So many of us have heard of Jack the Ripper, the mysterious murderer who terrorised Whitechapel during the 1880s. We’ve read the books, seen the films, considered the theories. But who were the victims?
Mary Ann Nichols, better known as Polly to her friends, was born Mary Ann Walker on the 27th of August 1845. Her parents were Edward and Caroline, and she had two siblings.
Not much is known about her younger years, but in 1863, she met William Nichols, a printer by trade and the following year, at 18, she married him.
The couple lived on Bouverie Street for a while, then moved to 131 Trafalgar Street to live with Mary's father, Edward. The couple had five children: Edward John, Alice Esther, Elizabeth Sarah and Henry Alfred. In 1875, they moved into their own flat in Stamford Street; the flats were demolished in the 1970s, and there is now a children’s play area where they once stood.
Over the next five years, Mary began to struggle. She was drinking heavily, and William was having an affair with the woman who looked after her while she was giving birth to their youngest. Henry Alfred. William eventually left Mary for his affair partner, and he would later say that it was her drinking that had driven him away. In September 1880, Mary moved out of the family home, and the children remained with their father.
Mary received a weekly allowance of 5 shillings from William, and she used the money to move to Lambeth Workhouse. She stayed there until 31st May 1881, when she moved in with a man whose name we don’t know.
At this point, William claimed that Mary was living an ‘immoral life’ and stopped her allowance, although it’s not clear if he was referring to her living with another man or something else. Mary appealed, and initially, the parish authorities told William to continue paying her. However, William told them she was the one who had deserted her family, and she lost her appeal.
By 1882, Mary’s new relationship was over, and she returned to the Lambeth Workhouse. In 1883, she decided to live with her father again. Her drinking continued and caused problems between her and Edward, although he would later state that she ‘didn’t stay out late at night and he didn’t believe her to be promiscuous.’
After a few short months, Mary moved back to the Workhouse.
In June 1883, she started a relationship with Thomas Stuart Drew, a widower with whom Mary had been childhood sweethearts. They moved in together until 1887, when, once again, Mary’s drinking became problematic, and the last straw was when she stole some of Thomas’s belongings to fund her habit.
In 1888, back in the Workhouse, Mary began talking to the matron there, Mrs Fielder, who helped Mary get a job as a domestic servant to Samuel and Sarah Cowdry in Rose Hill Road, Wandsworth. While working, Mary wrote a letter to her father:
‘I just write to say you will be glad to know that I am settled in my new place and going on all right up to now. My people went out yesterday and have not returned, so I am left in charge. It is a grand place inside, with trees and gardens back and front. All has been newly done up. They are teetotallers and religious, so I ought to get on. They are very nice people, and I have not too much to do. I hope you are all right and the boy has work. So, goodbye for the present. From yours truly
Polly.
Answer soon, please, and let me know how you are.’
Edward replied but didn’t hear anymore, until the 13th of July 1888 when Sarah Cowdry wrote to him to say his daughter had run off, taking with her stolen clothes worth 3.10 shillings.
By August, Mary had moved to the East End of London, staying at Wilmott’s, a female-only lodging house at 18 Thrawl Street, Spitalfields. Mary shared a room with three other women, including an older lady called Emily (sometimes referred to as Ellen) Holland. Emily later said of Mary that she was a ‘very clean woman’ and ‘gave her the impression of being weighed down by some trouble’. She did say that she had seen Mary ‘the worse for drink once or twice’ but also that she ‘never used to be fond of men’.
Later the same month, Mary moved to The White House at Flower and Dean Street Spitalfields. On the 26th of August 1888, she spent her 43rd birthday here. It was to be her last.
On the 30th of August, a huge thunderstorm broke out, flooding houses near the River Thames. Later that night, a massive fire broke out at the East London Docks. Just as firefighters controlled this fire, another fire broke out at Ratcliff Dry Duck. There were many spectators to this, including Emily Holland.
While this was happening, Mary was drinking in The Frying Pan pub on the corner of Thraw Street and Brick Lane. She left and walked to Wilmott’s, ‘the worse for drink, but not drunk’. Unfortunately, when she arrived, she didn’t have the four pence for a bed and was escorted from the premises.
Around 2.30 am, Emily was walking towards Wilmott’s after the drama of the fire had ended. She saw Mary, who was obviously drunk at this point, coming from Brick Lane. She told Emily that she had made the money for a room three times over but had spent it. Emily was worried and tried to get Mary to return to Wilmott’s with her, but she refused. Mary continued along her way.
It was the last time anyone would see Mary Ann Nichols alive.
On the 31st of August 1888 at 3.40 am, Mary’s body was found by Charles Cross, lying in a gateway in Buck’s Row, Whitechapel. 8 days later, another body would be found.
It's far too easy to forget the most important people in such infamous murder cases, but the most important people to remember are the victims. I hope Polly is now at peace. Thanks for reading; take care, and I will see you soon!
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