Mary Ann Nichols
Contents
Mary Ann Nichols
The body in Buck's Row
Charles Cross, a carman, of 22 Doveton Street, Bethnal Green, and Robert Paul, also a carman, of 30 Foster Street, Bethnal Green, were the first people to see Mary Ann Nichols' body laying on the pavement in Buck's Row. Cross is reported to have said to Paul, "Come and look over here, there’s a woman lying on the pavement".
It was 3.40am on Friday 31st August 1888, and with it still being dark they appeared to have missed Mary's horrific injuries. Mary Ann Nichols was lying on the pavement, on her back, with her skirts raised almost to her stomach.
After feeling her hands Cross thought Mary was dead - Paul thought she might still be breathing. Both men are reported to have been running late - so after trying to pull Mary's skirts down they moved on, intending to alert a policeman on the way.
In Baker’s Row, at the junction of Hanbury and Old Montague Street, they met PC Mizen 55H and told him of their discovery.
Unknown to PC Mizen 55H, Cross and Paul, at around 3.45am PC John Neil 97J had discovered the body of Mary Ann Nichols. The body hadn't been there when PC Neil had patrolled 30 minutes earlier.
Nichols was lying outside the gate to Mr Brown’s stables, her head towards the east, her left hand touching the gate. Her hands, which were open, lay by her sides and her legs were extended and a little apart. Blood oozed out of the wounds in her throat. A black straw bonnet trimmed with black velvet was by her side.
PC John Thain 96J was patrolling Brady Street when PC Neil spotted him and called him over. PC John Thain 96J was asked to run for Dr Llewellyn immediately.
PC Mizen was the third constable to arrive at the murder scene. He was sent to fetch an ambulance and further assistance from Bethnal Green Police Station.
Sergeant Kirby also joined the crime scene.
Dr Llewellyn
Dr Rees Ralph Llewellyn of 152 Whitechapel Road, arrived on the scene at around 4am. The severe throat injuries were considered and Dr Llewellyn pronounced life extinct. Dr Llewellyn suggested Nichols had been dead for less than thirty minutes.
As on-lookers started to group Dr Llewellyn ordered that the body should be moved to the mortuary in Old Montague Street.
PC Mizen, PC Neil and Sergeant Kirby left with the body to go to the mortuary. PC Thain waited for Inspector John Spratling to arrive. Inspector Spratling examined the scene, and although some of the blood had been washed away, it could still be seen between paving stones.
Inspector Spratling's discovery
Inspector Spratling made his way to the mortuary to find the mortuary locked and Mary Nicols' body still on the ambulance.
Some time between 5am and 5.20am Robert Mann, keeper of the mortuary arrived with keys to unlock. Upon lifting her clothes Spratling discovered that Mary's abdomen had been savagely ripped apart from the breast bone. Her intestines were also exposed. For the second time that night Dr Llewellyn was fetched from his bed.
Dr Llewellyn would later tell the press "I have seen many terrible cases, but never such a brutal affair as this".
Pre Post-Mortem Findings
- Mary Ann Nichols' throat had been cut from left to right with two distinct cuts being on left side
- The windpipe, gullet and spinal cord had been cut through
- A bruise apparently of a thumb was on right lower jaw, with one also on the left cheek
- The abdomen had been cut open from centre of bottom of ribs along right side, under pelvis to left of the stomach, there the wound was jagged
- The omentum, or coating of the stomach, was also cut in several places, and two small stabs on private parts
- Injuries were apparently committed with a strong bladed knife
- Supposed to have been done by a left handed person
- Death was almost instantaneous
Future reports suggested that Dr Llewellyn was later to consider that the injuries may not have been committed by a left handed murderer.
Post-Mortem
On Saturday 1st September 1888 Dr Llewellyn carried out a post-mortem examination.
Dr Llewellyn concluded:
- There was bruising about the face
- A bruise running along the lower part of the jaw
- There were two incisions in the throat - one encircled the throat
- One cut had severed both carotid arteries and all the tissues down to the vertebrae. Both incisions had been made from left to right
- Further severe cuts in the lower part of the abdomen
- Two or three inches from the left side was a long, very deep and jagged wound which had cut through the tissues
- Several incisions ran across the abdomen. On the right side were three or four similar cuts running downwards. The abdominal injuries had been inflicted with a knife used violently and downwards
D Llewellyn initially thought the murderer to be left handed. He also stated that the murderer "must have had some rough anatomical knowledge, for he seemed to have attacked all the vital parts". Llewellyn thought the injuries could have been inflicted in just four or five minutes.
Possessions on the body
The body had the following items of clothing and possessions:
- A comb
- A piece of looking glass
- A white pocket handkerchief
- A reddish-brown ulster with seven large brass buttons
- A brown linsey frock
- A white chest flannel
- Two petticoats, one of grey wool, the other flannel
- A pair of brown stays
- A pair of black ribbed woollen stockings
- A pair of men’s side spring boots
- A black straw bonnet trimmed in black velvet
