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In brief
A traditional and vibrant East London three-storey drinking den, oozing history and Victorian style. Plagued by a wealth of ghostly lodgers and with a dark and compelling past, the pub stands at the centre of what was Jack the Ripper’s murderous turf and was once frequented by at least three of the killer’s ill-fated victims.
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About
On the corner of Commercial Street and Fournier Street in East London is a striking wrap-around building of considerable historical significance. Today the pub is a warm, inviting, and fun place to be, purposely playing homage to its Victorian heritage with atmospheric candlelight and beautiful Grade II listed ceramic tiles and murals depicting 19th century life.
Full of charm and character and spread over three floors with rooms that can be hired for private events, the Ten Bells has a bustling vibe and welcoming team of bar staff.
The historical venue has DJ and quiz nights and offers a diverse wine list, a great beer selection, and wide range of cocktails.
History
The Ten Bells pub stands opposite the imposing Anglican Christ Church, Spitalfields, where it has served the city's drinkers since 1851.
The upper floors house a labyrinth of passages and rooms where casual workers of Victorian London once trod the creaky floorboards to rent rooms for the night overlooking the church's dominating steeple.
Featuring in the film "From Hell" and starring Johnny Depp, The Ten Bells is most famous for its notorious links with the victims of unidentified Victorian serial killer, Jack the Ripper. At least three of the Ripper's unfortunate victims lived nearby and were known to be regular patrons. Given its location, however, it's quite likely that the pub was visited by all five victims.
Life was brutal and tough for working-class women in Victorian England, and many used alcohol to numb the grim reality of everyday existence. Who amongst us can say they would not have similarly succumbed when faced with such relentless struggle, deprivation, and hopelessness?
Annie Chapman
In the early hours of 8th September 1888, doomed Annie Chapman (pictured below with her estranged husband) was thrown out of her lodging house for failing to pay her debts. In desperation, she spent until about 5am drowning her sorrows in the Ten Bells.
Around half an hour later tragic Annie was spotted talking to a man in Hanbury St, around a 5-minute walk from the Ten Bells. Her badly mutilated body was discovered a short time later in the backyard of 29 Hanbury Street (location pictured below).
Elizabeth Stride
Elizabeth Stride (pictured below), who was found with her throat cut on the 30th September 1888, was also well-known to the Ten Bells. Born in Sweden, the unfortunate Elizabeth had moved to London in 1866 at the age of 23. Just a few months before her death she was thrown out of the Ten Bells and barred for being drunk and causing a disturbance.
Mary Jane Kelly
On 9th November 1888, Jack the Ripper's fifth and final victim, Mary Jane Kelly, was discovered horribly mutilated in her lodging house just a short walk from the Ten Bells. Her friend, Elizabeth Foster, gave a statement saying that the two had been drinking at the Ten Bells the previous evening. Mary Jane had left just after 7pm, and Elizabeth never saw her again.
Mary Jane was a known sex worker, and porters from Spitalfields market opposite confirmed that she had a pitch outside the Ten Bells pub, which she used to attract customers. Is this where she came across evil Jack the Ripper on that fateful night?
Ghostly activity
- The figure of a man dressed in dark Victorian clothes has been seen on the upper floor by many staff and patrons.
- Objects appear to move of their own accord when nobody is around.
- Cold spots, unexplained sudden breezes, and feelings of foreboding have all been reported.
- Sounds of screams and the cries of a distressed baby have been heard when no children are in the building. A sack of decaying old-fashioned baby clothes was allegedly discovered stuffed behind a water tank in the roof space. Strangely, the clothing was noted to have been slashed. Did the clothing once belong to the poor, unfortunate baby whose eerie cries are still heard?
- Previous occupants have reported hearing the creepy sounds of ghostly laughter and pacing footsteps on the upper floor when the place is closed.
- Staff and tenants have complained of the sensation of being pushed by unseen hands.
- The ghost of a dishevelled woman has been witnessed in the bar area. Some are convinced this is the ghost of unfortunate Ripper victim Annie Chapman, who, as stated above, was a regular drinker at the Ten Bells. Is it really Annie? After all, she isn't the only victim of Jack the Ripper to have frequented the place, and the tragic spirit could actually belong to any number of women who died prematurely during a particularly grim time for poor people in Victorian London.
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Location
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Commercial Street, London E1 6LY, UK
Access
Please note that there is a small step at the entrance to the building. Double doors can be opened to allow access to guests using wheelchairs. WC facilities are however on the upper floor, which can only be accessed via stairs.
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