Lynn

Has anyone participated in the Jack The Ripper Walk given by London Walks on Sunday night (I believe the guide this night is Donald Rumbelow)? We plan on visiting London in March and would like to participate in the walk - just wondering if anyone out there has any information. Thanks.

Sonya

Hello Lynn. We did the Ripper walk with Donald Rumbelow on a Sunday just after Christmas 2001. I had sent an e-mail asking London Walks if Donald was scheduled to do the walk on that particular night and they promptly replied that he was. I also inquired if Sunday was usually a night for large crowds. They replied that Sunday was one of the busiest nights for the walk. There was a crowd of about 80 people on the walk. Donald handled the crowd extremely well and there was a group of about 30 who were sent on ahead of us with (I think) Donald's wife. That said he is a great storyteller who really knows his stuff. Unfortunately there were several other walks out that night (different companies) and we all circled each other at most every stop. Very little atmosphere of victorian London left to soak up in the streets we traveled but the walk was interesting. Hopefully March would not be as crowded but you could e-mail London Walks and ask for a suggestion as<BR>to a less crowded evening. However, even with a large crowd I never felt I could not hear what he was saying and he always waited until everyone had gathered round before beginning. Sonya

xxx

We did the Ripper Walk on a Sunday evening in March 2001. It was just as crowded as mentioned already by Sonya.

valuent

i went on a tuesday night and donald was my guide. another guide was there and took the uninformed (meaning they didn't know donald was the best) ahead by about 10 minutes. he's prepared for large crowds - he brings a stepstool so all can see him and he projects his voice, and he always asks if you can hear him. it was a fun experience, but since there's almost nothing left of the original buildings at the time of the murders, you have to use your imagination. there's a bit of repetition because they stretch this out for 2 hours. i was disappointed at the 15 stop at the pub; much too crowded for all to fit in and it's chilly in the winter evenings to stand outside. i think he uses this as an opportunity to hawk his book, copies of which he sells while you're stopped at the pub.

Daphne

We really do like John Muffty's walks. He is self-employed and his groups are of a reasonable size so that you can keep up and hear him. His "Jack the Ripper" is on Tuesdays at 7:30 and Saturdays at 7:00, leaving from the Whitechapel Underground Station. He does a really good walk!

Grasshopper

I took the walk a couple of years ago with Tony, who turned out to be one of the guys they warn you about going with on the Original London Walks website. One of those guys who leave about 15 minutes early and aren't official. That said, he was great! We had a smallish group (maybe 15) and Tony was extremely interesting. He was (he said) a Beefeater and the only guide not a member of the Masons. (not sure about that!) <BR><BR>I've heard the walks are EXTREMELY crowded and that the neighbors get annoyed and mean. Maybe the unofficial route is a plus. In the end, he asked for "whatever you think this walk was worth".

Molly

What's the deal with Masons?

Eva

I ' d wanted to listen to the famous Donal without the crowds so I've been with him on the Unknown East End tour, only 20 people.He was really great,visited the place of the first Ripper case , and other famous crimes.That area has even now a 19. century atmosphere.The tour was very enjoyable.