Elizabeth Stride: A 3rd Devastating Death In Dutfield's Yard

Elizabeth Stride – Jack the Ripper’s third victim – was like all the rest. She was struggling with poverty, addictions, and performing sex work just to pay for her nightly lodgings.

But unlike the first two Ripper victims, “Long Liz” wasn’t a native Londoner.

How did this Swedish beauty come to find herself in the East End of London in the arms of a serial killer?

This is the devastating story of Elizabeth Stride: her life, her death, and the night of the “double event.”

Artistic representation of Elizabeth Stride, known as Jack the Ripper's third victim, with Victorian-style decorative flourishes framing the text. The image shows a somber Elizabeth with a dark dress and bonnet, set against a dark background, evoking the era and the gravity of her story. — AI representation of Elizabeth Stride. There are no verified images of Liz when she was alive.

See my map for all of the East End locations associated with Jack the Ripper and his victims.

Elizabeth Stride’s Early Life and Family

Elizabeth Stride was born in 1843 in Gothenburg, Sweden, as Elizabeth Gustafsdotter. She would later be coined “Long Liz,” as she was 5’5″, which was tall for a woman of that era.

Liz was beautiful, with dark curly brown hair and light grey eyes.

Her family were farmers, so her upbringing in Sweden didn’t come with much money or opportunity.

As a teenager in Sweden, she worked in domestic service and topped up her income with sex work.

We know from Swedish records that in her teens, she was treated for venereal diseases. In her early 20s, Liz had a stillborn baby.

Sadly, early trauma was an integral part of Liz’s life, and likely influenced her move to London and the troubles that came later.

“Long Liz” Moves to London

A composite image with a vintage map of the West India and Millwall Docks on the left, and an old maritime painting depicting the journey of Elizabeth Stride from Sweden to Poplar in 1866 on the right. The map details the historical docks area of London, while the painting shows tall ships indicative of the period, illustrating the background of a woman who would become one of Jack the Ripper's victims.

In 1864, Elizabeth’s mother died. A few years later, in 1866, Liz moved to London.

She soon met and married a carpenter, John Thomas Stride, who was 22 years older than her.

Big age gaps were not uncommon, as women looked for security in marriage.

They lived in Poplar (right next to Whitechapel, and just as poor in this era) and ran a coffee shop.

In 1874-75 their marriage started to crumble and they sold the coffee shop and said goodbye to a steady income.

This is where Liz began her path towards becoming one of Jack the Ripper’s victims: she descended into poverty after losing the security of a husband.

Her Move to Whitechapel & Descent into Poverty

Vintage map highlighting the area of Flower and Dean Street in Spitalfields, circled in red, with a legend indicating the socioeconomic conditions of the late 19th century. The map, color-coded to show varying levels of poverty, depicts Flower and Dean Street as a particularly impoverished area, reflecting its historical reputation as one of the notorious slums of London during the time of Jack the Ripper. — See Charles Booth’s Poverty Maps here.

The next records we have of Elizabeth Stride, she was shacked up with a dock laborer named Michael Kidney.

He was abusive and a drunk, as proved by police records.

Liz was drinking heavily at this point too, probably just trying to cope with her miserable life.

Liz and Michael would break up, she would move to a lodging house on Flower and Dean street (another notorious slum, not unlike Dorset Street), and they inevitably would get back together.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

Current-day photo of Flower & Dean Street, once the location of the lodging house where Elizabeth Stride resided, now redeveloped with modern brick buildings. Street signs for Flower & Dean Walk and Thrawl Street are visible, with a blue car parked alongside, representing the transformed urban landscape of this historical area.

At one point she charged Michael with assault, but then dropped the charges. Michael allegedly once tried to padlock her in the house so she couldn’t escape.

Also during this time, Liz was in court multiple times for “drunk and disorderly conduct” and “use of obscene language.”

Had she been met with any resources or opportunities instead of the threat of jail and prosecution, her life could have been so much more.

But instead, she would end up as one of Jack the Ripper’s many victims.

Back to Sex Work, and Into the Arms of a Killer

Illustrative map detailing the last known route of Elizabeth Stride on September 29, 1888, with dashed footprints leading from a bed symbol to a pub icon, and culminating with a skull and crossbones. The path weaves through the streets of Whitechapel on a historic map, tracing the somber final journey of a victim of Jack the Ripper.

Towards the end of September, Michael Kidney and Elizabeth Stride had a blowout argument. Liz left to go back to stay at the lodging house on Flower and Dean Street.

On the evening of September 29th, 1888, she gussied herself up, wearing a black skirt and jacket with a red rose on the lapel, with a matching black crepe bonnet.

According to friends, she seemed determined and in good spirits. She was done with Michael Kidney, and was going to make it on her own.

But Liz would not make it on her own. She wouldn’t make it through the night.

Liz Drinks at The Queen’s Head Pub

Split image contrasting the Queen's Head Pub in 1926 and its modern-day appearance. The left side shows a historical black and white photo of the pub with its name prominently displayed, while the right side presents the contemporary façade with a bright yellow awning, reflecting the evolution of a site connected to Elizabeth Stride's life in London.

Liz went from the lodging house to the Queen’s Head pub the evening of September 29. She had been arrested at this pub before, and was known to drink too much and cause a scene.

She was there at 6:30pm that night, and by all accounts she was drinking heavily. What does this mean? She was likely running low on money, and would need to top up her income by working that night.

There are no records of the time she left the pub, but when she did, she wandered south.

A “Client” on Berner Street

Historic black and white photograph of Berner Street from the late 19th century, an area linked with Elizabeth Stride, the third victim of Jack the Ripper. The street is lined with brick buildings, featuring signage of the era, such as an advertisement for Nestle's Milk, capturing the essence of the period.

