In May about 60 members turned out to hear Lynne Dixon’s fascinating talk about the life and times of Kate Eddowes – the fourth victim of Jack the Ripper.
Lynne explained that she had read Hallie Rubenhold’s wonderful book ‘The Five: the untold lives of the women killed by Jack the Ripper. She was enthused by the book and interested to learn more about Kate Eddowes’ life as she had spent some time in Greenwich which is where Lynne lives.
Lynne carried out some of her own research to provide additional background to the story. Lynne told us that Kate was born in 1842 into a large family in Wolverhampton, before her family travelled by canal to London. As a child she went to school whilst some of her siblings undertook apprenticeships and went into service. After her parents died her older siblings sent Kate to stay with relatives in Wolverhampton where she met her partner. They spent time travelling around and returned to London where they spent several years on the south side of the River Thames. Kate had a sister who lived in Greenwich which appears to be how she ended up in the area. Lynne told us that Kate would stay in the Greenwich workhouse. It is unlikely that Kate was a prostitute, but she does seem to have been a woman with an impoverished start in life and who made some poor decisions, was unsupported by the welfare system of the age and who was then in the wrong place at the wrong time. Lynne had promised that we would be amazed by what can be discovered about the life of someone mainly marginalised as a victim – she was right. Lynne painted a picture of Kate’s life that was enthralling and kept us interested. We learnt that Kate was resourceful and wrote ditties to entertain people. We were on tenter hooks throughout the presentation despite all knowing how the story would end.
A big thank you to Lynne for her excellent talk !