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Copyright Thomas
Gemmell 2003
London, 1888. The Autumn of Terror has begun. As Polly
Nichols stumbles down the gloomy alleyway, Mary appears:
Mary
It is 12.30am on
the 31st August 1888.
Torrential rain has cast a miserable curtain over the city. Thunder and
lightning have punctuated the gloom all night. Two blazing fires at the
docks are also casting a hellish glow over the rooftops. The
superstitious would say that it was a suitable night for the devil to be
at large. Polly Nichols has just left the Frying Pan public house. She
is out tonight, working the streets.
The area that Polly was operating in was known as The Evil Quarter
Mile.
The church clock strikes
As the
church clock strikes 2.30am another prostitute, Emily Holland, meets
Polly outside a grocers shop on Whitechapel Road. Polly
is
very
drunk, and staggers
against the wall.
Polly,
Polly, let's get away
Polly
No, no, I'm going to Flower and Dean - shh! One more go for tonight…
I've had my doss money three times today and spent it. Go on, go - it
won't be long before I'm back.
Mary
At 3:15 AM, P.C. John Thain, passes down Buck's Row on his beat.
Minutes later, Sgt. Kerby passes down Bucks Row as part of his own
separate beat. They see and hear no-one.
Man's
voice
Come and look over here, there's a woman.
Mary
At
3.45am
Charles Cross is on his way to work at Pickfords in the City Road. He
sees a shape lying on the pavement in the distance.
Man's
voice
She looks either dead, or drunk…
Mary
As he gets closer, he realises that it is a woman. She lies still, on
her back, her outstretched hand near a new black bonnet, trimmed with
black velvet. He calls on Robert Paul, another man approaching from the
opposite end of the street. Paul, also on his way to work, joins him,
and thinks he can feel a faint heartbeat.
Man's
voice
I think she's breathing. But it is little if she is.
Mary
Perhaps we should prop her up, says one. No fear, says the other, I've
got work to go to. They take a moment to adjust Polly's skirts, pulling
them to cover her legs, which had been exposed. Moments later, PC Neil
returns on his beat and sees Polly lying on the pavement. Unlike the
workmen, he carries a lantern, and crouches down to see what has
happened.
The sight
would haunt him for the rest of his life… |