Catherine Eddowes: Jack the Ripper's fourth victim
Catherine Eddowes was the fourth of the five canonical victims of one of the most infamous serial killers in criminal history: Jack the Ripper.
The night that Catherine was murdered is known as the 'Double Event', as another victim – Elizabeth Stride – was killed the same night.
Catherine’s death stands out, as the Ripper left behind a clue after her murder. This was the only tangible clue left behind, so it was hugely significant despite DNA testing not existing at the time.
Join us here at Crime+Investigation as we take a closer look at Catherine Eddowes life and death, and that all-important clue.
Who was Catherine Eddowes?
Catherine Eddowes was born on 14th April 1842 in Wolverhampton. She was one of 12 children born to Catherine and George Eddowes.
When Catherine was a year old, her family moved to London. Her mother died of tuberculosis in 1855. By 1857, her father had also passed away, leaving the then 15-year-old Catherine orphaned.
Catherine and three of her siblings were forced into the Bermondsey workhouse as orphans. The children attended a local industrial school to learn a trade, and it was through this scheme that Catherine got a job as a tinplate stamper. Catherine reallocated to Wolverhampton and lived with her aunt while continuing her education.
Catherine lost her job within a few months, which is thought to have caused a rift between her and her aunt. She then left Wolverhampton for Birmingham to live with an uncle. She returned to Wolverhampton once more before going back to Birmingham.
While in Birmingham, Eddowes entered a relationship with Thomas Conway, a former soldier. They had two children: Catherine Ann - born in 1863 - and Thomas Lawrence, born in 1867.
The family moved to London in 1868, where they had two more children. It was when she returned to London that Eddowes began drinking. Thomas was teetotal, and Catherine’s drinking angered him.
By the later 1870s, the relationship turned violent. Catherine left her husband in 1880. The following year, Catherine moved in with a man named John Kelly.
Catherine returned to London in September 1888 after spending time hop-picking in Kent. She and John lived separately so they could get cheaper lodgings.
On 29th September, Eddowes told John she was traveling to Bermondsey to ask for money from her daughter. That evening, she was found drunk on the pavement and was taken into custody.
Police detained her until just after 12:30 am on 30th September when she was deemed sober enough to leave. Witnesses saw her walking with a man about half an hour after her release.
The murder of Catherine Eddowes
At around 1:45 am, Catherine’s disembowelled and mutilated body was found in Mitre Square.
Her stomach was completely carved open and her throat was slashed. Her left kidney and nose tip had been removed, and her eyelids were cut through.
The double event
Catherine's body was found 45 minutes after the body of Elizabeth Stride was discovered. Elizabeth’s throat had been cut, but she was not mutilated. Police believed that the Ripper had been interrupted during Elizabeth’s killing and had fled before he could finish what he had planned.
Clues left behind
A torn piece of Eddowes’s apron was found in Goulston Street around an hour after her body was found. The apron fragment was splattered with blood and fecal matter, but the lack of DNA testing at the time meant little could be done with it.
Alongside the apron piece was chalk writing on the wall which read 'The Juwes are the men that Will not be Blamed for nothing'. Some believe this was written by the killer. However, anti-Semitic graffiti was common in Whitechapel.
The apron fragment is an interesting part of the Ripper case. It was the only real clue left, and it helped police figure out the direction the killer was heading. If DNA testing had existed, the apron could have been the big break in the case.
The double event of Catherine Eddowes and Elizabeth Stride’s murder marked a terrifying time for the people of London. The Ripper was able to successfully murder two women close to one another in quick succession and escape.
The event also marked a turning point with the discovery of the apron piece. Was the Ripper getting clumsy, or cocky with his success? Was his blood lust more important than evading capture?
Whatever the reason was, what matters is that Catherine Eddowes – and the other Ripper victims – deserved justice for their horrific deaths. They were never granted this justice, but we tell their stories so they will not be forgotten.
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