Poverty Rates in Whitechapel
In 1888 London’s population was almost 5 million people with an estimated 2 million people living below the poverty line; roughly 900,000 people lived in the East End and an estimated 76,000 people in Whitechapel.
District 73 – St George in the East West
Percentage in Poverty - 46.5%
Population - 34,989
Persons per acre – 352
The most densely populated district in London and the sixteenth worst in terms of poverty.
This division was split into two subdivisions.
a. Was bordered by Whitechapel Road to the north, Commercial Road to the south (both meeting at Gardiner’s Corner) and New Road to the east.
b. Was bordered by Commercial Road in the north, The Highway (St George’s High Street) to the south, roughly the line of Backchurch Lane to the west and Cannon Street Road the east.
In this subdivision Elizabeth Stride was killed, and the Pinchin Street torso was found.
District 72 – Whitechapel
Percentage in Poverty - 49.1%
Population - 33,973
Persons per acre – 279
The fifth most densely populated district in London and the eleventh worst in terms of poverty (so only just outside the top ten).
The boundary was Whitechapel Road to the south, Commercial Street to in the west and pretty much the border of Whitechapel Metropolitan District to the north and east.
Within this district Emma Smith, Martha Tabram, Polly Nichols and Annie Chapman were killed and all the lodging houses around Thrawl Street and Flower and Dean Street were located.
District 71 - Spitalfields and Goodman’s Fields
Percentage in Poverty – 32.5%
Population - 33,560
Persons per acre – 256
The eighth most densely populated but only 58th out of the 134 districts in terms of poverty. Very mid table despite the large number of Common Lodging Houses in the area.
This was an awkward shaped district split into three subdivisions.
a. Was bordered by the city to the west, East Smithfield to the south, Leman Street and Dock Street to the east and Commercial Road and Whitechapel High Street to the north.
In this subdivision Frances Coles was murdered.
b. Was bordered by Leman Street and Dock Street to the west, the Highway to the south, roughly Backchurch Lane to the east and Commercial Road to the north.
c. Was bordered by Whitechapel High Street to the south, the city to the west, Commercial Street to the east and the boundary with Shoreditch to the north.
Within this sub district Mary Kelly and Alice Mackenzie were killed and the apron was deposited. There were also a large number of lodging houses in this sub district including the Victoria Home and obviously Dorset Street – the alleged worst street in London.
