Eliza Cooper

Eliza Cooper was born c. 1849. She was married to John William Cooper, a carman. She was possibly a prostitute, though in newspaper reports her profession was given as “vendor of stationary.” She lived at Crossingham’s Lodging House and was an acquaintance of murder victim Annie Chapman. In the days leading up to the murder the two women quarreled for reasons that have never been satisfactorily determined. Cooper herself suggested it was because the deceased had borrowed soap from her and refused to return it. The majority of the fight was apparently carried out in The Britannia, a pub, and witnesses testified that Cooper struck Chapman in the face and chest, leaving the deceased with a black eye. Others have suggested the fight was over money being stolen, or the fact that both women were allegedly engaged in an affair with Edward Stanley. It is unknown which version is true. This fight was the last time Cooper saw Chapman alive.   
 
On October 17th she was arrested for assaulting a man named Thomas Wilne, and was bound for 5 pounds should she break the peace again. The reason for this assault is unknown. Early in the morning on November 6th she ran from her house on Worship Street and reported to a police officer that she had been stabbed by her husband. In all she had received three stab wounds. She was attended by Dr Bagster Phillips. Her husband was arrested and held for trial. Nothing else is known about Eliza Cooper.