Thornton Heath Poltergeist

thecactus · Joined: 07 Mar 2011 Posts: 3196 Location: Northern Ireland

The Thornton Heath Poltergeist

Location: Thornton Heath, South London, England

Date: 1972 - 1975

The Thornton Heath poltergeist case is not to be confused with the 1938 case of the same name, which was investigated by Dr Nandor Fodor!

Nearly 40 years ago, in Thornton Heath, England, a family was tormented by poltergeist phenomena that started one night in late August 1972, when they were woken in the middle of the night by a blaring bedside radio that had somehow turned itself on – tuned to a foreign-language station. This was the beginning of a string of events that lasted nearly four years. A lampshade repeatedly was knocked to the floor by unaided hands. During the Christmas season of 1972, an ornament was hurled across the room, smashing into the husband’s forehead. Apparantly as he flopped into an armchair, the Christmas tree began to shake violently. As Christmas became New Years there were footsteps in the bedroom when there was no one there, and one night the couple's son awoke to find a man in old fashioned dress staring threateningly at him. The poor boy lay frozen with fear and confusion, until he managed to duck under his cover and close his eyes - for quite a long time I'd guess! The family's fear grew when, as they entertained friends one night, there was a loud knocking at the front door, the living room door was then flung open and all the houses lights came on.

Having the house blessed sadly failed to rid the house of the poltergeist phenomena. Objects flew through the air, loud noises were heard and the family would sometimes hear a noise which suggested a large piece of furniture had crashed to floor. When they went to investigate, nothing would be found.

A medium who was consulted told the family that the house was haunted by a farmer of the name Chatterton, who considered the family trespassers on his property. An investigation bore out the fact that had indeed lived in the house in the mid-18th century. The medium sensed that Chatterton's wife now joined in in causing mayhem, and often the tenant's wife would be followed up the stairs at night by an elderly gray-haired woman wearing a pinafore and with her hair tied back in a bun. If looked at, she would disappear back into the shadows. The family even reported seeing the farmer appear on their television screens, wearing a black jacket with wide, pointed lapels, high-necked shirt and black cravat.

After the family moved out of the house, the poltergeist activity ceased, and none have been reported by subsequent residents.

Overall, a chilling, unexplained and famous case.

D B Sweeney · Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2011 2:20 pm Post subject:

Overall, a chilling, unexplained and famous case.

Unexplained to some but not unexplainable.

DB

thecactus · Joined: 07 Mar 2011 Posts: 3196 Location: Northern Ireland

It was a hoax or it was real. If it wasnt a hoax, the activity is unexplainable.

D B Sweeney · Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2011 2:40 pm Post subject:

thecactus · Joined: 07 Mar 2011 Posts: 3196 Location: Northern Ireland

maybe one or two seperate happenings in any one case; but consistent different seperate incidents and you have to assume they are unexplainable or paranormal

D B Sweeney · Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 12:04 am Post subject:

thecactus · Joined: 07 Mar 2011 Posts: 3196 Location: Northern Ireland

in your meagre opinion

D B Sweeney · Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 1:54 am Post subject:

thecactus · Joined: 07 Mar 2011 Posts: 3196 Location: Northern Ireland

yes i know the term - all you had to say was 'no need to shoot the messenger' not give an extended unnecessary definition but

D B Sweeney · Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 2:32 am Post subject:

It was an opinion that can be supported by the dubious nature of some of your claims such as:

It was a hoax or it was real. If it wasnt a hoax, the activity is unexplainable.

DB

thecactus · Joined: 07 Mar 2011 Posts: 3196 Location: Northern Ireland

ok then, if it wasnt a hoax - explain the activity

D B Sweeney · Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 2:47 am Post subject:

flossy · Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2011 2:52 am Post subject:

is wikipedia a reliable sorce to get imformation
im just woundering because it looks like you can edit whats there and if thats the case isnt it a little like youtube
you could put anything up there and say it was fact Confused

thecactus · Joined: 07 Mar 2011 Posts: 3196 Location: Northern Ireland

you are making the claim that the activity is NOT unexplainable, hence it is explainable

When debating any issue, there is an implicit burden of proof on the person asserting a claim.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophic_burden_of_proof

thecactus · Joined: 07 Mar 2011 Posts: 3196 Location: Northern Ireland

flossy, i agree its definately no more reliable than youtube - its all user generated material