Jack el Destripador

We’re big fans of walking tours; they let you explore less frequented parts of cities while following a fun, central theme. In the past we’ve done been tours, but on this trip we started with a history tour exploring the infamous serial killer: Jack the Ripper.

A little online research pointed me to the best tour company in London, London Walks. They have dozens of different tours, all over the city. It was difficult to settle on a particular tour, but ultimately we narrowed it down to their most publicized tour, the Jack the Ripper walk.

The reason this tour is so popular and so publicized is because of the guides, or one in particular, Donald Rumbelow. Mr. Rumbelow is the designer of the Ripper walk, and the guides base their tours off his research. He is the leading authority on Jack the Ripper and has written several books on the subject, with a new one due out this fall.

The Complete Jack the Ripper
Photo from Amazon.com

It’s a scandalous tale involving members of the royal family and those close to them. It seems the murders weren’t random, but carefully calculated killings. To this day, the records are still classified by Scotland Yard, and their date of de-classification keeps being pushed back, citing concerns for national security. Mr. Rumbelow believes that is the truth came out, there are persons still living who would be affected, and that is why the records are still being withheld from the public.

The information in the walk is not published on the London Walks website, and I won’t be ruining the surprise here. If you are in London, I highly recommend the tour, and it runs every night. If London is not in your travel plans, or if you are impatient, you can order Donald Rumbelow’s current book, The Complete Jack the Ripper, from Amazon and obtain the information that way.

This tour was wonderful because it was conducted by a subject matter expert, and because it was designed to educate. The London walks don’t try to reel you into their tours with gimmicks and costumes. There were other tour companies operating in the area, and these guides were costumed and/or carried weird props; London Walks doesn’t do that. Our guide saw one of these other groups and sarcastically asked my sister “Do you wish I had a lantern?” Our tour was more like mobile lecture on a seedier chapter of London history, and it was very enjoyable.

Useful Links!
London Walks
Jack the Ripper walk
Buy The Complete Jack the Ripper from Amazon