11 mark
When did the ‘Jack the Ripper’ murders happen in Whitechapel?
Between February and June 1888.
Between May and July 1888.
Between June and October 1888.
Between August and November 1888.
Did this page help you?
The Whitechapel Murders, 1888 (Edexcel GCSE History: The Thematic & Historic Environment (Paper 1))
Exam Questions
15 mins15 questions21 mark
What was similar about the ‘Jack the Ripper’ victims?
They were all named Mary.
They were all killed in their own home.
They were all suspected of being prostitutes.
They were all discovered by a member of H Division.
Did this page help you?
31 mark
How did ‘Jack the Ripper’ get their name?
It was assigned to him by H Division after they described how the murderer had killed his first victim.
Sensationalist newspapers gave the name ‘Jack the Ripper’.
The ‘Dear Boss’ letter was received by London’s Central News Office and released to the public by the Met. The author of the letter called themselves ‘Jack the Ripper’.
The people of Whitechapel gave the murderer this name as the first victim, Mary Ann Nichols, was murdered outside of a pub called ‘The Jack Horner’.
Did this page help you?
41 mark
Which of the following was not a method used by H Division to catch ‘Jack the Ripper’?
Fingerprints.
Post Mortem examinations.
Crime scene sketches.
Leads from the public.
Did this page help you?
51 mark
In 1888, which police forces had a strong rivalry which negatively impacted the ‘Jack the Ripper’ case?
The Metropolitan Police and the CID.
The Metropolitan Police and the City of London Police.
The Metropolitan Police and H Division.
The Metropolitan Police and Scotland Yard.
Did this page help you?
61 mark
What did Commissioner Charles Warren remove from Goulston Street during the Catherine Eddowes’ murder investigation?
The apron of Catherine Eddowes.
A note from ‘Jack the Ripper’ stating that they murdered Catherine Eddowes.
A knife and gloves which had blood on it.
A message that said ‘The Juwes are the men that will not be blamed for nothing’.
Did this page help you?
71 mark
Did sensationalist newspapers help the police during their investigations of ‘Jack the Ripper’?
Yes. Sensationalist newspapers published clear and factually correct statements about the murders.
Yes. Sensationalist newspapers helped to control the hysteria in Whitechapel.
No. Sensationalist newspapers encouraged anti-semitism by suggesting the murderer was a Jewish person
No. Sensationalist newspapers rarely printed about ‘Jack the Ripper’ as this story did not sell newspapers.
Did this page help you?
81 mark
Approximately how many letters and postcards did Inspector Frederick Abberline receive from people claiming to be ‘Jack the Ripper’?
Over 300.
Over 400.
Over 500.
Over 600.
Did this page help you?
91 mark
Who created the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee in 1888?
The Metropolitan Police.
H Division.
Whitechapel businessmen.
The families of the ‘Jack the Ripper’ victims.
Did this page help you?
101 mark
Which of the following methods did the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee not use to try and catch ‘Jack the Ripper’?
They employed two detectives who focused on the ‘Jack the Ripper’ case.
They walked the streets at night and create attention by wearing hob-nail boots.
They offered protection to the prostitutes of Whitechapel.
They created their own reward system for information on the murders.
Did this page help you?
111 mark
Study Source A. What is the purpose of Source A?
Source A: The Illustrated Police News, 22nd September 1888. The image shows page 1 of a sensationalist newspaper reporting on the murder of Annie Chapman
To entertain and provide current information or 'news' to the reader.
The Illustrated Police News, 22nd September 1888.
A sensationalist newspaper.
The Illustrated Police News was a sensationalist newspaper of the 18th and 19th century.
Did this page help you?
11 mark
Study Source A. How does Source A support the following inference:
‘Sensationalist newspapers disrupted the police investigations which resulted in the failure to catch ‘Jack the Ripper’’
Source A: The Illustrated Police News, 22nd September 1888. The image shows page 1 of a sensationalist newspaper reporting on the murder of Annie Chapman
The image shows women armed with knives and the drawing of the murdered Annie Chapman. This created hysteria in Whitechapel and increased the public’s fear.
