Dark Histories

A much requested episode on the history of Waverly Hills, a Tuberculosis Sanatorium in Kentucky. These days, it features in just about every bad cable TV show on ghosts all around the world, but whats the reality behind the decrepit walls that are left standing today? And how much truth is there to the ghosts that allegedly walk the halls? Sources: Thomas, C. C. (2007) With their dying breaths: A history of Waverly Hills Tuberculosis Sanatorium. C C Thomas, 2007  Opening of Waverly Hill Sanatorium (1910, October 2), The Courier Journal, p. 18. Waverly Hill Sanatorium Dedicated Tomorrow (1910, October 11), The Courier Journal, p. 10. Dedicated to the Cause of Humanity (1910, October 13), The Courier Journal, p. 12. Mullin, E. (2016). How Tuberculosis Shaped Victorian Fashion. [online] Smithsonian. Available at: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-tuberculosis-shaped-victorian-fashion-180959029/[Accessed 25 Mar. 2019]. Schuleit, A. (n.d.). State Hospitals of Massachusetts: Historical Overview.[online] 1856.org. Available at: http://www.1856.org/historicalOverview.html [Accessed 25 Mar. 2019]. Shafer, S. (2014). Waverly Hills hospital rezoning likely. [online] Eu.courier-journal.com. Available at: https://eu.courier-journal.com/story/news/local/2014/02/21/waverly-hills-hospital-rezoning-likely/5710001/ [Accessed 25 Mar. 2019]. Lovan, D. (2013). Former TB hospital now attracts ghost hunters.[online] NBC News. Available at: https://www.nbcnews.com/business/travel/former-tb-hospital-now-attracts-ghost-hunters-f8C11496194 [Accessed 25 Mar. 2019]. Spooky Southcoast. (2006). Charlie Mattingly of Waverly Hills.[podcast] Available at: https://spookysouthcoast.com/ [Accessed 26 Mar. 2019]. For extended show notes, including maps, links and scripts, head over to darkhistories.com Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories & Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/ Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/6f7e2pt Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017 Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we have a story of a 19th Century spiritual possession, when 14 year old Lurancy Vennum began suffering from fits that eventually led her to visiting heaven, speaking with angels and finally, taking in the spirit of deceased 19 year old Mary Roff, the daughter of local spiritualists.Sources:The demonism of the ages, spirit obsessions so common in spiritism, … Peebles, J. M. (James Martin), 1822-1922.The Watseka wonder; a startling and instructive psychological …Stevens, E. Winchester, 1822-1885.Iroquois County Genealogical Society – http://sites.rootsweb.com/~ilicgs/bio/bio.htmMorning Post, Friday 2nd October, 1908.New York Tribune, Sunday July 19th, H. Addington Bruce, 1908.Iroquois County Times, October 17th, 2014Reminiscences of my sister Mary Roff, Mrs H. H. Alter, September 1908 The merch store can be found here: https://teespring.com/stores/the-dark-histories-podcast The 50th episode celebration discount code will run from 17/03 - 31/03 with code FIFTY20For extended show notes, including maps, links and scripts, head over to darkhistories.com Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistoriesConnect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcastOr find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories& Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.comor join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/6f7e2ptMusic was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lord Lucan, a name of considerable infamy, not as a member of the aristocracy, but for the murder of his children's nanny in a house in the elitist district of Belgravia, London in 1973 and his subsequent disappearance. It was a story that the press went to town on, a classic us vs them tale of Class superiority and those that would seek to protect the hierarchy at all costs, but how much of it was based on truth and how much just a convenient narrative for the journalists that covered the case? It was a case that was launched into mythical status after the Lord himself vanished without trace, leaving a question that runs until today. Where in the world is Lord Lucan?For extended show notes, including maps, links and scripts, head over to darkhistories.com Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistoriesConnect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcastOr find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories& Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.comor join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/6f7e2ptMusic was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Faeries, changelings and herbalist doctors might seem like characters in a winding tale of medieval folklore today, but in 1895, Ireland bore witness to a case that saw these facets of folk tradition flare up in a very real way when Michael Cleary, a skilled tradesman of County Tipperary set fire to his wife, burning her to death. As the body of Bridget Cleary was placed in the ground, her husband was convinced that he would see his wife again, riding on the back of a grey horse as she emerged from an invisible plane. The body in the ground was merely that of a changeling, an imposter placed in his house by the fairies, he