Catherine Odell

Catherine Eddowes, born in 1842, was one of twelve children whose early life was shaped by parental loss and poverty, leading her and siblings to a workhouse. Despite attempts at education and employment in the tinplate industry, her life was characterized by instability, including job losses and frequent relocations between Wolverhampton and Birmingham. She formed relationships, first with Thomas Conway, with whom she had two children, and later with John Kelly. Her adult life in London, particularly in the East End, was marked by poverty, occasional alcohol use, and periods of homelessness, often relying on family for support or sleeping in makeshift shelters. Eddowes was murdered in the early hours of September 30, 1888, in the City of London, becoming the fourth victim attributed to the notorious serial killer known as Jack the Ripper. Her murder, occurring within an hour of another victim, Elizabeth Stride, is often referred to as the "double event."

Catherine Eddowes was born in Wolverhampton in 1842, the sixth of twelve children. Her father worked in the tinplate industry, and her mother was a cook. The family relocated to London shortly after her birth, where Catherine received some education at St. John's Charity School. Tragedy struck the family early; her mother died of tuberculosis in 1855, and by 1857, both parents had passed away. This left Catherine, then 15, and three siblings to be admitted to a workhouse. Through an industrial school initiative, she found employment as a tinplate stamper in Wolverhampton, residing with an aunt and continuing her education. However, this employment was short-lived, possibly due to accusations of theft, leading to further instability and moves between Wolverhampton and Birmingham, living with relatives.

In Birmingham, Eddowes began a relationship with Thomas Conway, a former soldier, with whom she had two children, Catherine Ann and Thomas Lawrence. Although they never formally married, she adopted the name "Kate Conway" and had his initials tattooed on her arm. The couple moved to London in 1868. During their time in London, Eddowes's drinking became a significant issue, causing marital discord, especially as Conway was a teetotaler. By 1880, after years of increasing quarrels, which sometimes turned violent, Eddowes left Conway. She later formed a new partnership with John Kelly, a fruit salesman, meeting him at a common lodging-house in Spitalfields. Under the name "Kate Kelly," she engaged in various forms of labor, including domestic work and sewing, and sometimes resorted to casual prostitution to meet her financial needs. She and Kelly also participated in seasonal hop-picking work in Kent.

In September 1888, Eddowes and Kelly were in Kent for seasonal hop-picking work. Upon their return to London on September 27th, they stayed in casual wards. Eddowes reportedly told a ward superintendent that she believed she knew the Whitechapel murderer and intended to claim a reward. The following days were marked by financial hardship, with Eddowes and Kelly splitting their last coins. On the afternoon of September 29th, Eddowes told Kelly she was going to Bermondsey to try and borrow money from her daughter. She was last seen by police that evening, found drunk on Aldgate High Street and taken into custody until sober. She was released early on September 30th, the day she was murdered. In the early hours of September 30th, Eddowes was killed in the City of London, becoming the fourth victim of Jack the Ripper. Her murder, alongside that of Elizabeth Stride within the hour, is known as the "double event."