265. We Need to Get Over Jack the Ripper with Hallie Rubenhold

Why the Jack the Ripper legend is completely useless.

Get ready to hear the truth behind the headlines with social historian Hallie Rubenhold. Her groundbreaking book, The Five, challenges everything you thought you knew about the case by focusing on the victims, not the killer.

Hallie explains why the endless speculation about Jack the Ripper's identity is "useless" and built on "pure mythology". As a trained museum curator, she argues that applying modern DNA testing is impossible due to tainted evidence and a lack of provenance for objects. The real "restorative justice," she argues, comes from understanding the lives of the women themselves.

Discover the shocking reality of the five women's lives, which were far more complex than the common "prostitute" label suggests. Hallie reveals that only two of the women, Elizabeth Stride and Mary Jane Kelly, were known to engage in sex work.

You'll learn:

• Polly Nichols was the daughter of a blacksmith who left her husband and children after they secured a home in one of London's first social housing buildings.
• Annie Chapman came from a surprisingly middle-class background, with a father who served in the Queen's lifeguard. Her life was tragically impacted by her struggle with alcoholism.
• Elizabeth Stride was born in Sweden and was known to be a "con artist".
• Catherine Eddowes came from a large family and had a difficult, nomadic existence, traveling the country selling ballads with her partner.
• Mary Jane Kelly, the youngest victim, may have had a different name and was said to be a skilled artist—an accomplishment reserved for the middle class at the time.

Hallie argues that the Victorian press and police unfairly labelled these women based on moral judgment, and that this same bias influenced investigations much like it did with the Yorkshire Ripper case decades later. The true value of history, she says, is not to romanticize the past but to "shock" us with the "ugly shit" of truth.

Join us and rage against the myths that have long obscured the truth.

Guest Information

• Learn more about Hallie’s work and get your copy of The Five here: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781784162344
• Follow Hallie Rubenhold on social media: @hallierubenhold.

Support History Rage on Patreon

If you're enjoying this episode, please consider supporting the show. Your support helps us to continue to produce well-researched episodes and bring you unique and compelling conversations with experts who are as passionate and angry about history as we are!

As a thank you, you'll receive access to a range of exclusive benefits, including:

• Exclusive Content: Access to bonus episodes and behind-the-scenes content.
• Early Access: Be the first to listen to new episodes before anyone else.
• The Iconic History Rage Mug: Show your support with some exclusive merchandise.

Join the History Rage community here: patreon.com/historyrage.

Stay connected with History Rage

• Twitter: @HistoryRage
• Facebook: History Rage
• Instagram: @historyrage

From all of us at History Rage, stay curious, stay passionate, and above all—stay angry!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.