My Victorian Nightmare
Host: Genevieve Manion | Daylight Media
Episode 84: The HORRIFIC Thames Torso Murders
Date: March 2, 2026

Overview of the Episode

Genevieve Manion takes listeners on a chilling journey through the unsolved Thames Torso Murders (1887–1889), often overshadowed by the notorious Jack the Ripper killings. This episode draws listeners into a foggy, haunted London, blending poetic narration, historical research, and empathy for the forgotten victims. Manion’s goal: to shed light on “the other monster” that stalked Victorian London and the tragic women whose stories were nearly erased from history.

1. Introduction: Setting the Mood & Podcast Direction

Timestamps: 00:22 – 06:00

• Genevieve welcomes listeners, notes the focus on Victorian-era horror, and reflects on recent listener feedback seeking more deep-dive true crime content.
• She mentions changes to regular podcast segments, planning fewer recurring “Seance Room” and “With Their Own Eyes” stories to allow for more in-depth explorations.
• Memorable Moment: Personal genealogy tangent—Genevieve’s connection to Noah Webster (of the dictionary), and even more strikingly, to “Half Hanged Mary” Webster, a “witch” who survived her own execution in 17th-century Massachusetts. She shares an excerpt from Margaret Atwood’s poem about Mary, blending history and literary resonance that sets the show’s haunting tone.
  • Quote (Margaret Atwood):
    “When they came to harvest my corpse. Open your mouth. Close your eyes. Cut my body from the rope. Surprise, surprise, I was still alive. Tough luck, folks. I know the law. You can't execute me twice for the same thing. How nice. I fell to the clover, breathed it in and bared my teeth at them in a filthy grin. You can imagine how that went over. Now I only need look out at them through my sky blue eyes. They see their own ill will staring them in the forehead and turn tail. Before, I was not a witch, but now I am one.” (09:25)

2. The Thames Torso Murders: Context & Overview

Timestamps: 10:00 – 15:00

• The Thames Torso Murders were a series of unsolved killings in London during the same era as the Jack the Ripper murders (exact years: 1887–1889).
• Key Context:
  • Similar timing, but markedly different methods: Jack the Ripper slashed throats and mutilated bodies, while the Torso Murderer dismembered victims with anatomical precision.
  • Only one of the four canonical victims was ever identified—Elizabeth Jackson.
  • The cases include the Raynham Mystery, the Whitehall Mystery, the Pinchin Street Torso, and the case of Elizabeth Jackson.
  • Quote from Genevieve:
    “The MO of the Thames Torso Murderer or seemed at first to be similar to those of Jack the Ripper, and they believed that this might be the same person. But very specific differences led police to believe that they were dealing with a whole other monster altogether.” (10:45)

3. The Raynham Mystery (1887)

Timestamps: 15:00 – 19:30

• Setting: Rural Raynham, foggy and isolated—great for a dramatic walkthrough (“I brought us a lovely thermos of English breakfast tea and a cup for you. Here, take that. Ah, isn’t that just perfect for the vibe?” 11:20)
• Discovery: Fisherman Edward Hughes hauls up the decomposed, headless torso of a woman from the Thames.
• Coroner concludes:
  • Dismemberment occurred after death.
  • The killer had anatomical knowledge, likely a surgeon (“thoroughly acquainted with anatomy”).
  • Parts cut cleanly at natural joint lines, not hacked through bones.
• Potential identities (Ms. Cross, Ms. Carter) considered, but never confirmed.
• Public response:
  • Not yet full-blown panic, but the case’s grotesque nature captivated newspapers.
• Commentary on Victorian views:
  • Widespread suspicion and mistrust of surgeons in this era due to body-snatching for medical study.

4. The Whitehall Mystery (1888)

Timestamps: 19:35 – 29:30

• Sequence of Discoveries:
  • Arm found off Pimlico on Sept 11. Another on Lambeth road (Sept 28). Decapitated torso and leg found at New Scotland Yard construction site (Oct 2).
• Police initially suspect links with Jack the Ripper, but notice MO differences.
• Key Investigative Details:
  • Arms matched to torso; cause of death could not be determined.
  • Victim was ~25 years old, blood drained from body—scene of murder likely very bloody.
• Societal Response:
  • Heightened terror and anger at police (“it was seen as incompetence by the police force not doing a good enough job…” 23:35)
  • Public fascination: hundreds crowd the morgue, desperate to be on the coroner’s jury just to see the remains.
• Notable Quote (on fascination):
  • “People were desperate to be picked to be on the coroner's jury to help determine the cause of death. But mostly to get a look for themselves.” (23:47)
• The onslaught of Jack the Ripper’s murders overshadows the torso cases—public, press, and police become obsessed with the Ripper narrative.

