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Thornton Heath Poltergeist
A South London family experienced terrifying poltergeist activity—furniture moved, objects flew, and an entity communicated through rapping. Investigators witnessed phenomena firsthand.
1972
Thornton Heath, London, England
20+ witnesses
The Thornton Heath Poltergeist case terrorized a family in South London in 1972, featuring classic poltergeist phenomena witnessed by investigators from the Society for Psychical Research.
The Family
According to documented research:
The disturbances centered on:
- A family home in Thornton Heath, South London
- Activity began suddenly
- The phenomena lasted several months
- Multiple investigators documented events
Phenomena
Witnesses reported:
- Heavy furniture moving on its own
- Objects flying across rooms
- Loud rapping sounds throughout the house
- An entity communicating through knocks
- Items appearing and disappearing
- Electrical disturbances
Investigation
The Society for Psychical Research investigated:
- Researchers witnessed phenomena directly
- Events occurred in their presence
- Fraud seemed unlikely given the nature of activity
- The case was well-documented
Communication
The entity communicated through raps:
- One knock for “yes,” two for “no”
- Answered questions about itself
- Claimed to be a former resident
- Provided some verifiable information
Outcome
The poltergeist activity:
- Eventually subsided
- The family remained in the home
- No definitive explanation was found
- It became a classic British poltergeist case