Catherine Eddowes was Jack the Ripper's fourth victim. There three victims before her were; Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman and Elizabeth Stride. Elizabeth Stride was murdered on the same night as Catherine Eddowes, just an hour before hand, in the early hours of the 30th of September. Their two murders on that night is known as 'The Double Event.'
Who Was Catherine Eddowes? Catherine Eddowes was born on the 14th of April 1842. She was born in Staffordshire in England, to George Eddowes and Catherine Evans. George Eddowes and Catherine Eddowes had a total of 11 children, this includes Catherine Eddowes. Unlike the other victims of Jack the Ripper, Catherine Eddowes earliest years are well documented. She was educated at St. John's Charity School, which was located at Potter's Field, Tooley Street. Catherine was educated at St. John's Charity School until her mother died in 1855. When her mother died, most of her brothers and sisters entered the Bermondsey Workhouse and Industrial School. Later Catherine Eddowes continued her education and finished her education when she moved in with her aunt, at Bison Street, Wolverhampton. Eddowes continued her education at Dowgate Charity School, between 1861-1863. After that, Catherine left her aunts home to go and live with Thomas Conway. Catherine Eddowes and Thomas Conway were never married, there is no record of them being married. They lived together in London and had three children together. They had two sons, George (born in 1868) and a second son (born in 1873). They also had a daughter together Annie (who was born in 1865). The couple split in 1881, around seven years before Catherine's death.
The Beginning Of A Downward Spiral
Catherine Eddowes drinking may have been a contributing factor in her relationships break down. She began to drink heavy just a year before the couple split, in 1880. It was the beginning of a downwards spiral for Catherine. By the time her relationship ended, she ended up living in 55 Flower and Dean Street. Flower and Dean Street was one of the most notorious places in London, it was crime ridden and destitute. It's even been indicated that this is where Jack the Ripper lived. Today, Flower and Dean Street is called Lolesworth Close. The original Flower and Dean Street was destroyed during World War II, in the blitz. Happier Times For Catherine It wasn't all bad for Catherine Eddowes in the final years of her life. There were some happy times too. And even conflicting evidence about the nature of her drinking habits. For example, the deputy, Fredrick Wilkinson, at Catherine's lodging house said of Catherine that she was ''not often in drink and was a very jolly woman.'' Eliza Gold said the same thing about Eddowes. During the summers, Catherine Eddowes alongside two others, Kelly and Birrell, went hop picking each summer season. Hop picking was when people in the East End of London went out into the countryside to pick berries for money. In 1888, Catherine Eddowes spent her summer months hop picking in Kent. They returned to London when summer and the harvest season ended. September the 29th and 30th 1888 The last two days of Catherine Eddowes life, the 29th of September and the 30th of September, are the two most documented days in her life. In the next blog, we will look at this, in the final hours of Catherine Eddowes life and her murder by Jack the Ripper. On the night of The Double Event.
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