Around 11 pm, she was seen with a possible client on Berner Street (now called Henriques Street).

The man was described as a “short man with a dark mustache, wearing a morning suit and bowler hat.”

Liz and this mystery man were making out and carrying on at Dutfield’s Yard, which was a small gated offshoot of Berner Street.

Vintage sepia-toned photograph of Dutfield's Yard in Whitechapel, marked by a red arrow pointing to a particular doorway, a site historically connected to the tragic fate of Elizabeth Stride, a victim of Jack the Ripper. The photo captures the gritty texture of the brickwork and the somber atmosphere of the location.

Between 12:35 am-12:45 am (it was now the early morning of September 30th), a dock worker observed Liz with a man in a long black coat right outside Dutfield’s Yard.

It’s hard to tell if this is the same man described before, but it’s what was heard that was important.

The dock worker heard heard Liz say, “not tonight, some other night.”

Was she saying no to this mystery man, and he got violent? Or was this a different person than her killer?

Contemporary view of what was once Berner Street, now Henrique Street, associated with Elizabeth Stride, a victim of Jack the Ripper. The image shows the contrast between the historic brick wall on the left and modern buildings on the right under a cloudy sky, symbolizing the passage of time in an area steeped in dark history.

Just outside Dutfield’s Yard was the Working Men’s Educational Club on Berner Street – a Jewish social club for men.

Men were coming and going all night, and none of them said they saw anything amiss.

Either the killer was practically invisible, or no one wanted to intervene.

The Discovery of Elizabeth Stride’s Body in Dutfield’s Yard

Period illustration from an 1888 newspaper showing the grim scene of Elizabeth Stride's body discovery, Jack the Ripper's third victim. The body is depicted under a sheet in a dimly lit alleyway, with bystanders gathered in shock, capturing the immediate aftermath of the tragic event.

Fifteen minutes later, a steward of the club named Louis Diemshvitz pulled up outside the club in his buggy.

His horse shied away from a dark bundle on the ground, and would go no further.

When Louis got out of his buggy and looked, he saw a woman on the ground appearing “either dead or drunk” (sadly a recurring theme here, as the same presumption was made during the discovery of Polly Nichols).

But Louis – who would later become a suspect, though ruled out quickly – actually went to get help from inside the club (yay for a man who actually did something!).

More people came outside to see what was going on, and there they saw the bloody body of Elizabeth Stride.

Elizabeth Stride’s Injuries

Historic post-mortem photograph of Elizabeth Stride, showing her face with eyes closed, alongside a written note detailing the cause of her demise. The note describes a 'violent' end and mentions hemorrhage from severed blood vessels in the neck, indicative of the brutality of the injuries sustained by this victim of Jack the Ripper. — Elizabeth Stride’s cause of death reads: “Violent haemorrhage from severance of blood vessels in the neck by a sharp instrument.”

Liz’s throat was slashed, with blood still flowing from the wound as the men swarmed around her. She was lying in the dark corner of Dutfield’s Yard, tucked away from the activity of Berner Street.

Since blood was still flowing, her heart was probably still pumping.

She likely could not have been saved, but what this does mean is that Louis likely interrupted the killer.

Her carotid artery was severed by a deep 6-inch gash across her throat. Her cause of death was reported as:

“Violent haemorrhage from severance of blood vessels in the neck by a sharp instrument. Murder against person or persons unknown.”

Liz was not mutilated like the other victims, but the slash to the throat looked identical to both Polly Nichols and Annie Chapman.

Did the killer run out of time? Did Louis’s approach cause the murderer to run off?

Jack the Ripper’s Third Victim…and Fourth

Period illustration depicting the investigation of the Jack the Ripper crimes, highlighting the discovery of Elizabeth Stride's injuries. Scenes include police constable Watkins signaling for assistance, the finding of a body in Mitre Square, and the alarmed crowd at the crime scene in Berner Street, conveying the urgency and public alarm of the era.

Since Liz was not mutilated, this lead detectives to believe the killer was likely interrupted by Louis.

What could have been a breakthrough in the case – if Louis had turned up seconds sooner – turned out to have deadly consequences later that morning.

Jack the Ripper victims sadly multiplied by two that night, as the killer apparently wasn’t satisfied. This night would go down in history as “The Double Event.”

Just hours later, another body would be found. Police had no time to waste.

Elizabeth Stride’s Grave

Split image memorializing Elizabeth Stride, with the left side featuring her white gravestone adorned with yellow flowers and a blue ribbon, and the right side presenting a solemn portrait of Elizabeth, dressed in Victorian attire. This juxtaposition honors the memory of Jack the Ripper's victim, connecting her historical significance to her final resting place. — Gravesite image via Maciupeq on Wikimedia Commons https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en

Elizabeth Stride is buried in the East London Cemetery.

Unlike the other Jack the Ripper victims, her grave remains in the same spot and intact.

Visitors often leave flowers and coins for her. The flowers recall the red rose pinned to her lapel that night, and the money is an offering – if she didn’t work that night, her life may have been saved.

Liz, “Long Liz,” you deserved so much better. You were just trying to make it in a really brutal world. Rest in peace.

Jack the Ripper Victims: Locations Today

See my map for all of the historic Jack the Ripper locations here.

Flower and Dean Street, now Flower and Dean Walk, London E1 6QT
The Queen’s Head Pub, now an architect’s office, 74 Commercial St, London E1 6LY
Berner Street/Dutfield’s Yard, now Henriques Street London E1 1NT
Elizabeth Stride’s Grave, East London Cemetery, Grange Rd, London E13 0HB

More on Jack the Ripper’s Victims:

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