had merely expedited the process of return. I was very lucky to be joined in the second half of this weeks episode by Fin Dwyer of the Irish History Podcast. If you enjoyed hearing FIn and would like to know where to find him, follow this little link and you will find all! https://irishhistorypodcast.ie/ For extended show notes, including maps, links and scripts, head over to darkhistories.com Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories & Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/ Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/6f7e2pt Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017 Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Explore sensationalist crime stories in Victorian Britain with a focus on The Illustrated Police News, known for its coverage of Jack the Ripper. Learn about the rise of newspapers in Victorian Britain and the success of the Illustrated Police News. Hear about a ghostly encounter at Park Mills and discover how the newspaper entertained the working class with scandalous content. Also, get a sneak peek of a new podcast called 'Yesterday Today' and the launch of 'The Dark Histories Podcast'.

Bit of a massive cock-up this week, all is explained, but instead of skipping a week, I'm putting out this episode instead. Apologies, back to usual programming from next week! For extended show notes, including maps, links and scripts, head over to darkhistories.com Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories & Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/ Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/6f7e2pt Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was the summer of 1919, in a leafy rural region of Leicestershire that we turn our focus towards today and a woman named Bella Wright, who was found lying dead by the roadside one quiet, Saturday evening. At first, police assumed her death to have been an accident, but things escalated quickly, when a gunshot wound was later discovered and the last man seen with Bella alive appeared to have disappeared completely.For extended show notes, including maps, links and scripts, head over to darkhistories.com Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistoriesConnect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcastOr find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories& Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.comor join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/6f7e2ptMusic was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're back for 2018 with more listener stories sent in specially for this Christmas Bonus. Thank you so much to all the contributors and to everyone for listening this year. Merry Christmas. The music in this episode was used under Creative Commons License. made by Composer Myuu, you can find his YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiSKnkKCKAQVxMUWpZQobuQ The very last song at the end was my band's improv, and possibly the most horrendous, rendition of Silent Night. Ho Ho Ho. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Victorian England, an age of great industry, enlightenment, of learning and of advancement. Equally, it was the age of spiritualism, parapsychology, and restrictive social practices. In the chaotic streets of the suburbs of London, the first Victorian Urban Legend was waiting to be born, beating out Sweeney Todd by a full 9 years, Spring Heeled Jack brewed in the fears of an uncertain populace and burst onto the scene, metal claw and all, stirring a sensation that was far too ripe for anyone to ignore. His was a legend that was overshadowed by only one other when in 1888, Jack the Ripper scribbled his name in blood on the back of a postcard.For extended show notes, including maps, links and scripts, head over to darkhistories.com Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistoriesConnect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcastOr find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories& Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.comor join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/6f7e2ptMusic was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Lodging houses of Victorian London held no shortage of scandal and intrigue for the more imaginative Londoners in the 19th Century. The Maids and their masters, the comings and goings of a transient household and the very concept of strangers living together under one roof in an age when such situations were not seen as natural. Still, even the most imaginative of passers by could not have expected the stories that would soon come flooding out from one particular household, when in 1879, the body of an elderly woman showed up in the coal cellar of 4 Euston Square, a previously well-to-do neighbourhood in Bloomsbury, London. Not merely unidentified, it was entirely unknown how on earth it had got there in the first place. For extended show notes, including maps, links and scripts, head over to darkhistories.com Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories & Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/ Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/6f7e2pt Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017 Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices