Was the Enfield poltergeist a supernatural event or a clever schoolgirl's prank?
In short: Between 1977 and 1979, a London council house became the center of a global sensation. Witnesses reported levitating children and moving furniture, yet investigators remained deeply divided. Was it a genuine haunting, or a masterclass in adolescent trickery designed for the press?
The alleged activity at 2 284 Green Street involved sisters Janet, aged 11, and Margaret, aged 13. In August 1977, their mother, Peggy Hodgson, reported furniture moving and knocking sounds. Witnesses, including paranormal investigators Maurice Grosse and Guy Lyon Playfair, claimed to see objects thrown and even the sisters levitating. Some investigators, such as the American demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren, believed the events had a supernatural explanation. The disturbances lasted for roughly 18 months, attracting more than 30 witnesses, including neighbors and journalists. The Daily Mirror newspaper provided regular coverage of the unfolding drama until 1979.
However, many researchers were unconvinced. Skeptics like magician Milbourne Christopher and investigator Joe Nickell identified elements of a hoax. Evidence suggested the girls were playing tricks; a video camera caught Janet bending spoons and an iron bar, while others suggested the 'levitation' photo actually showed Janet bouncing off her bed like a trampoline. Even Playfair, a believer, admitted to doubting the girls' veracity at times. Other experts, including John Beloff, suggested Janet used ventriloquism to create disembodied voices. The investigator Melvin Harris used a remote-controlled camera to capture evidence of these pranks. Furthermore, the magician Bob Couttie concluded that the audio recordings did not contain anything beyond the skills of a creative teenager.
The mystery took a poignant turn in 2024 when a BBC series revealed that the 'Bill Wilkins' voice might have a real identity. A listener identified the voice as William Charles Wilkins, a man who had died in a chair at the house on 20 June 1963 after suffering a hemorrhage. While the case remains a staple of horror cinema, such as in The Conjuring 2, the debate between paranormal phenomena and clever adolescent 'gymnastics' persists. The case has inspired various media, including the 1992 mockumentary Ghostwatch and the 2016 film The Conjuring 2. Even the 2024 BBC series Hauntings revisited these archival testimonies.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Enfield poltergeist
- Also: Wikidata — Enfield Poltergeist · CC0
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/entertainment-enfield-poltergeist.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Films · More in Entertainment · Latest · A–Z · All topics
