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Poltergeist
In German folklore and ghostlore, a poltergeist ( or ; ; or ) is a type of ghost or spirit that is responsible for physical disturbances, such as loud noises and objects being moved or destroyed. Most claims or fictional descriptions of poltergeists show them as being capable of pinching, biting, hitting, and tripping people. They are also depicted as capable of the movement or levitation of objects such as furniture and cutlery, or noises such as knocking on doors. Foul smells are also associated with poltergeist occurrences, as well as spontaneous fires and different electrical issues such as flickering lights. These manifestations have been recorded in many cultures and countries, including Brazil, Australia, the United States, Japan and most European nations. The first recorded cases date back to the 1st century. Skeptics explain poltergeists as juvenile tricksters fooling credulous adults. Etymology The word ''poltergeist'' comes from the German language words and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Enfield Poltergeist Claim
The Enfield poltergeist was a claim of supernatural activity at 284 Green Street, a council house in Brimsdown, Enfield, London, Enfield, London, England, between 1977 and 1979. The alleged poltergeist activity was centred on sisters Janet, aged 11, and Margaret Hodgson, aged 13. Some members of the Society for Psychical Research (SPR) such as inventor Maurice Grosse and writer Guy Lyon Playfair, believed the haunting to be genuine, while others like Anita Gregory and John Beloff were "unconvinced" and found evidence the girls had faked incidents for the benefit of journalists. Members of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), including stage magicians Milbourne Christopher and Joe Nickell, criticised paranormal investigators for being credulous whilst also identifying elements of the case as being indicative of a hoax. The story attracted press coverage in British newspapers, has been mentioned in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nandor Fodor
Nandor Fodor (May 13, 1895 – May 17, 1964) was a British and American Parapsychology, parapsychologist, Psychoanalysis, psychoanalyst, author and journalist of Hungary, Hungarian origin. Biography Fodor was born in Beregszász, Austro-Hungarian Empire (now Berehove in Ukraine), to a Jewish family. He received a doctorate in law from the Royal Hungarian University of Science in Budapest. He moved to New York to work as a journalist and to Britain in 1929 where he worked for a newspaper company.Raymond Buckland, Buckland, Raymond. (2005). ''The Spirit Book: The Encyclopedia of Clairvoyance, Channeling, and Spirit Communication''. Visible Ink Press. p. 144. Fodor was one of the leading authorities on poltergeists, haunting and paranormal phenomena usually associated with mediumship. He was at one time Sigmund Freud's associate and wrote on subjects like prenatal development and dream interpretation, although he is mostly credited for his Masterpiece, magnum opus, ''Encyclopedia o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Columbus Poltergeist Case
Tina Resch (also goes by her full name Christina Elaine Boyer, born October 23, 1969) was a central figure in a series of incidents that came to be called the Columbus poltergeist case. In 1984, alleged telekinesis events at her Columbus, Ohio home drew significant news media interest. A series of color photographs taken by photojournalist Fred Shannon, and published by ''The Columbus Dispatch'', were purported to show Resch sitting in an armchair with a telephone handset and phone cord flying in front of her. Resch's story, and Shannon's photography, were featured on a 1993 episode of ''Unsolved Mysteries''. Skeptics and debunkers pointed out that much of the proclaimed evidence was anecdotal and thin and declared the case to be a hoax. Paul Kurtz wrote that Resch was "a disturbed teenager" who faked poltergeist phenomena because she "craved attention". Resch was married and divorced twice, and had a child named Amber Boyer. In 1994, facing a potential death penalty if she agr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stockwell Ghost
The Stockwell ghost, also known as the Stockwell poltergeist, was an alleged case of poltergeist disturbance in Stockwell, London, England, that occurred in 1772. It was later exposed as a hoax. On 6 January 1772 at the house of Mrs Golding, various cups, saucers and stone plates were reported to have fallen from a shelf to the ground and food was thrown across the room. Violent noises were also heard around the house. Golding decided to take refuge with her neighbour but the disturbances continued. It was noted that the disturbances only took place when her servant Ann Robinson was present. She was dismissed and the disturbances ceased. Hone, William. (1878 edition, originally published 1825)''The Every Day Book'' London: William Tegg. pp. 31-35 Roud, Steve. (2010). ''London Lore: The Legends and Traditions of the World's Most Vibrant City''. Arrow. pp. 414-415. Despite the suspicious circumstances surrounding Robinson, the case was considered for many years by the public to be th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Caledonia Mills
Caledonia Mills (Scottish Gaelic: ''An Daigear'') is a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in Antigonish County. Alleged haunting It is well known as the community of the Mary-Ellen spook farm, also known as the fire spook. It was alleged that the community experienced mysterious fires and poltergeist effects between 1899 and 1922. The case drew the attention of Arthur Conan Doyle, the author of Sherlock Holmes. Mary-Ellen's biological parents were John and Annie (Duggan) MacDonald and she was later adopted by Alexander and Janet MacDonald of Caledonia Mills. Walter Franklin Prince, research officer for the American Society for Psychical Research The American Society for Psychical Research (ASPR) is the oldest psychical research organization in the United States dedicated to parapsychology. Until recently, it maintained offices and a library in New York City that were open to members and ... in 1922 investigated and concluded that the mysterious fire ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frank Podmore
