This session is designed for those taking the Edexcel GCSE coursework option on Jack the Ripper. Preparation materials for this workshop are available on our website. If you have problems downloading the pack, please contact us and we will send you a copy.
Through a study of original correspondence taken from the Metropolitan Police Letter Books and the 'Jack the Ripper' letters held here at The National Archives, students will investigate why the police were unable to catch the murderer. They will research the different methods employed by the police in their efforts to apprehend Jack the Ripper, as well as those suggested by members of the public, to question whether or not the police were to blame for not bringing him (or her!) to justice. The 'Jack the Ripper' letters will also be examined to understand the impact they had on the police investigation of the case and what they reveal about society's attitudes to the murders. In addition to this, students will examine original census returns from 1881 to build up a picture of Whitechapel at the time of the murders and consider how this evidence can also help us to understand the difficulties faced by police in their investigations into the case.
Session options
This session can be delivered as a
Workshop
Videoconference
Virtual classroom
