List of 'Talking Poltergeist' Accounts

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Numerous incidents of anomalous speaking are reported to have occurred during the 'Centrahoma Poltergeist' case that became widely known in 1995.  In comparison there are fleeting incidents of phenomenal voices described by witnesses of the 1995 'Rochdale Poltergeist' case in England.  A chronological list of 'talking poltergeist' cases described in articles at this blog (with one additional article link) shows the universality of the phenomena throughout the centuries.
 
 
'The Daemon of Tedworth'
North Tedworth, England
1661
Blog article: "'The Daemon of Tedworth' 'Talking Poltergeist' Case"
 

'The William Morse Case'
Newberry (Newbury), Connecticut
 
 
'The Hieronyma Case'
Pavia, Italy (parish of S. Michael)
 

 'The Devil of Hjalta-stad'
Hjala-stad, Iceland
 
 
'Donald Ban and the Bocan'
Lochabar, Scotland
 
 
'The Bell Witch'
Robertson County, Tennessee
 
 
The Mary Jobson Case
Sunderland, England
 
 
 
'Gef the Talking Mongoose'
Isle of Man, England
 
'The Enfield Poltergeist'
Enfield (London suburb), England
 
'The Centrahoma Poltergeist'
Centrahoma, Oklahoma
precise dates of activity undetermined
Blog articles: (including) "The Centrahoma Poltergeist" Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, "Family Notes and Other Data", "Five Centrahoma Photographs" and "Excerpts from Centrahoma Interview Transcripts"
 

'The Rochdale Poltergeist'
Rochdale, England
circa 1995
Blog articles: "The Rochdale Poltergeist" 1995_Part 1, "Twists" Part 2

This list is augmented by 15 notations providing some additional examples of recorded poltergeist cases involving the talking aspect as selected from a catalog of 375 'poltergeist' case reports published in Haunted People (1951) by Hereward Carrington and Nandor Fodor.  "Basic material" for the list is identified to be from a "bulletin of forty-four pages, entitled Historic Poltergeists, published in London in 1935, under the joint auspices of the American Psychical Institute, of New York, and of the International Institute for Psychical Research, of London . . ."  The material was "revised and considerably augmented."  Hereward Carrington wrote the brief descriptions of documented poltergeist cases and the list was published with the title "The March of the Poltergeist."

856 A.D.  See Grimm's Teutonic Mythology, p. 514; also Pertz, M.G.R. Scriptores, Vol. I.
At Kembdem, near Bingen, rappings, thundering noises, showers of stones and a human voice which accused a priest of an intrigue, and revealed the secret misdeeds of people who were present!  The possessions of the principal offender were destroyed by fire.  No explanation.
 

1190 (circ.)  See Itinerarium Kambriae of Giraldus Cambreensis, Opera, VI, pp. 93-94.
Giraldus says: "In these parts of Pembroke, it came to pass in our time that unclean spirits consorted with men, not visibly, but sensibly.  For in the houses, first of a certain Stephen Wiriet, and, after a time, of William Not, they made their presence known by throwing dirt and other things, by which they seemed to be teasing rather than injuring.  In the house of William, not without frequent damage to both host and guests, it (singular) used to  make rips and tears in both woolen and linen garments; nor could they be protected from such injuries by any diligence or inside locks.  In the house of Stephen, by a greater miracle, it used to talk with people, and to those railing at it (which many did in fun) it would reveal publicly deeds, done from the time of their birth, which least of all they wished others either to hear or to know . . ."

1190 (circ.)  See Ralph de Coggeshall, Chronicon, pp. 120-21.
At Dagworth, in Suffolk, in the reign of Richard I, in the home of Sir Osborne of Bradaewelle, visual and tactile poltergeist phenomena, coupled with a direct voice, which gave information, sometimes revealing "the secret doings of other people."  Seemingly lasted for some time.  Never explained.
 

1612.  See account by M. Perrault, a Huguenot minister—translated by Robert Boyle. 
Lasted more than two months.  Stone throwing, pulling off the bed clothes, telekinetic phenomena and audible voices.  Carefully observed.  Left unexplained.
 

1857.  See Owen, Footfalls, p. 304.
Noises, footsteps, apparitions, voices, and other manifestations, which continued for many months.  Left unexplained. 
 

1860-62.  See Joller, Darstellung selbsterlebter mystischer Erscheinungen, Zürich, 1863; The Spiritual Magazine, 1862, p. 499, etc.
In the home of a lawyer, M. Joller, near the Lake of Lucerne, continuing for a period of about two years, voices, noises and general poltergeist phenomena.  They finally became so severe that he and his family were driven from the house, which had been in the family for generations.  Joller wrote a book of some ninety-one pages on his own experiences.
 

1878-79.  See The Great Amherst Mystery, by Walter Hubbell; Proceedings A.S.P.R., XIII, pp. 89-130; H. Carrington, Personal Experiences in Spiritualism, pp. 95-124, etc.
One of the most famous poltergeist cases in history, concerning which much has been written.  Many of the witnesses interviewed years later by H.C.  See above and references therein given.
 

1888.  See H. Carrington: Problems of Psychical Research (English Ed.) pp. 338-57.
Noises, voices and general poltergeist phenomena in the home of Lillian F.; these followed her to various cities where she resided.  Documents obtained by myself and verified in detail by several witnesses; sworn affidavits appended.  Never explained.

1889.  See Campbell Holmes: The Facts of Psychic Science, p. 273.
Crockery-smashing, fires and general poltergeist phenomena in the home of Mr. Daggs, a farmer, near Shawville, Quebec.  A "gruff voice" was also heard.  Report drawn up and signed by seventeen witnesses.  Never explained.
 

1889.  Reported in the Brockville [Ontario] Daily Times, Nov. 13; copied in the Medium and Daybreak, Dec. 13
In the home of George D------, a farmer, living in the town of Clarendon, P.Q., Canada.  Windowpanes broken, fires lighted; a "voice" heard; a little girl's hair pulled, etc.  Not explained.
 

1894-1911.  See Price: Poltergeist Over England, pp.343-45.
Movements of objects, rappings, lights, playing on the piano, dresses pilled and faces slapped, voices, apparitions, etc.  Continued for many years, in the home of a respectable family, living in Walton-on-Thames.  All eight members of the family testified to the occurrence of the phenomena.  Never explained.
 

1904.  See Annals of Psychic Science, Vol. 1, pp. 58-63.
Sounds, voices, raps, etc., in a house in Bordeaux, in the home of Mme. A. . . .  Lasted for some time.  Report by Dr. J. Maxwell.  Never explained.
 

1909.  See Proceedings S.P.R., Vol. 38, pp. 213-14.
Poltergeist case in Madagascar, noted by Mr. Besterman; stones thrown, objects moved and a voice heard "by more than 400 people."  No conclusions drawn; apparently left unexplained.
 

1920.  See Journal S.P.R., Nov., 1922.
Alleged poltergeist phenomena in a cottage near Dedaig, Argyllshire.  Voices and other manifestations.  Visited by the Research Officer of the S.P.R., who described the phenomena as "puerile," and concluded that fraud on the part of the two children would account for the facts.
 
 
1934.  See London papers from Nov. 24 to Dec. 5
Case of the Saragossa Ghost.  Discussed at length by Dr. Fodor elsewhere in this book: pp. 89-96.

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