Frank Podmore (5 February 1856 – 14 August 1910) was an English author and founding member of the Fabian Society as well as an influential member of the Society for Psychical Research. He is known for his interest in spiritualism, which he eventually developed a sceptical attitude towards, specifically the claims of mediumship which he attacked in his history of mediumship, ''The New Spiritualism'' (1910). However, he defended other experiences such as telepathy and ghosts, which he regarded as telepathic hallucinations. Life Born at Elstree, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, Podmore was the son of Thompson Podmore, an Anglican priest and the headmaster of Eastbourne College.Willin, M. (2017)'Frank Podmore' Psi Encyclopedia. The Society for Psychical Research. He was educated at Haileybury and Pembroke College, Oxford (where he first became interested in Spiritualism and joined the Society for Psychical Research – this interest remained with him throughout his life). After gradu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joe Nickell
Joe Herman Nickell (December 1, 1944 – March 4, 2025) was an American skeptic and investigator of the paranormal. Nickell was a senior research fellow for the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and wrote regularly for their journal, '' Skeptical Inquirer''. He was also an associate dean of the Center for Inquiry Institute. He was the author or editor of over 30 books. Among his career highlights, Nickell helped expose the James Maybrick "Jack the Ripper Diary" as a hoax. In 2002, Nickell was one of a number of experts asked by scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. to evaluate the authenticity of the manuscript of Hannah Crafts' '' The Bondwoman's Narrative'' (1853–1860), possibly the first novel by an African-American woman. At the request of document dealer and historian Seth Keller, Nickell analyzed documentation in the dispute over the authorship of "The Night Before Christmas", ultimately supporting the Clement Clarke Moore claim. Background Joe Nickell was the son of J. W ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ghost
In folklore, a ghost is the soul or Spirit (supernatural entity), spirit of a dead Human, person or non-human animal that is believed by some people to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely, from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes to realistic, lifelike forms. The deliberate attempt to contact the spirit of a deceased person is known as necromancy, or in Kardecist spiritism, spiritism as a ''séance''. Other terms associated with it are apparition, haunt, haint, phantom, poltergeist, Shade (mythology), shade, specter, spirit, spook, wraith, demon, and ghoul. The belief in the existence of an afterlife, as well as manifestations of the spirits of the dead, is widespread, dating back to animism or ancestor worship in pre-literate cultures. Certain religious practices—funeral rites, exorcisms, and some practices of Spiritualism (beliefs), spiritualism and ritual magic—are specifically designed to re ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Walter Franklin Prince
Walter Franklin Prince (22 April 1863 – 7 August 1934) was an American parapsychologist and founder of the Boston Society for Psychical Research in Boston.Berger, Arthur S. (1988). ''Walter Franklin Prince: A Portrait''. In ''Lives and Letters in American Parapsychology: A Biographical History, 1850-1987''. McFarland. pp. 75-108. Career Born in Detroit, Maine, Prince graduated from Maine Wesleyan Seminary in 1881 to become an Episcopal minister. He earned a BD in 1886 from Drew Theological Seminary and a PhD from Yale University in 1899. His doctoral thesis was on multiple personality. In 1910 he was the rector of All Saints' Church in Pittsburgh and in 1916 the director of psychotherapeutics at St. Marks's Episcopal Church in New York City. In 1885, Prince married Lelia Madora Colman, they had no children but adopted a daughter. Lelia died in 1924. Prince authored several works on the study of human psychic abilities, among them ''The Psychic in the House'' (Boston ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
German Folklore
German folklore is the folk tradition which has developed in Germany over a number of centuries. Seeing as Germany was divided into numerous polities for most of its history, this term might both refer to the folklore of Germany proper and of all German-speaking countries, this wider definition including folklore of Austria and Liechtenstein as well as the German-speaking parts of Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium, and Italy. Characteristics It shares many characteristics with Nordic folklore and English folklore due to their origins in a common Germanic mythology. It reflects a similar mix of influences: a pre-Christian pantheon and other beings equivalent to those of Norse mythology; magical characters (sometimes recognizably pre-Christian) associated with Christian festivals, and various regional 'character' stories. As in Scandinavia, when belief in the old gods disappeared, remnants of the mythos persisted: There are: * Frau Holle or Perchta, a "supernatural" patron o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anita Gregory
Anita Gregory (née Kohsen; 9 June 1925 – 7 November 1984) was a German-born British psychologist and parapsychologist.Anita Kohsen Gregory Gale Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology via Answers.com Gregory was a lecturer at the . She was a member of the and conducted experiments with the British psychic Matthew Manning. She fled |
American Society For Psychical Research
The American Society for Psychical Research (ASPR) is the oldest psychical research organization in the United States dedicated to parapsychology. Until recently, it maintained offices and a library in New York City that were open to members and the general public. Society has an open membership, and anyone interested in psychical research is still invited to join. However, recent attempts to interact with the organization have caused a realization that this organization is currently dormant. The building that once served as its headquarters has been sold, and its materials are now in a difficult-to-access archive. It maintains a website and publishes the quarterly ''Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research''. History It was William Fletcher Barrett's visit to America that ultimately led to the formation of the American Society for Psychical Research in December, 1884.Fichman, Martin. (2004). ''An Elusive Victorian: The Evolution of Alfred Russel Wallace''. Univ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
