Jack-the-Ripper
The police finding a lady in exceptionally poor shape, whose condition had absolutely nothing to do with our founder, Montague John Druitt

 

The Whitechapel Whelk was the brainchild of Montague John Druitt, a fishmonger and barrister-at-law who became one of the chief suspects in the infamous, Jack The Ripper murders that took place in Whitechapel in East London during the late 19th century.

He was of course, completely innocent, as the sub-editor of this magazine will testify. This is due to the fact that, in 1888, his nan went to the music hall with him – and although he did attempt to murder and then mutilate her on the way home – he stopped as soon as she said no; thereby proving his innocence and his gentlemanly mien.

He started the magazine shortly after the final murder and was initially going to call it: The Whitechapel Ripper. However, he thought this might upset the locals and attract suspicion from the police, so he drew on his love for selling seafood from a stall outside The Royal London Hospital and called it The Whitechapel Whelk instead.

It’s been downhill ever since really and has now been purloined by a disparate desperate band of satirists, drunks, toerags and the dregs of London society in general – apart from our graphics artist, ‘The Artful Dodger’, who is a jolly fine sort, pleasing of aspect, sound in wind and limb and a confirmed non-smoking, bible-thumping teetotaler…it says here.

So have a look around, have a laugh – if you can find anything even vaguely amusing that is – give us a follow and then go about your business, damn your eyes!

All the best from the editorial team, the writers, and above all, the office cat, Mrs Bastard.

Danny SoZ. Editor-in-chief

The Whitechapel Whelk

London E1

PS. Any images on this blog have been innocently used without any intention or wish to breach copyright. If you would like any of them removed, please let us know here and we will be more than happy to do that for you.