5. The Murder of Elizabeth Jackson (1889)

Timestamps: 29:31 – 43:32

• Initial Discovery: Three boys find a woman’s leg wrapped in cloth (with initials and the name “Fisher”) near Battersea Park (June 4, 1889).
• More remains found downstream and in Battersea Park, all by chance.
• Identification Process:
  • Wrapped parcels, condition of limbs, and right scars allow for some description.
  • With more body parts, authorities determine she was ~8 months pregnant or had a recent abortion (disputed by coroners).
  • Ultimately, the victim is identified as Elizabeth Jackson by distinctive scars, jewelry marks, and witness testimonies.
  • Quote:
    “Her description was circulated around London and a few people came forward who had missing relatives, a number of whom luckily turned up alive. Once more pieces were found, the theory that she had recently had an abortion was contested.” (35:18)
• Investigation:
  • Suspect John Faircloth (thought to be her partner) is arrested, but his alibi holds. He’s eventually cleared.
  • Theories arise: Could the torso murderer be the Ripper, altering his methods? Police remain divided.

6. The Pinchin Street Torso (September 1889)

Timestamps: 43:33 – 48:25

• On Sept 10, 1889, a female torso—with arms attached but no head—is found under a railway arch in Pinchin Street by Police Constable William Pennant.
• Heavy decomposition; remains otherwise typical of this killer’s anatomical skill.
• Three local homeless men are arrested and quickly released.
• No identification is possible, but speculation arises about her being a local factory worker.
• Notable difference: this victim shows extensive bruising—suggestive of assault before death.

7. Connected & Unconnected Murders, Theories, and Lasting Fear

Timestamps: 48:26 – 54:40

• Several earlier and later murders have a similar MO, but are not conclusively linked to the Thames Torso series.
• Public confusion reigned, increased by misleading or sensational press coverage.
  • Quote:
    “Not all details of the specific MOs were accurately reported in the papers. So it all just seemed like a gruesome blur of very similar cases that most couldn't tell the difference between…” (49:50)
• Women alter behaviors:
  • Avoiding foreign accents and “respectably dressed strangers.”
  • Church attendance rises sharply.
  • Sex workers attempted to work in groups, but many still forced by poverty to risk working alone.
  • Heartbreaking contemporary quote:
    “Every man we see, we think is him. And if we had money to pay for a bed, we would not be out. We must go out or starve.” (52:23)

8. A Suspect: James Corporation Crick

Timestamps: 54:41 – 57:00

• Career waterman with anatomical knowledge (a butcher), familiar with the Thames geography, and a history of violence against women.
• Crick is cited as a potential suspect for the murders, but evidence is highly circumstantial and largely speculative.
• His imprisonment in 1889 coincides with the cessation of the murders—but there is no true proof.

9. Legacy and Reflection

Timestamps: 57:01 – end (~59:35)

• Of all the victims, only Elizabeth Jackson was identified; the rest remain unknown, their names and stories lost.
• Many of the victims were buried in unmarked graves, with no memorials.
• Poignant closing reflection:
  • “The killer didn't take their identities. They only took them from us. … The lives that they lived could not be erased. … We need not know their names to know that they lived.” (58:30)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It is tragic to know that their families never knew what became of them. And it is tragic that they were killed by someone who was never brought to justice. And I do hope that one day a proper moment memorial is created in London for these women. But for now, may we take a moment to honor the lives lived by these women. We need not know their names to know that they lived.” (58:26)
• Margaret Atwood, via Half Hanged Mary: “Open your mouth. Close your eyes. Cut my body from the rope. Surprise, surprise, I was still alive. Tough luck, folks. I know the law. You can't execute me twice for the same thing. How nice. I fell to the clover, breathed it in and bared my teeth at them in a filthy grin.” (09:25)
• On Victorian women’s responses to danger: “Women also avoided, quote, unquote, respectably dressed strangers as witnesses who believed to have seen Jack the Ripper described him as a well dressed and well groomed man… unless women had to be out at night, they stayed in. And interestingly, church attendance dramatically rose during the murders in parts of the East End.” (50:56)

Key Episode Insights

• The Thames Torso Murders are one of Victorian London’s overlooked serial killer sprees, likely claiming many more victims than ever confirmed.
• The killer’s skill with dismemberment suggested medical training or butchery expertise.
• Dismemberment itself fed Victorian anxieties about surgeons, body-snatching, and unholy meddling with the dead.
• Only one official victim (Elizabeth Jackson) was ever named; the others remain lost to history.
• The failures of police, society’s misdirected blame, and enduring misogyny left these women doubly victimized—first by their killer, then by society’s neglect.
• The episode closes with a poignant call to remember and honor the anonymous dead, to refuse the erasure intended by the perpetrator.

For Further Information:
Genevieve directs listeners to her show notes (website, Patreon) for full references.
She encourages listeners to rate, comment, and join the Fan Coven for more Victorian horrors and creepy content.

For Listeners Who Haven’t Heard the Episode:
This summary offers both the disturbing facts and the uniquely atmospheric, empathetic perspective of Genevieve Manion’s narration—making sure the stories of these lost women, both known and unnamed, are finally heard.