The East End Poor

By Wednesday 7th November 1888, there had been no murders since the 30th September and life in the East End was beginning to return to normal.

In the wake of the "double murder" the police presence in the district had been greatly increased and this in turn had seen a downturn in the crime rate. It was probably this presence that led to the cessation of the murders throughout October as it was probably too difficult for Jack the Ripper to strike again.

The City as a whole was preparing for Lord Mayors Day and the Lord Mayors procession, due to take place on Friday 9th November 1888.

The Lord Mayor Elect and Mr. A. J. Newton, Sheriff of London and Middlesex, had made arrangements to treat 2,000 of the East End's destitute to a substantial meat tea and this was to be followed by by "a bright and amusing entertainment." According to the City Press

"The total number entertained on the 9th by the new Lord Mayor will exceed 10,000. No condition has been imposed, except that the recipients shall be the poor and needy. "

Meanwhile the authorities were paying close attention to the horrific social conditions that the recent Jack the Ripper murders had exposed in the area.

The London City Mission had submitted two reports which had thrown additional light upon the "condition of the people in the neighbourhood where the East End atrocities were committed."

One of the reports looked closely at Flower and Dean Street(pictured above) and its immediate vicinity commenting that:-

"All the victims lived in this district, and frequented the common lodging-houses situated within its boundaries."

This report also provides a brief glimpse of the activities of Catherine Eddowes, one of the victims on the 30th September and commented that:-

"...Some[of the victims] were well known to the missionary, especially the Mitre-square victim, who had on previous Sundays attended the service held by the missionary in one of the lodging-houses."

The report went on to opine that:-

"The earnings of this class of people are very inadequate, while the price they pay for their rooms is exorbitant."

If nothing else the Whitechapel murders had brought to the national attention the horrific social and living conditions that were the daily lot for many who dwelt in the area and many of the improvements that took place over the next few years came about as a result of this exposure.

But as night fell on 7th November 188, many of the residents at the Common Ldoging Houses no doubt felt a little grateful for the protection they provided. Because, although there had not been a murder for several weeks, there was still a great deal of apprehension, and many of the women must have been glad when they had hurried through the darker recesses of Whitechapel and entered the limited solace afforded by the Lodging Houses.