The Modern East End
by Johnno

The murders committed by Jack the Ripper were perpetrated in a small section of the East End of London during the autumn of 1888. The East End at the time was one of the worst slums in London, and remains somewhat run down in parts even nowadays.

During May and June of 1999, and July of 2000, John paid numerous visits to the areas in which the crimes took place over 111 years ago. He visited the scenes of each murder: Buck's Row (now Durward Street) in Whitechapel, Hanbury Street in Spitalfields, Berner Street (now Henriques Street) in Whitechapel, Mitre Square, Aldgate, and Dorset Street (now an un-named thoroughfare) in Spitalfields. He also visited many other streets and scenes which were of significance to the Ripper saga, and also some which were not particularly significant, but were commonly traversed during the time of the murders and would have been familiar to the killer and the women he murdered.

Below are the photographs taken during those visits. Click each image for a full-size view.

	A view of modern Bethnal Green Road, Bethnal Green, looking in a westward direction towards Shoreditch and Spitalfields. Many of the old buildings can still be seen in this area. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A view of modern Brick Lane, Spitalfields. This view looks south from the corner of Bethnal Green Road and Brick Lane. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A view of modern Brick Lane, Spitalfields. This view looks north along the popular market street towards Shoreditch. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A view of modern Brick Lane, Spitalfields. This view looks south and was taken from the corner of Brick Lane and the eastern section of Hanbury Street. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	Brick Lane, Spitalfields. This view looks north towards Bethnal Green Road and was taken from the Hanbury Street exit. Truman Brewery's building can be seen on the left side of the photograph, as well as in the distance. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A north-westerly view of Truman Brewery on the northern corner of Hanbury Street and Brick Lane, Spitalfields. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A view of Hanbury Street, Spitalfields. This view was taken from Brick Lane and looks west towards Commercial Street. Truman Brewery can be seen on the right (north) side of the photograph, completely covering the exact location where 29 Hanbury Street once stood. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A close-up view of the brickwork on the old buildings which still remain on Hanbury Street. This view was taken from the Brick Lane exit and looks towards the south side of Hanbury Street. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A view of Hanbury Street looking east from the Commercial Street exit. Truman Brewery, which covers the location where number 29 once stood, can be seen on the left site of the picture. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A view of the Golden Heart Pub in Spitalfields, one of the many pubs in the area. The street sign out the front points towards Brick Lane, Petticoat Lane Market, Liverpool Street Station, Spitalfields Market and Christ Church. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A view of the Ten Bells Pub on the corner of Commercial Street and Fournier Street, Spitalfields. This view was taken from the west side of Commercial Street and looks in an eastward direction towards Fournier Street. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A close-up view of the sign on the Ten Bells Pub on Commercial Street, Spitalfields. Christ Church can be seen in the far right side of the picture. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A view of Spitalfields Market on Commercial Street. The market is a very short distance north of where Dorset Street once stood. This photograph was taken from the east side of Commercial Street. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.

	A view of Christ Church, Spitalfields. Christ Church is located on the corner of Fournier Street and the east side of Commercial Street. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	An eastward view along Fournier Street, Spitalfields. The Ten Bells Pub is shown on the left (north) side of the shot, and Christ Church is shown on the right (south) side. This photo was taken from the west side of Commercial Street. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A westward view of the area which was once known as Dorset Street, Spitalfields. The area is now a private alley running between a carpark on the south side and warehouses on the north side. A building which was once a women's refuge can be seen on Crispin Street at the far end of the picture. Miller's Court would have been along the stretch of the street now occupied by the green shutter doors. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	An eastward view of the area which was once known as Dorset Street, Spitalfields. Commercial Street and some of the ground surrounding Christ Church can be seen at the far end of the picture. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A close-up view of the approximate location of Miller's Court in the area which was once known as Dorset Street, Spitalfields. This view looks eastward towards Commercial Street. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A view of the approximate location of Miller's Court. This view looks slightly north-east. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A view of the approximate location of Miller's Court from the opposite angle, looking slightly north-west. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A view looking eastward down Flower and Dean Street (now called Lolesworth Close), Spitalfields. This shot was taken from Commercial Street. As can be seen from the picture, it is largely an empty road. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A view looking westward down Flower and Dean Street (now called Lolesworth Close), Spitalfields. Commercial Street can be seen at the end of the shot. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A view looking north along Commercial Street. It was taken from the Flower and Dean Street exit. The white framework of the carpark standing where Dorset Street once stood can be seen at the far end of the picture. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A view looking north along Commercial Street. It was taken from Whitechapel High Street, Aldgate. It is a short three or four minute walk north of here to Dorset Street and Hanbury Street further north. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A view of the City Darts Pub, formerly known as the Princess Alice, where "Leather Apron" was known to have drank. The City Darts Pub is located on the corner of Commercial and Wentworth Streets. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	Another view of the City Darts Pub from the corner of Commercial and Wentworth Streets. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.

