Catherine's last hours were eventful, if not also tragic. The last hours of Catherine Eddowes life were from the early evening hours of the 29th of September 1888, up until the early morning hours of the 30th of September 1888.
Before we get to the early evening hours of the 29th of September and the early morning hours of the 30th of September, let us take a look at what happened during the day of the 29th of September in Catherine Eddowes life. The 29th Of September 1888 Her first hour that morning seems to have preceded the events of what was to happen later that night for Catherine Eddowes: getting into trouble. At 8 AM that morning, Catherine Eddowes has turned away from the Casual Ward, for getting herself into trouble. She was seen by Kelly at that hour. Shortly afterwards, Catherine went back to her lodging house, at Cooney's Lodging House. Kelly, on the other hand, went off to pawn a pair of boots he owned, to the pawnbroker, Jones in Church Street. She received money for the boots at the pawnbroker and went on to buy breakfast that morning; tea, sugar and some food. Both Catherine and Kelly were spotted having breakfast in the kitchen area of the lodging house, at around 10 AM that morning, up until 11 AM that morning. Eddowes was broke again by mid-afternoon and needed more money. She went to visit her daughter in Bermondsey, to borrow some money from her daughter. It's apparent that Catherine and her daughter didn't see much of each other. The testimony that Kelly gave at Catherine's inquest indicated this, as he said, ''I never knew if she had went to her daughter's at all,'' I only wish she had, for we lived together for some time and never had a quarrel.''
It's possible, if not probable that Catherine never visited her daughter that day, even though she said that that was where she was going that afternoon.
Although Catherine did get more money that day, we know this because she was found drunk by PC Louis Robinson, at 29 Aldgate High Street, among a crowd of people. Either Catherine had got money from her daughter that afternoon, or, she got money from soliciting trade. The latter seems more probable. Time In The Cell Catherine was arrested by PC Louis Robinson when she was found at 29 Aldgate High Street. At first, he asked if anyone knew her, no one did. As no one knew her, and she was too drunk to stand, she was escorted to Bishopsgate Police Station by PC Louis Robinson and PC George Simmons. The situation at 29 Aldgate High Street went on for around half an hour until the police could pick up Catherine and take her to the police station, as she was too drunk to stand up herself. At Catherine's inquest, PC George Simmons said, 'On the 29th at 8.30 I was on duty in Aldgate High Street, I saw a crowd of persons outside No. 29 - I saw there a woman whom I have since recognised as the Deceased lying on the footway drunk. I asked if there was one that knew her or knew where she lived but I got no answer.' The pair arrived with Catherine Eddowes at Bishopsgate Police Station at 8.45 PM on the night of the 30th of September 1888. 8:45 PM: Bishopsgate Police Station Sergeant James Byfield notes Eddowes arrival at the station. Supported by PCs Robinson and Simmons, Eddowes was asked her name and she replied "Nothing." At 8:50 PM PC Robinson looked in on her in her cell. She was asleep and smelled of drink. At 9:45 PM The Gaoler, City PC 968 George Hutt, took charge of the prisoners. He visited the cell every half hour during the night upon the directive of Sergeant Byfield. By 9:45 PM that night, the city PCs who were on duty, left Bishopsgate Station. When they left Bishopsgate Station, they went behind their Beat Sergeants. Among them was PC James Harvey and PC Edward Watkins. By around 10:00 PM that night, City PC 881 Edward Watkins went on his first patrol. He patrolled around Duke Street, then through to Heneage Lane, then through to Bury Street, Creechurch Lane and then into Leadenhall Street. Once he finished his patrol in Leadenhall Street, he went into Mitre Street, which led him into Mitre Square. Mitre Square is the place where Catherine Eddowes mutilated body would be found a few hours later. There was nothing suspicious at the time when PC Edward Watkins was patrolling Mitre Square, at around 10 PM that night. Watkins carried on his patrol of the Whitechapel streets when he finished checking Mitre Square. After Mitre Square, he went into King Street, then St James Place, and then into Duke Street. After Duke Street, he continued a new patrol of the same streets. At around the same time that PC Watkins was patrolling the Whitechapel streets, another officer was also patrolling the Whitechapel streets at the same time. At around 10 PM, PC James Harvey started his patrol in Bevis Marks, onto Duke Street and Little Duke Street. After patrolling Little Duke Street, he carried on into Houndsditch, and then back to Dukes Street, and then to Church Passage. From there, he went into Aldgate and then to Mitre Street. Again, PC Harvey saw nothing suspicious around the Mitre Square area at that time. From Mitre Street, he patrolled back at Houndsditch, to Little Duke Street again, and then back to Houndsditch. From Houndsditch he went to Goring Street and then back to Bevis Marks. Catherine Eddowes Is Released From The Police Station Nothing odd or out of the ordinary happened in Whitechapel in the late evening hours of the 29th of September 1888. At around 12.15 AM on the 30th of September 1888, Catherine Eddowes was heard singing in her cell. By 12.30 AM she appeared to have been sober and asked when she would be getting released. Just 25 minutes later, at 12.55 AM, Catherine is released from the police station, as she was sober. Catherine left the police station at around 1 AM. Before she left, she spoke to PC Hutt. Their conversation was as follows: "What time is it?" she asks Hutt. "Too late for you to get anything to drink." he replies. "I shall get a damn fine hiding when I get home." She tells him. Hutt replies, " And serve you right, you had no right to get drunk." Hutt pushes open the swinging door of that station. "This way missus," he says, "please pull it to." "All right'" Catherine replies, "Goodnight, old cock." Those were the last words we know of Catherine Eddowes before she was murdered by Jack the Ripper. At the same time Catherine Eddowes was leaving the police station, another victim of Jack the Ripper's, Elizabeth Stride, was found murdered in Dutfields Yard. Between the time she left the police station at 1 AM and the time she found murdered at 1.45 AM in Mitre Square, somewhere during that time, she met her killer; Jack the Ripper. It isn't exactly clear when she met Jack the Ripper, although, it's possible that it was at 1.35 AM. At that time, three men, Joseph Levy, Harry Harris and Joseph Lawende, were outside the Imperial Club in 16-17 Duke Street. They spotted a woman talking to a man at the corner of Duke Street and Church Passage. The woman they spotted is thought to have been Catherine Eddowes. If it was, the man she was speaking with, was the last man she was seen with. If this was Catherine Eddowes, then it is highly likely that the man she was seen with, was Jack the Ripper. What was this man like? The men described him as young, about 30, he dressed like a sailor, had a moustache and had a red handkerchief around his neck. He was tall and was of medium build. Catherine was found dead ten minutes later in Mitre Square, at 1.45 AM on the morning of the 30th of September 1888.
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