London: Ten Bells Pub

This pub first opened its doors in the 18^th century. It is located in Spitalfields in the East End of London.

The Ten Bells is at the upper
top right of this 1905 photo.

Ten Bells is named after the 10 bells that peal out in Christ Churches’ belfry next door. At one time, the pub was called Eight Bells, but when the church upgraded to 10 chimes, the pub’s name was updated as well.

This pub became renowned because of its connection to Jack the Ripper crimes in the late 1800s. All the murdered prostitutes at one time or another had patronized this public house.

Mary Kelly, the Ripper's last victim, often stood in front of Ten Bells to solicit customers. Her body was found across the road from the pub.

Because of this, the pub was renamed Jack the Ripper in 1979. By 1988 it was pointed out that this murderer shouldn’t be commemorated in this way so it was again named The Ten Bells.

Rumors about the Ten Bells being haunted have circulated for years.

Annie Chapman

One claim is that the pub has an active poltergeist. It is believed this ghost is Annie Chapman, who was one of the Ripper’s victims.

Annie Chapman

It is stated that after Annie spent one-night drinking at the pub, the Ripper lured her away. Her body was found later mutilated nearby on Hanbury Street.

Annie is believed to be the ghost that makes objects move mysteriously in the pub. She is particularly fond of moving pints of beer.

Despite the fact she was murdered brutally, her ghost is not considered malicious in nature.

Annie has never been seen just felt.

But there is a ghost at Ten Bells who does appear regularly.

The Old Man

The Ten Bells 2012

In the 1990s, several staff members who worked at this pub lived upstairs. These employees reported seeing a ghostly old man wearing Victorian clothing.

Several reported waking in the middle of the night feeling uneasy. When they turned over, they saw a male phantom form lying beside them in their beds.

As they cried out in shock or moved to leave their beds; this figure then disappeared.

The descriptions given of this ghost always closely matched. No one had any idea who this man was. The staff that opted to stay learned to live with this activity.

In 2000, the new landlord was cleaning out the building’s cellar when he found an old metal box hidden in a corner.

It contained items that belonged to a man named George Roberts. A wallet that was found contained a clipping that mentioned Roberts was murdered with an ax, while at the Swansea Cinema.

It was later discovered Roberts had been the landlord of the Ten Bells when the Ripper was active in the late 1800s.

People today state the old man that is seen is George Roberts.

One tenant in the building in 2001, stated that he often heard Robert’s footsteps and his laughter when he was the only one in the building.

Modern-day interior.

He would always investigate but he never discovered anything.

One evening as he headed down the stairs to investigate the bar area, he felt firm invisible hands shove him. This happened to him more than once--each time he ended up falling down the stairs.