and the Ripper’s victims were all female sex workers, alcoholics and vulnerable.
How did he get away with it? He dragged them all into dark alleys with no street lighting. No witnesses; nothing ever seen.
Newspapers at the time published what were likely hoax ‘Catch Me If You Can’ letters, written in blood and signed by someone purporting to be ‘Jack the Ripper’ – that’s how the name caught on. And more than a century later we’re still talking about him.
Aanand Mohapatra, from Empire Tours, says: “It’s a story that everyone has heard of and its sense of mystique makes people want to dive deeper.”
It’s not all blood and gore, however. Go on a Sunday and you’ll find Petticoat Lane’s market (open since the 1600s) in full swing.
You’ll see a less touristy side of the capital, too.
Where Whitechapel was once the poorest part of town, it’s now multicultural, vibey and trending.
For proper, spooky feels, however, this experience is best enjoyed in the dark.
And if ghosts and ghouls are your thing, then Halloween is the ideal time.
As well as seeing some of the UK’s most haunted pubs, you can try solving one of the world’s most enduring mysteries. If you dare . . .
GO: Jack the Ripper Walking Group Tour
GO: The two-hour Jack the Ripper Walking Group Tour runs every day and costs from £19pp.
Use the promo code SUN5 for a special £5 discount per paying guest. See empire-tp.com.