	A westward view of Wentworth Street taken from the Commercial Street end. building housing the City Darts Pub can just be seen on the far right hand side. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A northward view of Gunthorpe Street taken from the Whitechapel High Street. Gunthorpe Street was formerly known as George Yard, and it was at the far northern end (not seen here) that Martha Tabram was murdered. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A view along Whitechapel High Street in Aldgate. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A view of Berner Street (now called Henriques Street) looking in a southward direction from Commercial Road. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A view of Henriques Street looking in a south-western direction from the Commercial Road end. it was further along the south-west side near the corner of Fairclough Street that Dutfield's Yard once stood. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A view of one of the buildings along the north-western stretch of Henriques Street. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A north-west facing view of Henqriques Street, looking towards Commercial Road at the far northern end. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A view of St Botolph's Church from Houndsditch in Aldgate. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	One of the only Ripper murder scenes to retain its name, this is a view of Mitre Square, Aldgate. This view looks eastward at St James's Passage, which was called Church Passage at the time of the murder. The passage leads to Duke's Place and further into Aldgate. Just behind the flower box and towards the fence is the site where Catherine Eddowes was found murdered. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A close-up view of the modern buildings in Mitre Square which now stand in the northern corner (opposite the corner where Catherine Eddowes was found) in place of Kearley & Tonge's buildings, which stood there in 1888. The entrance to the Mitre Passage can be seen in the bottom left corner of the picture. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A full view of Mitre Square looking west from St James's Passage (formerly Church Passage). The murder scene is to the left of where the person is sitting. Mitre Street lies immediately behind. As can be seen from the photo, Mitre Square still retains its cobblestones, one of the very few reminders of what the square would have looked like in 1888. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A view of Mitre Square looking south-east from Mitre Passage. The school can be seen in the background, and St James's Passage (formerly Church Passage) can be seen to the left of the black poles. The scene of the murder is now shown, but is off to the right of the picture. Taken: Thursday, May 13, 1999.
	A view of a rain-soaked Mitre Square looking south towards the Mitre Street entrance. The murder scene is on the left side of the flower box, under the trees, as shown from this angle. Taken: Tuesday, June 29, 1999.
	A close view of the doorway in which the infamous "Goulston Street Grafitti" was discovered on the night of the double murder. The area is now occupied by a fish-and-chips shop. The original stone work above the doorway still remains intact. Taken: Tuesday, June 29, 1999.

	A north-eastward facing view of Goulston Street. The doorway in which the graffiti was written is below a "To Let" sign in the middle of the picture, above the closest red car (not under the "To Let" sign in the far right side of the picture). Taken: Tuesday, June 29, 1999.
	A view along the narrow and shabby Fashion Street in Spitalfields. Many of the old buildings still remain, making Fashion Street one of the more derelict streets in the area. Taken: Tuesday, June 29, 1999.
	A view of Fashion Street from the opposite end. Taken: Tuesday, June 29, 1999.
	A view of Durward Street (formerly called Buck's Row), Whitechapel. This view faces west and was taken from the Brady Street end. Taken: Wednesday, June 23, 1999.
	A view of Durward Street (formerly called Buck's Row), Whitechapel. This view faces east and was taken from the Vallance Street end. Mary Ann Nichols was discovered murdered not far along the right side on the pavement beyond the brick wall with the fence. Taken: Wednesday, June 23, 1999.
	Swallow Gardens, the alleyway where Frances Coles was murdered in 1891. Her murder has been attributed to Jack the Ripper. Taken: Thursday, 27 July, 2000.
	The railway arch on Pinchin Street, Whitechapel, under which the "Pinchin Street Torso" was found. The unsolved murder of the unidentified woman has been attributed to Jack the Ripper. Taken: Thursday, 27 July, 2000.
	A southward view down Backchurch Lane, Whitechapel. Seen at the far end of the street is Pinchin Street and the railway arches, underneath one of which an unidentified woman was found murdered and dismembered. Taken: Thursday, 27 July, 2000.
	A close-up view of number 14 Batty Street, Whitechapel. This building is not particularly significant to the Ripper case, except that it is just a few doors up from number 22 Batty Street, which in 1888 was a lodging house under surveillance by the police. This building, with the year 1888 shown above the door, is one of the few buildings in the area which was built at the time of the murders. Taken: Thursday, 27 July, 2000.
	A northward view along Batty Street, Whitechapel. It was on this street that a mysterious lodger lived at the time of the murders in 1888, and where, the previous year, Miriam Angel was murdered by Israel Lipski at number 16. Taken: Thursday, 27 July, 2000.
	A view of Wood's Buildings, which leads from Winthrop Street (parallel to Buck's Row [now called Durward Street]), into Whitechapel High Street, Whitechapel. This grimy alleyway, much the same as it was in 1888, was a very likely escape route through which Jack the Ripper fled after murdering Mary Ann Nichols a few yards away in Buck's Row. Taken: Thursday, 27 July, 2000.
	Crispin Street Women's Refuge. This Victorian building was once a women's refuge in Spitalfields. It is located on Crispin Street, a street perpendicular to the western end of Dorset Street. Taken: Thursday, 27 July, 2000.
	Commercial Street Police Station. This building is significant not only because the murders were investigated there, and because it is one of the very few buildings relating to the Ripper case which is still there. This view looks north along Commercial Street. Taken: Thursday, 27 July, 2000.
	This shot shows the front door leading into Commercial Street Police Station. The word "POLICE" still appears in the concrete landing above the ground floor, although it may be difficult to see in this photograph. Taken: Thursday, 27 July, 2000.