How many years was Jack the Ripper killing people for?

Answer 1

It is usually accepted that Jack the Ripper killed five women between August and November of 1888. So not years, months.

However, it is impossible to ascertain which murders in Whitechapel during 1888 and 1889 are actually attributable to "Jack the Ripper" and there is conjecture that the Ripper may have killed previously and/or gone on to murder women later (most theories suggest this was in Boston or elsewhere in the northeastern USA).

The earliest murder usually associated with Jack the Ripper is that of Emma Smith on April 2, 1888. However, it is now generally considered that the facts of this case do not match with the characteristics of the definite Jack the Ripper cases. There were several non-fatal attacks on women early in 1888 which may potentially fit with the Ripper's modus operandii.

The earliest likely Ripper murder is that of Martha Tabram, on the night of 6-7 August 1888. While Tabram is not a "canonical" Ripper victim, the facts of her murder are consistent with a killer who would go on to commit the Ripper murder-mutilations.

The canonical (or widely accepted) Ripper victims are:
1. Mary Ann (or "Polly") Nicholls, 31 August 1888.
2. Annie Chapman, 8 September 1888.
3. Elizabeth Stride, 30 September 1888.
4. Catherine Eddowes, 30 September 1888.
5. Mary Jane Kelly, 9 November 1888.

The following three murders have also been attributed by some sources to the Ripper:
1. Rose Mylett, 20 December 1888.
2. Alice McKenzie, 17 July 1889.
3. Frances Coles, 13 February 1891.
However, there are various features of each case which make any connection with the Ripper cases dubious.

In addition, there were two mutilated female torsos discovered in the vicinity, one on 2 October 1888 in Whitehall and one on 10 September 1889 in Whitechapel. Some commentators link these to Jack the Ripper.