Sunday 4^th May 2014

Weather report for today: fine and sunny with clear blue sky, maximum temperature expected to be 18°.

After another good breakfast we set off to visit Nicola’s parents, Carol & Ralph, in Lightwater, Surrey. We made our way via the tube to Waterloo station and caught a train to Sunningdale where Ralph & Carol picked us up.  We spent about 3 hours with Carol & Ralph before catching the train back to Waterloo Station, where we purchased rail tickets for Southampton (for Friday) and Edenbridge for tomorrow.

Lynne waiting for a train

Caught the tube back to our hotel and on the way down Bayswater Road we stopped to view the artworks on sale each Sunday. Lynne bought 2 watercolour views of London, and I got a couple of hand painted pub signs to decorate my bar when we get home.

Dropped our shopping off and got back on the tube to Russell Square where we had dinner at Mabel’s Tavern. After dinner we made our way to Tower Hill station where we joined the “Jack the Ripper” Walking Tour. 

Original Gas street light

 The tour lasted about 1½ hours and we visited all 5 sites where Jack the Ripper’s murder victims were found (although a lot of the area was bombed during WW2 so new buildings have been erected on some sites). The tour guide was very informative and explained the theories and suspect list. The tour ended at the Ten Bells pub, which all the victims were known to frequent in the 1880’s. The pub, and church next door, feature in the Jack the Ripper film “From Hell” starring Johnny Depp. The church and pub are opposite old Spitalfields Market in the Whitechapel area, which is still used as a market today.

Original street in Whitechapel area