The Stockwell Ghost

In January 1772, the house of Mrs. Golding on Stockwell Green in London became the scene of violent poltergeist activity. Crockery flew off shelves and smashed. Furniture moved. Objects hurled themselves across rooms. The disturbances terrorized the household until a young servant was caught in the act, revealing an early example of poltergeist fraud.

The Events

The activity began on January 6, 1772. Mrs. Golding, an elderly widow, noticed dishes and plates moving on their own. A clock fell from its mounting. A lantern flew across the room.

Over the following days, the phenomena intensified. Cups and glasses launched themselves from tables. Chairs toppled without apparent cause. The destruction was extensive, with household items smashing throughout the house.

Mrs. Golding and her neighbors were terrified. When she fled to a neighbor’s house, the phenomena followed her, continuing the destruction there.

Investigation

Suspicion eventually fell on Anne Robinson, a young maid employed by Mrs. Golding. Observers noticed that activity occurred only when Anne was present or had recently been in a location.

When Anne was caught throwing objects, the ghost was explained. She had used sleight of hand and misdirection to simulate supernatural activity, destroying her employer’s possessions while appearing innocent.

Motivation

Anne’s motivations were never fully established. She may have wanted to frighten Mrs. Golding out of the house. She may have hoped to be sent away from a position she disliked. She may simply have enjoyed the attention and power that came from creating chaos.

The case was documented in a pamphlet, “An authentic, candid, and circumstantial narrative of the astonishing transactions at Stockwell, in the county of Surry, on Monday and Tuesday, the 6th and 7th days of January, 1772.” This contemporary account provides unusual detail about an eighteenth-century poltergeist case.

Significance

The Stockwell Ghost became a reference point for discussions of poltergeist fraud. It demonstrated how a clever individual could create convincing supernatural phenomena through normal means.

However, the case also raised questions. Some of the phenomena were reported to occur when Anne could not have physically caused them. Were these events misperceived, misremembered, or evidence that Anne was not the sole cause?

Assessment

The Stockwell Ghost is generally accepted as a fraud, with Anne Robinson as the perpetrator. The case illustrates the ability of a determined individual to create convincing poltergeist effects.

Yet the early poltergeist researchers who studied such cases noted a pattern: activity often centered on adolescent or young adult servants or children, many of whom were caught in fraud, but whose cases sometimes included events that seemed beyond their physical capability.

Anne Robinson may have been entirely responsible, or she may have been both fraudster and focus for genuine phenomena. The truth, like many poltergeist cases, remains uncertain.