George Godley

George Albert Godley (31 October 1857 – 20 July 1941) was a police officer of the Metropolitan Police who was involved in the hunt for Jack the Ripper in 1888.

Born at East Grinstead in Sussex in 1857, the third eldest of 11 children born to George Godley (1829–1900), a sawyer, and Elizabeth (née Howard, born 1830), like his father, George Albert Godley initially worked as a sawyer. He then joined the Metropolitan Police on 26 February 1877, and was assigned warrant number 61230.

When Godley arrested poisoner George Chapman in 1902 the then retired Inspector Abberline allegedly said "You have caught Jack the Ripper at last" or similar words.

Godley retired on 20 January 1908 by which time he was an Inspector in K Division. He died in July 1941 aged 83.

In 1881 he married Emma Adeline Mitchell (1863–1936). They had three children: Albert George Godley (1892–1972), Arthur Godley (born 1894) and Ella Adeline Godley (born 1897). and in the 2001 film From Hell, the character 'Peter Godley' played by Robbie Coltrane was based on George Godley.