The News from Whitechapel
Jack the Ripper in the Daily Telegraph

by Christopher-Michael Digrazia (Editor),
Alexander Chisholm (Editor), & Dave Yost
Paul Begg (Foreword)
McFarland & Company Inc, Sep 2002

Historical / Non-Fiction

     "The book you are holding is a time machine. It is the nearest you will ever get to the pavements of the East End of London in that dreadful autum of 1888 when Jack the Ripper stalked his victims and sent a shiver of terror throughout London and far, far beyond."...
     "Here the reader get the original reports, unfiltered, unexpurgated, unedited. Back in the 1950s there was a famous cop show on television called Dragnet in which the main character's catch-phrase was "Just the facts, ma'am." Well, that's just what you get here. Just the facts."...
     "...the authors have taken considerable pains to provide all the latest research and theories, so from time to time they tell you the latest thinking, being careful not to show whatever their own biases might be."
- The News from Whitechapel,
excerpts from Paul Begg's Forward

Amazon: Editorial Review - "Early yesterday morning a horrible murder was discovered in Buck’s-row, a narrow passage running out of Thames-street, Whitechapel." The Daily Telegraph, Saturday, 1 September 1888.
     This text is an annotated transcription of the articles that detailed the Jack the Ripper murders as they were reported by The Daily Telegraph, the world’s largest-selling daily newspaper in 1888. Providing explanations where needed, each chapter is devoted to one of the Ripper’s victims through transcripts of The Daily Telegraph coverage of her murder, its investigation and subsequent inquest. Interspersed with the transcripts are footnotes (the contents of these are drawn from Home Office and Metropolitan Police files, past and present Ripper books, other contemporary newspaper reports, and the authors’ research) that serve to correct what the newspapers got wrong, expand on certain points, or explain to the reader things that were common knowledge during this time period. Also included are rare illustrations including a previously unpublished photograph of victim Annie Chapman prior to her death.

Amazon: Personal Review - THE news from Whitechapel in the Summer of 1888 was not good. A madman was on the loose murdering women in a most horrible manner.
     Most books about Jack the Ripper give the author’s opinion with regards to suspects; this one gives you the chance to read what the citizens of London read each morning. You can see how the events unfolded day by day and how the news was reported and misreported. The newspapers were quick to print what would sell – it seems some things never change.
     The authors have provided wonderful footnotes expanding on comments in the text, defining words that were familiar to the readers of the day but have fallen out of use, and identifying people and offices that were also familiar to citizens of 1888 London, but make no sense to modern readers.
     Also detailed are notes on what papers got wrong and explanations of some points of history. They include an extensive biography and index, making this already interesting book into a more interesting research tool.
     Each victim has her own chapter covering the murders, the inquests, the investigation and commentary. Original images from the paper are included and in once case a previously unpublished photograph Annie Chapman in better times. Images include modern pictures of the locations, some of which have changed little. Some of the coroner’s photographs are quite raw. Also reproduced are Jack’s letters, the Dear Boss and From Hell letters and Saucy Jack postcard.
     This is an amazing resource for anyone interested in the Ripper murders, a real trip into history. You can almost imagine yourself in London; you’ve bought your paper from the boy on the corner and settled in for a hot cup of tea and a check of the day’s events.

The Authors

  Alexander Chisholm, an artist, historian, co-author of Jekyll and Hyde Dramatized : The 1887 Richard Mansfield Script and the Evolution of the Story on Stage, Danahay, Chisholm, McFarland & Company, Inc, 2004, author of numerous articles on Jack the Ripper, and known for his careful research.
He lives in Scotland.

Christopher-Michael DiGrazia, the former editor of Ripper Notes, is a recognized authority, (he was a consultant for the Johnny Depp movie, From Hell), provided the Forward in The Jack the Ripper Suspects: Persons Cited by Investigators and Theorists. He is also known for his Jack the Ripper, The Whitechapel Musical, and is a member of the Concord Players.
He lives in Massachusetts.

Dave Yost has written numerous articles and essays for the Ripperologist and Ripper Notes. He is recognized as one of the leading authorities on the subject, especially on the Elizabeth Stride case, (earning him the nick name, "our man in berner street"), and "is a highly respected voice of Ripper research and writing. Those who have read his detailed analyses of various aspects of the murders will be aware of his attention to detail and innovative thinking" - Stewart Evans. He and his research are mentioned in the highly acclaimed The Jack the Ripper: A-Z, Begg, Fido, Skinner, Headline Book Publishing, 1996, Jack the Ripper: The Definitive History, Begg, Longman, 2003, and Ripperology: The Best of Ripperologist Magazine; Jack the Ripper and the Victorian East End, Edited by Paul Begg, Barnes & Noble, 2006.
He lives in Pennsylvania.

Paul Begg is a noted British researcher, writer, Senior Editor of Ripperologist, author of Jack the Ripper: The Uncensored Facts & Jack the Ripper: The Definitive History, and co-author of The Jack the Ripper A to Z. Paul also wrote Into Thin Air: When People Disappear.
He lives in England.

 Christopher-Michael DiGrazia and Dave Yost helped establish the ongoing US Conferences on Jack the Ripper with the first occurring in 2000, which was attended by Paul Begg and many other notables.

 All 4 are well known on the internationally recognized web site, Casebook: Jack the Ripper.

 The News from Whitechapel can be found in over 95 libraries in 4 countries, including such esteemed libraries, as Princeton, Harvard, Penn State, the US Naval Acadamy, British Library, Univeristy of Toronto, and University of Sydney, (worldcat.org).

 It is also considered a textbook, and has been used in George Mason Univeristy discussion/study groups on the industrial society, (syllabus, course 1, and course 2).

 Dave Yost talks about The News from Whitechapel to the Local Pennwriter's group - it was cited as one of the best discussions they ever had!

(I'm the guy in the white shirt!)

Other Reviews

Central Review: Reader Review - This book is an essential first time read for anyone interested in the 'Jack the Ripper' murders of Whitechapel 1888. The book contains the original newspaper articles that were featured in The Daily Telegraph, the favoured paper of the Victorian period, during the time that the infamous Ripper stalked the destitute backstreets of London. This book allows you to receive the initial reports of the killings, as they would have been offered by the newspapers, in Whitechapel, at the time. This book is both well-written and researched and an absolute must have for anyone interested in 'Ripperology'.

Barnes & Noble: Synopsis - Those who long for more details of the murders of Jack the Ripper will welcome this new addition to the literature. This volume presents all the articles on the murders that were published in The Daily Telegraph, which reported on the victims and the crimes in lengthy articles full of details of life among London's poor in the late 19th century. Annotation c. Book News, Inc.,Portland, OR.