Durward Street (Mary Nichols Murder Site), London

Durward Street, previously known as Bucks Row, holds significant historical importance in the context of the Whitechapel murders, particularly concerning the first 'official' victim of Jack the Ripper, Mary 'Polly' Nicholls.

During the early hours of August 31, 1888, Polly met a tragic end on Bucks Row. Inebriated and wandering the streets, she was desperately trying to acquire "doss money" to secure shelter for the night. She ultimately fell prey to a brutal assault and was discovered near a school, within a gateway situated in front of one of the residences that once lined this thoroughfare.

Roughly an hour prior to her body being discovered, Mary Nichols was last seen alive by Mrs Emily Holland, a former bedmate at a lodging-house on Thrawl Street, who observed her walking towards Whitechapel Road. Tragically, just minutes later, her throat had been cut by two deep incisions, one of which completely severed the tissue down to the vertebrae. Furthermore, her vagina had been stabbed twice, and a deep, jagged wound had partially torn open the lower part of her abdomen, causing her bowels to protrude. Additionally, the same knife had inflicted several other incisions on both sides of her abdomen, all made in a downward thrusting manner.

In the present day, Durward Street has experienced significant transformations that have diminished its historical importance. The sole surviving relic from 1888 is the former school building, now repurposed as apartments. The surrounding locality has undergone extensive redevelopment, leading to the obliteration of the original street layout and structures. A few remnants from the past, like substantial potholes that reveal fragments of the ancient cobblestones, serve as the sole reminders of the street's former character.