Jack the Ripper

[Seahorse]

Im off to a Jack the Ripper exhibition near Canary Wharf tomorrow.
Love the Victorian era, and a bit of the macabre.

Anybody else interested in such things?

[Chris W]

I read a great book once called the London Underworld, it described the darkside of Victorian London, it made me think quite deeply about how much our society has changed for the better. It described how women had to struggle as seamstresses or turn to prostitiution or end up in the workhouse.

[Funkyhand]

I have to admit to being a bit of a Tudor period historian.. well that might be putting it a bit strongly but that's what I am really interested in! The Victorian period always seems really dark to me..of course is wasn't.
Anice xx :D:D

[ethel&edna]

The other half of Ethel and Edna - Ann - is hugely into this era. She did her final presentation and art history essay on Walter Sickert - the artist who they thought was Jack for a while. Gruesomeness!!

[candles by lisa]

Think the Victorian era can be portrayed as a dark time but I suppose that's what I like about it - same as you Seahorse a bit of the macarbe is right up my street.

Cheers.

Lisa

:mf:

[Seahorse]

I went to the Tate Britain a while back to see Degas, Letrec and Sickerts exhibition.After seeing Sickerts work I can see whythey suspected him!

[woodtattoos]

I'd definitely enjoy going to that exhibition, you'll have to let us know what you think.

Si.

[Focus on Life]

Oh I agree, a bit of macabre and darkness and shady dealings, I'm there too!

I love most historical periods really, no special preference, I pretty much like anything "old" - photos, houses, men ;)

Shaz x

[Seahorse]

Im glad I went but came away feeling a bit dissapointed.
It was more about the East end at the time than it was about Jack the Ripper.Fair enough it was trying to be informative but I wanted to see blood and guts.
There was plenty to read, almost too much, original police reports, a diary from someone who could have been jack, reports on the areas that were poor and crime riddled, tiny pics of the victims.
I felt there were plenty of 'things' but no real sense of victorian people.I know that sounds odd but just some dummies dressed in original Victorian clothing so we could walk past it and get a sense of being in the the era would have been good.
At the end was a comment board with question on it and you could answer them on cards,things like 'these women were real, do you think their deaths should be sensationalised in films and tv'.So I felt it was more of a moral lesson.

[girlyracer]

I enjoyed studying about the Victorian era when I was at school. It was definitely an era of greatness for Britain. Industrialisation, the Great Exhibition to honour that achievement. But as Lisa said there was also the dark, unpleasant side too. Philanthropists trying to help with slums, poverty, etc. And of course, the infamous Jack the Ripper.

I must admit Jack is a fascinating subject. The Americans may have their "Who killed JFK" but we have "Who was The Ripper" much more of an enigma.

Ruby x

[Clarey11]

I love the victorian era. My recent jewellery used etched metal that looked really pretty and feminine but when you looked closer was made up of imagery that was a bit strange and disturbing. I also love victorian glass buttons- trying to think of a way to make them into jewellery thats original.