“For the first time he then looked back and stopped. I felt the effect of that look creep over me like the feeling must be that comes over the prey of the boa-constrictor when it first knows its doom. I trembled…” (Mr Chester, 1868) In the spring of 1868, Bradford was in the grip ofContinue reading “The Bradford Ghost 1868”
Category Archives: Hysterias and mass panics
Hooded Giant Terrorises Yorkshire City! The Bradford Ghost
In September 1926, fear, panic and hysteria haunted the West Yorkshire city of Bradford. A giant ghostly figure in a hooded white cloak stalked the night streets terrorising the locals and then vanishing into the labyrinthine ginnels or over the rooftops. Armed mobs of vigilantes roamed the streets hunting for the Bradford Ghost, who wasContinue reading “Hooded Giant Terrorises Yorkshire City! The Bradford Ghost”
Russkies Zap Yank Spooks with Mind Melting Ray Gun!
Ooooh! Those Russians… (Boney M) Those nefarious Russians have been up to no good, as usual. According to a recently published joint report by US current affairs show 60 Minutes, German legacy newspaper Der Spiegel and NATO apologist website The Insider, nasty Russians have been zapping our poor freedom and democracy loving spies and diplomatsContinue reading “Russkies Zap Yank Spooks with Mind Melting Ray Gun!”
Spiked or Spooked? The Myth of the Drink Spiking Bogeyman
Blurred vision and dirty thoughts Feel out of place, very distraught Feel something coming on…. ‘Somebody Put Something in my Drink’ (The Ramones) In every bar and every club they lurk, lying in wait for their helpless innocent victim. Concealed in their hands are vials of potent date rate drugs, and the minute the victimContinue reading “Spiked or Spooked? The Myth of the Drink Spiking Bogeyman”
Who Killed Navalny?
The death of Alexey Navalny in a Siberian prison on 16 February 2024 has been met with ghoulish glee by western news outlets. It’s an unmissable opportunity for an orgy of hypocrisy, sanctimony and demonisation of the Big Bad Bear. Navalny was just the kind of Russian politician that the West loved. He had allContinue reading “Who Killed Navalny?”
Terror in Todmorden: Who was the Tod Shaker?
Over Christmas 1903 Todmorden was under a reign of terror, according to local and national press. For over two weeks at the end of December, a series of bizarre attacks by a strange new ‘bogey man’ created a sense of panic and alarm on the Yorkshire-Lancashire border. Just who was this bogey man, asked theContinue reading “Terror in Todmorden: Who was the Tod Shaker?”
Top Three Extraordinary Popular Delusions of the Modern Day
In 1841, journalist Charles Mackay wrote a remarkable book titled Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, one of my favourite books. In it he examined what happens when nations and even continents go mad so that ‘millions of people become simultaneously impressed with one delusion, and run after it, till their attention isContinue reading “Top Three Extraordinary Popular Delusions of the Modern Day”
The UFO Cult That Saved the World
In December 1954, a close-knit group of believers were anxiously awaiting the arrival of the flying saucer that was to save them from an apocalyptic flood they believed would destroy the USA. The Chicago UFO cult predicted that the whole continent would be submerged on 21 December, though the true believers would be whisked awayContinue reading “The UFO Cult That Saved the World”
Vape Spiking – Smoke Without Fire?
A new danger for festival and party-goers emerged this summer – vape spiking. A stranger approaches a young woman and asks if she wants have a go on his vape, something that young people often do to try new flavours. Soon after the victim becomes dizzy, nauseous and loses control of her body before passingContinue reading “Vape Spiking – Smoke Without Fire?”
Virgin Mary Photographed in France!
January 1922, Noveant, north west France. As the sun sets behind the village church, a large crowd from the surrounding villages gather to witness a miracle. Then she appears – the Virgin Mary in robes of light floating in the trees and looking kindly down on the faithful. This vision had appeared at sunset dailyContinue reading “Virgin Mary Photographed in France!”
Paul Weatherhead 