Follow Jack the Ripper walk, and a hands-on Local Guides session along the way
Hi everyone,
Rafi (@trailtail) and yours truely are organising a Saturday meetup in London, and we would love you to join us.
We will walk through Whitechapel and Spitalfields, the streets where Jack the Ripper operated in 1888.
Rafi will tell the story stop by stop: what happened, where, and how completely the area has changed since.
This is also a Local Guides walk.
Between the historical stops we will few times to work on contributions together, and there will be plenty of time to swap tips with people who have been doing this for years.
The details
| When | Saturday 21st November 2026, 11:00 am |
| Meeting point | Whitechapel Station, Next to Costa Pronto by the entrance on Whitechapel Road |
| Duration | About 3 hours |
| Distance | 4 to 5 km at an easy pace, all on public streets |
| Finish | Around 14:00 in Spitalfields, with an optional drink at pub for anyone who wants to stay |
| Cost | Free |
Whitechapel Station is on the Elizabeth line, District, Hammersmith & City and Overground, so most of you can get there without changing trains.
What we will see
We start two minutes from the station, at the site of the first of the 1888 murders, and finish near Spitalfields Market. Along the way we pass Gunthorpe Street, Henriques Street, Mitre Square (the only one of the killings inside the City of London, which split the investigation between two police forces), Goulston Street, Hanbury Street, Christ Church Spitalfields and the Ten Bells.
What we will practise
Four short hands-on stops, about five minutes each. No lectures, just everyone trying the same thing on their own phone and comparing what came out.
- The approach shot.
Walking toward a shop front, and the walk-by that ends facing the entrance. We will also cover motion photos for anyone who has not used them before. - Photo or Video?
What is more useful these days on Maps.
Pan video or still photo? We will try both and compare. - Fixing the map, not just adding to it.
How many missing places can you spot in one walk?
Missing places and closed listings.
Not glamorous, very useful. - What did we capture?
An open exchange at the end. Bring your questions and your own techniques.
Whether you are brand new to contributing or have been at it for years, you will have something to share. We learn most from each other.
What to bring
- Comfortable shoes. The pavements are uneven and sometimes busy.
- A charged phone, and a power bank if you film a lot.
- Clothes for London weather, which means be ready for anything.
The walk goes ahead in light rain.
One request
People live and work in these streets, and a group with phones up is very visible. Please avoid close-ups of faces, ask before filming inside shops, and stop if anyone objects.
Please also keep in mind that these were real murders of real women, several of them known to us by name. We will tell the story properly, without turning it into entertainment at their expense.
Coming along?
Please reply below so we know the numbers, mainly so we can book enough space at the pub afterwards. Bring a friend if you like, just tell us in your reply.
Any questions about the route, the pace or accessibility, ask in the comments and we will answer.
See you in Whitechapel!
Sam and Rafi
