The Gorbals Poltergeist

In 1974, a tenement flat in Glasgow’s Gorbals district became the scene of intense poltergeist activity. The case was investigated by researchers and covered by the press, becoming one of Scotland’s most significant 20th-century poltergeist cases.

The Location

The Gorbals was one of Glasgow’s most notorious areas, known for poverty and overcrowding. By 1974, slum clearance was transforming the district. The affected family lived in one of the remaining Victorian tenements.

The Activity

Disturbances began with knockings and small objects moving. The activity quickly escalated: furniture overturned, crockery flew, and bedding was torn from beds. The family was terrified.

The Focus

As in many cases, a teenage girl in the household appeared to be the focus. Activity was most intense in her presence. She was frightened and insisted she had nothing to do with the phenomena.

The Investigation

Researchers from the Scottish Society for Psychical Research investigated. They witnessed phenomena they could not explain. The case was considered genuine, though the cause remained undetermined.

The Resolution

The family was rehoused in one of the new Gorbals developments. The activity did not follow them. Whether this was because they left the focus behind, the original location was genuinely haunted, or some other reason is unknown.

Assessment

The Gorbals Poltergeist occurred during a period of massive social change in Glasgow. The stress and displacement of the clearances may have contributed to conditions favorable for poltergeist activity.