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Apparition

The Hammersmith Ghost

A ghost terrorized Hammersmith, attacking people at night. When a vigilante shot and killed it, the 'ghost' turned out to be a local shoemaker playing a prank. The case changed English murder law.

1803 - 1804
Hammersmith, London, England
100+ witnesses

The Hammersmith Ghost affair of 1803-1804 began as a ghost panic and ended with a shooting death that changed English law regarding murder and mistaken self-defense.

The Ghost Panic

According to historical accounts:

In late 1803, residents of Hammersmith reported:

  • A tall white figure appearing at night
  • The ghost attacked people, especially women
  • It caused a pregnant woman to die of fright
  • Terror gripped the community

The Encounters

Victims reported:

  • Being grabbed by a white figure
  • A ghost with horns and glowing eyes
  • Attacks near the churchyard
  • The figure disappearing mysteriously

The Vigilantes

Residents took action:

  • Armed patrols formed
  • Men carried weapons while walking
  • The community was determined to catch the ghost
  • Francis Smith, an excise officer, armed himself

The Shooting

On January 3, 1804:

  • Francis Smith encountered a figure in white
  • He called out a challenge
  • He fired his shotgun
  • The “ghost” fell dead

The Victim

The dead man was Thomas Millwood:

  • A bricklayer/plasterer
  • He wore white work clothes
  • He was walking home from work
  • He was entirely innocent

The Trial

Francis Smith was tried for murder:

  • He claimed he believed he was shooting a ghost
  • The judge ruled the killing was murder regardless of belief
  • Smith was initially sentenced to death
  • The sentence was commuted to one year hard labor

The Real Ghost

Meanwhile, the actual “ghost” was discovered:

  • John Graham, a shoemaker
  • He was pranking people in a white sheet
  • He wanted to frighten his apprentice
  • He was not charged with any crime

The case established important precedent:

  • Mistaken belief doesn’t excuse killing
  • The ruling influenced self-defense law
  • It remains cited in legal discussions
  • The case appears in law textbooks

Historical Significance

The Hammersmith Ghost case shows:

  • How ghost panics develop
  • The danger of armed vigilantism
  • Legal consequences of supernatural belief
  • The intersection of folklore and law

Sources

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