Photography was still in its relative infancy during the investigation of the Whitechapel murders.
Although the police used photography, it was only Mary Kelly who was actually photographed at the scene of the crime. The others were photographed once their bodies had been removed to the mortuary and cleaned up.
This was likely because the other 4 women were murdered in the street and the bodies were removed quickly to prevent the preying eyes of the public - which the use of the large camera would inevitably prevent.
Patricia Cornwell states:
Mortuary photographs were made with a big wooden box camera that could shoot only directly ahead… the camera could not be pointed down or at an angle.
Without the graphic and disturbing photographic evidence of the killer’s crimes, it is unlikely the mystery of the ‘Jack the Ripper’ would continue to fascinate people today.
Photographs from 'Casebook' website: http://photos.casebook.org/index.php?cat=19
Claire
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