It’s the middle of the eighteenth century and an expectant audience is crammed into an exhibition room in London’s Haymarket to witness a bizarre performance that is the talk of London. The audience settles and the show begins. Three cats sit ready to play their dulcimers, their sheet music on little music stands in frontContinue reading “Weird Musical History 1 ~The Cat Orchestra”
Author Archives: Paul Weatherhead
Scared… to Death!
A bizarre pastime emerged in the nineteenth and early twentieth century: ‘playing the ghost’. This usually involved a prankster donning a white sheet, perhaps with a scary mask and some devil horns and then cavorting in a spook like manner at a creepy location such as a dark lonely road or grave yard at midnightContinue reading “Scared… to Death!”
Easter Ghost ~ Halifax 1843
At Easter 1843 crowds began to gather round a certain Halifax house, and more curious onlookers joined the throng each day. The house was said to have been unoccupied for 20-30 years and yet strange sights had been seen through its upstairs window: a bed was seen to fly around the room and a ghostlyContinue reading “Easter Ghost ~ Halifax 1843”
The War Between Monkeys and Dogs
At the end of 2021, bizarre reports of a strange war emerged from India: monkeys versus dogs. Villagers in Maharastra state, 300 miles east of Mumbai, claimed that revenge mad langur monkeys were slaughtering puppies by the hundreds. The attacks were so thorough that in Lawul village, every single puppy had been wiped out.[i] AccordingContinue reading “The War Between Monkeys and Dogs”
Banned! The First Alien Abduction was so shocking it was censored!
The first alien abduction case in the UK is usually considered to be that of PC Alan Godfrey in 1980. He was driving his panda car on Burnley Road, Todmorden in the early hours of a November morning when he was confronted with a large diamond shaped craft hovering above the street, or so heContinue reading “Banned! The First Alien Abduction was so shocking it was censored!”
Vampire Hunters and Me
I’ve only ever had any dealings with two vampire hunters. I found myself in the middle of a decades long feud that involved occult duels, black magic, a bishop, vampires, a giant spider, Long John Baldry’s cat and Robin Hood… It all began in 2003 when I was working on the first edition of WeirdContinue reading “Vampire Hunters and Me”
In which I steal secret microfilm from the KGB!
As I discussed the shortcomings of the CIA’s recent report on Havana Syndrome in my previous post, I thought I’d stay in the murky world of espionage and tell you how I came into the possession of KGB microfilm of American secrets. I spent three years teaching English in Russia in the 90s, mostly basedContinue reading “In which I steal secret microfilm from the KGB!”
In Which I Destroy the CIA with Facts and Logic!
Recently I wrote about my Top Three Mass Hysterias happening now in 2022.[i] Top of my hysterical hit parade was Havana Syndrome, the name given to a mysterious illness among US and Canadian embassy staff in Havanna, Cuba (and later in several other cities around the world). The symptoms included hearing a strange, high-pitched noise,Continue reading “In Which I Destroy the CIA with Facts and Logic!”
On Ghosts, Demons, Aliens and a Haunted Light Switch
Part One ~ I am plagued by ghosts and a demon I’m often asked if I’ve ever had any supernatural experiences myself. Well, sort of…. In fact, I’ve done battle with ghosts and a demon in the wild Balkan Mountains of Northern Greece. But of course, there’s a twist. I lived in a town calledContinue reading “On Ghosts, Demons, Aliens and a Haunted Light Switch”
Top Three Mass Hysterias ~ Happening Now in 2022!
Part 1 ~ Hysteria Call me hysterical, if you like, but it seems like we’ve been living through hysterical times. But hysteria is real, and so is mass hysteria. In this article I’m going to nominate the top three mass hysterias that are happening NOW in 2022. And it’s going to be controversial. Hysteria meansContinue reading “Top Three Mass Hysterias ~ Happening Now in 2022!”
Paul Weatherhead 