Coffin Conversations - by dementia

The notion that Jack the Ripper might not in fact be a man at all, but rather a woman, was one postulated by Inspector Abberline himself at the time of the killings. According to Donald McCormick, author of The Identity of Jack the Ripper published in 1959, Abberline raised the theory in a conversation with his mentor, Dr. Thomas Dutton after the murder of Mary Kelly. Testimony given by Caroline Maxwell, who lived in the area, was central to the argument.


The time of death for Mary Kelly was estimated to be between 3:30 and 4:00 A.M. on the morning of Friday, November 9th 1888. This time seems fit not only due to medical evidence such as temperature of the body and stiffness of the joints, but correlates as well with the majority of the testimony given by those who claim to have either seen or heard her the night of her death. Majority, however, does not include the testimony of Mrs. Caroline Maxwell.

Mrs. Maxwell testified to have seen Mary Kelly not once but twice several hours after doctors believe she had died. The first occassion was between 8:00 and 8:30 A.M. in front of Miller's Court, looking, in Mrs. Maxwell's opinion, to be quite ill. Mrs. Maxwell stated that she was sure of the time because her husband returned from work around 8:00 each morning. The second time was an hour later when Mrs. Maxwell claims she saw Kelly speaking with a man outside the Britannia public house.


Mrs. Maxwell vividly described the clothes she saw on the woman she believed to be Kelly that morning as "a dark shirt, velvet bodice and a maroon-coloured shawl." When asked if she had ever seen Kelly in this outfit, she replied that she definitely remembered her wearing the shawl.

Abberline had no reason to distrust this witness, and she continued to adamantly adhere to the times and descriptions she had given. The problem perplexed him, and he later approached Dutton about it, asking, "Do you think it coukld be a case not of Jack the Ripper but Jill the Ripper?" Abberline based the brunt of the argument on the fact that it was possible that the killer dressed up in Kelly's clothes in order to disguise herself, therefore accounting for Mrs. Maxwell's sighting of her the next day.

Dutton answered that he believed it was doubtful, but that if it were a woman committing the crimes, the only kind capable of doing so would be a midwife.

Thus begins the theory of Jill the Ripper -- sometimes labeled the mad midwife. As ludicrous as it may sound initially, there are several points which add credibility to the theory. First, the fact that all of London was looking for Jack the Ripper (i.e. a man) would allow a female murderer to walk the streets of Whitechapel with considerably less fear of capture or discovery. Second, a midwife would be perfectly common to be seen at all hours of the night. Third, any presence of blood on her clothing would be immediately discarded as a result of her work. Finally, based on the evidence pointing to an anatomically educated murderer, a midwife would have the anatomical knowledge some believed the murderer possessed.