The image shows how sensationalist newspapers encouraged anti-semitism by suggesting the murderer was a Jewish person.
The image is just from one page of a local newspaper. The lack of publicity stopped the police from catching 'Jack the Ripper' as the public was not interested in the crimes.
The image shows factually correct statements about the murder investigations which is believed to have helped ‘Jack the Ripper’ from being caught. The public knew too much information about the police investigation.
Did this page help you?
21 mark
Study Source B. Using Source B and your own knowledge, what role did the Whitechapel Vigilance Committee play in the ‘ Jack the Ripper’ case?
Source B: One of a series of images from the Illustrated London News for October 13, 1888, called ‘A Suspicious Character’. The overall caption states ‘With the Vigilance Committee in the East End’
The Whitechapel Vigilance Committee helped to catch ‘Jack the Ripper’ as they offered financial rewards for information from the public. This meant that the murderer was successfully caught.
The Whitechapel Vigilance Committee employed two detectives, as shown in the image, to investigate the ‘Jack the Ripper’ case.
The Whitechapel Vigilance Committee were created by businessmen who patrolled the street in their normal work dress, as shown in the image.
The Whitechapel Vigilance Committee chased suspicious people around Whitechapel with their canes, as shown in the image.
Did this page help you?
11 mark
Study Source C. How helpful is Source C to a historian studying why ‘Jack the Ripper’ was not caught by the police?
Source C: From a report in the East London Advertiser newspaper, published on 15th September 1888. The writer is commenting on Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Charles Warren's decision to bring in soldiers to help police Whitechapel
'The double stupidity of weakening his detective force and strengthening his ordinary police force from reserves and military destroys two safeguards of a community. It deprives it of a specially trained force of men with brainpower specially adapted for detective work and it takes away the old community constable, to be replaced by a man with a few years' military service, but with no qualification for serving the public. Nothing has indeed been more characteristic of the hunt for the Whitechapel murderer than the lack of local knowledge displayed by the police.' |
Source C is helpful because it was created in September 1888, during the ‘Jack the Ripper’ murders.
Source C is not helpful to a historian because it discusses the army’s presence in Whitechapel. It says that police officers were ‘replaced by a man with a few years’ military service’. It does not explain how the police attempted to catch ‘Jack the Ripper.'
Source C is helpful as it shows how the actions of the Police Commissioner, Charles Warren had a negative impact on the police in Whitechapel. Bringing in a ‘police force from reserves and [the] military’ prevented the capture of ‘Jack the Ripper’ meant that they lacked knowledge of Whitechapel which members of H Division had.
Source C is helpful as it criticises the H Division. It explains how unqualified H Division was. It states that they had ‘no qualification for serving the public’ and that they had a ‘lack of local knowledge.'
Did this page help you?
21 mark
Study Source C. How does the provenance of Source C impact how helpful the source is for a historian’s enquiry into why ‘Jack the Ripper’ was not caught by the police?
Source C: From a report in the East London Advertiser newspaper, published on 15th September 1888. The writer is commenting on Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Charles Warren's decision to bring in soldiers to help police Whitechapel
'The double stupidity of weakening his detective force and strengthening his ordinary police force from reserves and military destroys two safeguards of a community. It deprives it of a specially trained force of men with brainpower specially adapted for detective work and it takes away the old community constable, to be replaced by a man with a few years' military service, but with no qualification for serving the public. Nothing has indeed been more characteristic of the hunt for the Whitechapel murderer than the lack of local knowledge displayed by the police.' |
The provenance is helpful as it was created by a local newspaper. The local reporter would have understood the local issues and the environment. They would know that the Police Commissioner Charles Warren's actions would harm the case.
The provenance is helpful as it was created on September 1888, during the ‘Jack the Ripper’ case.
The provenance is not helpful as it was published on 15th September 1888. This was during the ‘Jack the Ripper’ murders so the impact of the Police Commissioner, Charles Warren, can not be fully judged.
The provenance is not helpful as it was written by a newspaper. Newspapers often increased hysteria in Whitechapel as they spread false information.
Did this page help you?