Elizabeth Stride :Jack the Rippers Swedish victim part 1
In the autumn of 1888 London and especially the poorer Whitchapel of London was held captive by an unknown serial killer who killed 5 women. Despite being one of the most well known serial killers of all time and despite a big manhunt at the time by Scotland Yard, he was never caught. He is known by the name he supposedly gave himself JACK THE RIPPER and for the gruesome way in which he mutilated his victims,Much have been written about Jack the Ripper and his supposed identity.There exist over 100 theories about who he was and there has been hundreds of books written on the subject. The persons bhind the names of the 5 women commonly thought to be his victims are less wellknown.
Most of them where poor women living a hard and miserable life in Whitechapel earning their living by taking odd jobs as cleaners and whole or part time time prostitution
What is less known is that the third of his victims was Swedish. ELIZABETH STRIDE.She was born as Elisabeth Gustafsdotter was born on November 27, 1843 in Stora Tumlehed in Torslanda parish the daughter of Gustav Eriksson and Beata Carlsdotter.
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| Stora Tumlehed in Torslanda original photo by A. Jacobson 2007 original source: Elisabrth Gustafsdotters last stride |
The family were tenant farmers in Stora Tumlehed Torslanda She had 3 siblings Anna Catharina born 1840, Carl Bernhard born 1848 and and Svante born 1851
In 1857 Elisabeths older sister Anna Catharina moved to Gothenburg and on October 14, 1860, when she was ddd17 years old Elisabeth followed her there. in a few years Anna Catharina marries a shoemaker and had a large family.
Elisabeth began working as a maid in the household of Lars Fredrik Olofsson in Majorna (Carl Johans parish ) She stays there for 4 years but the suddenly leaves.. In 1864 after moving to the Cathedral Parish she gave birth to a stillborn girl on April 21, 1865. She was then living at Pilgatan in Haga
Already, Elizabeth was listed as a prostitute by the police in Gothenburg, and she was treated twice for sexually transmitted diseases. Early in 1866 She apparently managed to leave prostitution and get work as a maid.
Already, Elizabeth was listed as a prostitute by the police in Gothenburg, and she was treated twice for sexually transmitted diseases. Early in 1866 She apparently managed to leave prostitution and get work as a maid.
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| Note in the Birth record of The Gothenburg Cathedral parish about Elisabrths stillborn daughter in 1865 (Photo Arkivdigital)
In the spring of 1866, she emigrated to London, in July the same year she was registered as a member of the Swedish Ulrica Eleonora congregation in London. i It is is not known exactly why and how she traveled to London but most likely is that she worked for a Swedish family who settled there.
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| Elisabeth Gustafsdotter and John Thomas Stride marriage in St Giles church 7 match 1869 Source: London Metropolitan Archive (Ancestry.com) |
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| St Giles church in Camden London Jan 2012 Photo by Prioryman |
After that apparently their fortunes went downhill Elizabeth and her husband is listed together both in the 1871 and 1881 English Census .However they apparently had separated sometime in the late 1870 thies and defenitively after 1881.
For her acquaintances, Elizabeth would later state that her husband and children had drowned at the Princess Alice disaster in 1878, but as far at is known the couple had no children, and John Stride died on October 24, 1884
After her final separation from the husband of 1881 Elizabeth Stride lived in Whitechapel. It was a poor area where around 76000 people lived,poor english workers and many irish and jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe. Many of the families lived in 1 room apartments and 8000 people who could not afford even that had to crowd together in cheap lodging houses where one could rent a bed for the night. It cost 8 pence for a double bed 4 pence for a single bed and for those who could not afford that could stand and sleep against a rope for 2 pence. A drink at a local Pub cost about 2 pence about the same as sex with a low class prostitute or a piece of bread .
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| Flower and Dean Street 1902 At the time of her death Elizabeth Stride resided in a"doss house" Source: Jack the Ripper Photo archive |
In late 1888 Elizabeth was severely alcoholised and making her was living on sewing, cleaning, charity from the Swedish congregation in London, begging and prostitution. She lived mainly in at 32 Flower and Dean Street a cheep lodging house or "doss house". From 1885 she had to and from a relationship with the worker Michael Kidney. They seem to have been out of hand in the shelter and in cheap apartments and had constant problems with the police due to their alcohol abuse. Elizabeth reported Kidney for abuse, but never encountered the trial.
The scene was set for her and 4 other womens unfortunate end .
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