Architect says he was duped, as women's history museum becomes Jack the Ripper experience
by Tom Anstey | 06 Aug 2015
The Jack the Ripper Museum was originally intended to be a women's history museum
The architect of a project originally conceived as a “world-class women’s history museum" in London's East End, but now being marketed as a museum dedicated to Jack the Ripper, has said his firm was completely unaware of the plans to change the museum’s purpose.
Andrew Waugh, director of architecture firm Waugh Thistleton, said he had worked with former museum founder –former Google executive Mark Palmer-Edgecumbe – on the designs, which were submitted for planning permission in 2014.
According to Building Design Waugh said: “It’s salacious, misogynist rubbish. We’re not interested in it.”
According to Palmer-Edgecumbe, this perception is a “misconception” of what the museum is about. He said the attraction will be “a serious examination of the events of London’s East End in the 1880s, not a glorification of Jack the Ripper or his crimes.”
Palmer-Edgecumbe said that the project “changed architects in September 2014”. The developer added that he had not deliberately misled the planning authority – Tower Hamlets Council – but that “ideas developed as we curated the exhibition and the museum is still focused on women, examining the social history of the East End.”
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According to its website, the Jack the Ripper Museum “takes a look at the history of women in the East End in the Victorian era and discusses why so many women had little choice in their lives other than to turn to prostitution.” However, social media commenters have suggested the focus will be on the murderer rather than his victims, with multiple Tweets referring to “Ripperology” – the study of the infamous serial killer.
Public opposition to the change has been strong, with a petition to revoke planning permission for the museum at nearly 5,000 signatures.
In a statement, Tower Hamlets Council has said it is “aware of the Jack the Ripper imagery” on the museum’s facade and is “investigating the extent to which unauthorised works may have been carried out at the premises.” The council did add however that it has “no control in planning terms of the nature of the museum.”
The museum was originally due to open on 4 August, but is yet to open its doors, with no set date confirmed.
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The architect of a project originally conceived as a “world-class women’s history museum" in London's East End, but now being marketed as a museum dedicated to Jack the Ripper, has said his firm was completely unaware of the plans to change the museum’s purpose. Andrew Waugh, director of architecture firm Waugh Thistleton, said he had worked with former museum founder –former Google executive Mark Palmer-Edgecumbe – on the designs, which
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