Elizabeth Stride:Third Victim of Jack the Ripper

An Overview of the Life of Elizabeth Stride

Nov 9, 2008

In the early hours of 1st October 1888, Elizabeth Stride became the third victim of Jack the Ripper, but who was she? Readers may find details and pictures distressing.

Elizabeth Gustafsdotter was born on 27th November, 1843 to Gustaf Ericsson and Beatta Carlsdotta on a farm north of Gothenburg, Sweden.

While living in Sweden, Elizabeth mainly worked as a domestic, but in March 1865, she was living as a prostitute

On 7th February 1886, Elizabeth applied to move to the Swedish Parish in London, she was registered on 10th July 1866 as an unmarried woman. After marrying John Thomas Stride on 7th March 1869 the couple seemed to settle into married life, running a coffee house until 1875.

In 1878, the Princess Alice, a saloon steam ship, collided with the steamer Bywell Castle in the Thames resulting in the loss of many lives, for unknown reasons, Elizabeth claimed that her husband and children had died in the accident. However, John Stride was still alive at this time.

The marriage obviously collapsed, as from 1882, Elizabeth lodged on and off at 32 Flower and Dean Street. In 1884, John Thomas Stride died of heart disease and from 1885, Elizabeth lived with Michael Kidney.

In the 20 months before her death, Elizabeth appeared before the magistrates eight times on drink related charges. However, after her death, Elizabeth Tanner (the lodging house deputy) described her as a “very quiet woman who sometimes stayed out late” and the watchman at the lodging house claimed “a neater, cleaner woman never lived.”

After an argument with Michael Kidney, Elizabeth moved into the lodging house permanently on 26th September. While staying there, Elizabeth was apparently one of a number of women who talked to Dr. Barnardo. He described the women he met with as “thoroughly frightened” when discussing the murders and confirmed Elizabeth was among them upon viewing her body.

6pm: Elizabeth has a drink with Elizabeth Tanner at the Queen’s Head Public House, then they walk back to the lodging house together.

Approx. 7.30pm: Elizabeth is seen leaving the lodging house by two witnesses, one of whom she asks to look after a large piece of green velvet for her.

11pm: Two witnesses going into the Bricklayers Arms Public House see Elizabeth leaving with a short man they describe as having a dark moustache and sandy eyebrows.

11.45pm: William Marshall sees Elizabeth on Berner Street hearing a man tell her “you would say anything but your prayers.”

12am: William Parker claims to sell grapes to Elizabeth , but there is no evidence to support this.

12.35am: Police Constable William Smith sees Elizabeth on Berner Street with a young man.

12.40am: According to the Home Office Report, Israel Schwartz claims to see a couple on Berner Street. The man tries to pull the woman into the street, causing her to yelp three times. The man apparently called “Lipski” to a second man across the road.

1am: While driving a pony and cart, jewellery dealer Louis Diemschutz sees a body he believes is drunk or asleep. Rounding up two more men from a near by Workingmen’s Club to help rouse the woman, the three discover that her throat is cut.

At the post mortem, Dr. George Baxter Phillips claims Elizabeth had not eaten grapes.

The most popular theories surrounding the death of Elizabeth are that Jack the Ripper was disturbed before he had the opportunity to carry out any mutilations or that the murderer wasn’t Jack.

Elizabeth Stride was buried on 6th October 1888, her murderer has never been identified or confirmed to be Jack the Ripper.

The copyright of the article Elizabeth Stride:Third Victim of Jack the Ripper in Criminals/Outlaws is owned by Graidi Taylor-Rose. Permission to republish Elizabeth Stride:Third Victim of Jack the Ripper in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.