Keeping in theme with the SPR investigations tie, this week we're going to cover another of their cases. Today's adventure takes place in 1970's Enfield London. Unlike the last few stories where the characters actively called upon spirits-- these folks were tormented by them unwillingly. Between 1977 and 1979, sisters Janet and Margaret Hodgson seemed to be the epicenter of phantom knocking, flying objects, horrifying voices, and furniture that slid across the room all on its own. The SPR investigated and though some members (including the investigator) felt the haunting was legitimate, while others gave some serious side eye. So were these poltergeists proof of the paranormal or could this have been explained by something more earth-bound? Maybe we can find out on today's episode of Idiopathic.
References
1. BBC Radio 4 - The Reunion - What it’s like to meet a poltergeist. BBC. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/4GjC93L35KcswfsR13Gvj8F/what-it-s-like-to-meet-a-poltergeist
2. Moser Z. Bill Wilkins: Is The Conjuring 2 Enfield Poltergeist Based On A Real Person? ScreenRant. August 30, 2023. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://screenrant.com/bill-wilkins-conjuring-2-enfield-poltergeist-real-person/
3. Roll WG, Saroka KS, Mulligan BP, et al. Case report: a prototypical experience of “poltergeist” activity, conspicuous quantitative electroencephalographic patterns, and sLORETA profiles - suggestions for intervention. Neurocase. 2012;18(6):527-536. doi:10.1080/13554794.2011.633532
4. Chilling: Photos of the real life incident that inspired Conjuring 2. Behindwoods. June 11, 2016. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://m.behindwoods.com/tamil-movies/slideshow/chilling-photos-of-the-real-life-incident-that-inspired-conjuring-2/index.html
5. Gearhart L, Persinger MA. Geophysical variables and behavior: XXXIII. Onsets of historical and contemporary poltergeist episodes occurred with sudden increases in geomagnetic activity. Percept Mot Skills. 1986;62(2):463-466. doi:10.2466/pms.1986.62.2.463
6. Cummings C, Monti J, Kobayashi L, Potvin J, Williams K, Sullivan F. Ghost Attack: The East Providence Carbon Monoxide Mass Casualty Incident. R I Med J (2013). 2018;101(1):26-27.
7. Photographer reveals theory behind infamous Enfield haunting ‘floating child’ picture. The Independent. October 23, 2023. Accessed December 11, 2024. https://www.the-independent.com/news/uk/home-news/enfield-poltergeist-ghost-photo-proof-b2434267.html
8. Hyde D. The Enfield ‘Poltergeist’: a sceptic speaks. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/may/01/the-enfield-poltergeist-a-skeptic-speaks. May 1, 2015. Accessed January 12, 2025.
9. The Enfield Haunting. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.mailplus.co.uk/tv/finder/drama/390013/the-enfield-haunting
10. The Enfield Poltergeist: Why the unexplained mystery that shocked 1970s Britain continues to disturb. Accessed December 11, 2024. https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20231026-the-enfield-poltergeist-why-the-unexplained-mystery-that-shocked-1970s-britain-continues-to-disturb
11. The real story of the Enfield Haunting. The Telegraph. May 3, 2015. Accessed January 12, 2025. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/11571607/The-real-story-of-the-Enfield-Haunting.html
12. Dagnall N, Drinkwater KG, O’Keeffe C, et al. Things That Go Bump in the Literature: An Environmental Appraisal of “Haunted Houses.” Front Psychol. 2020;11:1328. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01328
Additional Resources
The Enfield Poltergeist Story – The Dark Histories Podcast: https://www.darkhistories.com/the-enfield-poltergeist-story/
ATWWD: Episode 56: Hell’s Carpet and a McDonald’s Airbnb https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43iEhDDEJdk