London: Jack the Ripper Walking Tour with 30-Year Expert

Summary

Walk Whitechapel’s haunted streets with a true Ripperologist guiding every chilling step

You’ll trace Jack the Ripper’s trail through Whitechapel with a real Ripperologist guiding each step. Expect chilling stories outside St Botolph’s Church, vivid photos shown on a tablet at each murder site, and stops like Brick Lane and Spitalfields Market that still echo with history. The evening ends near Liverpool Street Station — but honestly, parts of it might stay with you longer.

What’s the experience like?

I didn’t expect to start my evening outside St Botolph’s Church, but there we were — our guide already in character, hat and all, telling us why locals once called it the Prostitutes’ Church. The streetlights flickered and I caught the faint smell of fried onions drifting from somewhere behind us. It was strange, standing there with strangers, listening to stories about women who’d stood on that same corner more than a century ago, just trying to survive. Our guide — he’s been doing this for thirty years — had this way of making the old cobblestones feel like they could still talk if you listened hard enough.

We moved through Whitechapel, past the Royal Observatory Greenwich and then to Mitre Square. I remember pausing near the spot where Elizabeth Stride was killed — “Long Liz,” as he called her — and it hit me how close everything was. He showed us photos on this backlit tablet (honestly, clearer than my phone), and I felt a weird chill seeing those faces in places that now just look like any other bit of London. He explained how the police then were split between City and Metropolitan forces, which somehow made catching Jack even harder. Someone in our group tried to guess what happened at each stop; our guide just grinned and let them try.

Brick Lane was busy as ever — curry smells mixing with rain on warm pavement. We stopped by the Frying Pan Pub where Mary Ann Nichols had her last drink (I can’t help picturing her laughing inside, not knowing what waited outside). Then Hanbury Street, Wilkes Street… places I’d never have noticed on my own. At one point he read from the “Dear Boss” letter right there on Puma Court; his voice dropped low and for a second nobody said anything. It’s odd how silence can feel heavier than words sometimes.

The tour ended near Old Spitalfields Market, across from the Ten Bells pub — Mary Kelly’s favorite apparently — and Christchurch Graveyard where people used to sleep during the day. Our guide handed around one last photo before pointing out Liverpool Street Station down the road for anyone heading home. I kept thinking about those women long after we left; there’s something about walking those streets at night that lingers with you.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Jack the Ripper walking tour in Whitechapel

• Introduction outside St Botolph's Church
• Visit square beside the church
• Stop at Mitre Sq/St for Elizabeth Stride
• Discuss Middlesex St boundary
• View doorway with police clue
• View Gunthorpe St towards Martha Tabram site
• Stop opposite Frying Pan Pub on Brick Lane
• Turn left into Hanbury Street for Annie Chapman site
• Walk Wilkes St to Puma Court for Dear Boss letter
• Stop opposite Ten Bells pub and Christchurch Graveyard
• Visit London Fruit & Wool Exchange entrance
• End tour in square behind London Fruit & Wool Exchange

Top questions

Is this Jack the Ripper walking tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, all areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible throughout the tour.

Are children allowed on this Jack the Ripper tour?

No children under 15 allowed; ages 16-17 must be accompanied by an adult.

How long does the Jack the Ripper walking tour take?

The walk covers several sites in Whitechapel and typically lasts over two hours.

Where does the Jack the Ripper tour start?

The introduction takes place outside St Botolph's Church in Whitechapel.

Does this tour include photos or visuals?

Yes, your guide shows clear photos of victims and sites on a 14" backlit tablet at each stop.

Is public transportation nearby at the end of the tour?

Yes, it finishes within a five-minute walk of Liverpool Street Station with multiple tube lines available.

What language is the Jack the Ripper walking tour in?

The tour is conducted in English by an expert guide dressed in period costume.

What’s included

Your evening includes guided walks through Whitechapel’s historic streets with an expert Ripperologist who brings along crystal-clear victim and site photos displayed on a backlit tablet at every stop; public transport options are close by for getting home after Liverpool Street Station; all routes are wheelchair accessible so everyone can join comfortably.