Enough whining! This blog has gotten entirely too negative. It’s time to talk about something fun. And what could be more fun than an evening with Jack the Ripper?
The Thames Terror Cruise was by far one of the highlights of my trip. If anything is more gruesome than London’s weather it’s the city’s mysterious, murderous history. From public executions in the heyday of the monarchy to serial killers in the 19th century and on through organized crime in the early 80’s, London has a gory storied past. After work on Thursday I took a tour of the sites of the city’s most famous atrocities.
The tour began with a boat ride down the Thames towards the Tower of London. As we traveled down the river the tour guide regaled the group with tales of suspicious suicides and murdered mobsters found hanging from each bridge. We then disembarked at the Tower of London where traitors and criminals were hung, drawn, and quartered on a quarterly basis.
The Thames Terror Cruise was by far one of the highlights of my trip. If anything is more gruesome than London’s weather it’s the city’s mysterious, murderous history. From public executions in the heyday of the monarchy to serial killers in the 19th century and on through organized crime in the early 80’s, London has a gory storied past. After work on Thursday I took a tour of the sites of the city’s most famous atrocities.
The tour began with a boat ride down the Thames towards the Tower of London. As we traveled down the river the tour guide regaled the group with tales of suspicious suicides and murdered mobsters found hanging from each bridge. We then disembarked at the Tower of London where traitors and criminals were hung, drawn, and quartered on a quarterly basis.
On these special occasions, the condemned would be brought from the jail to the Old Bailey, where they would be put to death in front of their family, friends, and fellow villagers. The executions were deliberately held on holidays so that parents could come out with the kids. Which to me begs the question: at what point in history did public beheadings lose their wholesome family fun appeal?
The coolest part of the tour for me was learning that some of the common expressions in our vernacular have their roots in capital punishment. Here’s my favorite: proving that the law enforcers had some mercy, the criminals were allowed a final drink before going to their death. On their journey from jail to the gallows, the felons would be allowed “off the wagon” into the pub while the executioner waited “on the wagon.”
The tour went on for a few hours as we walked the trail of Jack the Ripper, retracing his steps and considering the only two clues he’s known to have left. Along the way we passed by the barber shop of the sadistic barber Sweeney Todd where we picked up another intriguing tidbit of history: up until the mid 1700’s there was very little specialization of professions. Barbers were also dentists and surgeons, so the red and white colors of the iconic barber pole actually symbolized “blood and bandages.” And it gets creepier. The pole itself was used as part of the bloodletting practice. Customers would sit in the barber’s chair gripping a pole until their veins showed, and then the surgeon/stylist would cut them open until they passed out. As an aside, you may be interested to know that tipping—for hair cuts, taxi rides, or anything really—is still not customary in London.
The coolest part of the tour for me was learning that some of the common expressions in our vernacular have their roots in capital punishment. Here’s my favorite: proving that the law enforcers had some mercy, the criminals were allowed a final drink before going to their death. On their journey from jail to the gallows, the felons would be allowed “off the wagon” into the pub while the executioner waited “on the wagon.”
The tour went on for a few hours as we walked the trail of Jack the Ripper, retracing his steps and considering the only two clues he’s known to have left. Along the way we passed by the barber shop of the sadistic barber Sweeney Todd where we picked up another intriguing tidbit of history: up until the mid 1700’s there was very little specialization of professions. Barbers were also dentists and surgeons, so the red and white colors of the iconic barber pole actually symbolized “blood and bandages.” And it gets creepier. The pole itself was used as part of the bloodletting practice. Customers would sit in the barber’s chair gripping a pole until their veins showed, and then the surgeon/stylist would cut them open until they passed out. As an aside, you may be interested to know that tipping—for hair cuts, taxi rides, or anything really—is still not customary in London.
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