Jack the Ripper
Part 1
By: Janis Adams
Jack the Ripper is a name associated with the most infamous murders of all time. These murders took place on the doorstep of Victorian London, the wealthiest square mile on the earth. The murders served to expose the underbelly of society. The brutal murders of at least five women were splashed across the papers, with gruesome stories attached.
Who was this person who attempted to take control of the conscience, desires, and emotions of his defenseless victims by disemboweling and mutilating them. And, what prompted these murders? Is it a coincidence that the violent murders of five “women of the night” followed an edict of purification found in the Judaic scriptures?
Whitechapel
Before we get into unpacking the murders, however, we must first contextualize the time an place in which they were happening.
So, without further ado, this journey takes us to Victorian London, specifically Whitechapel.
Whitechapel was considered part of London’s East End, with a quarter of million of London’s total inhabitants living there. As a result, the location was a maze of roads that often found sheep and cows herded down them. These animals, often leaving excrement as they passed through, coupled with the many residents throwing their trash onto the roads, left an area barely passable due to the stench and slovenly conditions.
What Does Whitechapel Have to Do with It?
Now, you’re probably asking yourself what any of this has to do with Jack the Ripper but hang tight and you’ll see.
Given the lowly conditions of the area, perhaps it is not a surprise that Large numbers of the residents were homeless and unemployed. To make matters worse, whatever money residents came across was often squandered at local pubs.
However, those who were fortunate enough to have housing often shared one room with one or two other families. Or worse yet, there were those who rented space along an overhang offering very little protection from the elements.
While it’s evident that the men of Whitechapel struggled to find work, conditions were much starker for women.
Jobs were nearly unobtainable for the women of Whitechapel. Because of this, by the late 1800s, many women and young girls had no option but to resort to prostitution. Around this time it is estimated that more than 1,200 prostitutes were working in Whitechapel.
What a perfect place for a murder. What a perfect place for a man exacting revenge on weak and defenseless women and what a perfect place for Jack the Ripper to rise to infamy.
The Whitechapel Murders
Following the deadly summer of 1888, the start of a series of newspaper articles led off on the fifth of September. The “Star” boasted this headline:
In short, this headline sparked a season of abject fear that chilled the spines of readers. And thus, the Whitechapel murders were the focus of an ongoing criminal investigation that saw the Victorian Police pit their wits against a lone executioner. Police were stymied, while residents were thrown into a frenzy of fear over the Whitechapel Murders.
This is to say, Jack the Ripper was at Large. And, to make matters worse, this mystery executioner perpetrated crimes against London’s most defenseless members of society in the most densely populated area.
Still Curious?
Who was Jack the Ripper?
Our Experiences
In this Murder Mystery Escape Room, you take on the identity of city inspectors. As you investigate, you and your team are tasked with tracking down the notoriously nefarious Jack the Ripper.
$45 Per Player
Ripper of London is a 60 minute murder mystery escape room experience where you work a crime scene to track down the killer Jack The Ripper.
Trap Door Escape Company
Trap Door Escape Room has 4 locations: 3180 Route 611 in Bartonsville, PA in the Poconos; 60 White St. in Red Bank, NJ; 34A Speedwell Ave. in Morristown, NJ: and 77 Wind Creek Blvd in Bethlehem, PA. The Red Bank location was the first of the 4 locations, opening in the fall of 2015. Morristown followed in the summer of 2017, and Bartonsville opened during the holiday season of 2018. Wind Creek is currently undergoing construction and will be opening in September 2022.
History
The idea came to Tone Purzycki back in 2011 after he wrote a screenplay that developed into a live-streaming game. The game revolved around an actor trapped in a situation and the audience had to solve puzzles to figure out where he was trapped. The “Find Me Event” had more than 1,000 people playing over the course of several hours. After the success of several other streaming events, the idea of an escape room was born.
Location
Each location has different rooms from which to choose. Our Morristown location is home to Day of the Dead, Witch Hunt, and The Greatest Freakshow. In Bartonsville, you’ll find Cure Z, F5 Tornado Escape, Fear the Bogeyman, Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, We’re All Mad Here, and Prisoner Z. In Red Bank we currently have Everest – our first 2 story escape room. Ripper of London is also available at this location. Our pirate themed games will soon be open at Wind Creek.
Trap Door Escape Room also offers team building, streaming events, and birthday parties. For more information on any of our games, prices, and locations, explore our website or call 570-234-3366