Mary Ann Nichols

Mary Ann Walker was born on August 26, 1845 in Dawes Court, Shoe Lane, off Fleet Street (London, England) to blacksmith (former locksmith) Edward Walker and his wife Caroline. She was christened in or some years before 1851. She had a brother. Caroline died in 1852 aged 32 and was buried on 5th December at St Andrew Holborn. Polly married William Nichols on January 16, 1864. She would have been about 22 years old. The couple had three children: Edward John, born on 4th of July 1866; Percy George, 1868 and Alice Esther, 1870. In 1877 they had their second daughter, Eliza Sarah, and their marital problems began. In 1879 their son Henry Alfred was born. Around 1880/81 William and Polly separated. William retained custody of the children. William paid Polly an allowance of 5/- (25p) a week. After the separation, Polly began a sad litany of moving from workhouse to workhouse (a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment). In 1882, William found