Last Podcast On The Left
Last Podcast On The Left
"This is not a bullshit one like the Amityville Horror House. This is something that there's so many credible witnesses. A lot of instances, many different types of poltergeist behavior." — Marcus Parks
"The Enfield Poltergeist haunting occurred in the London suburb of Enfield from August of 1977 till April of 1979. It is by far England's most famous haunting and is one of the most documented poltergeist cases in history." — Henry Zebrowski
"I think what happens is that it is a lot of fun. They think that they are now in the middle of this thing. And we're gonna get to how much it destroys our lives and how much they wanted to keep more scrolls around because new daddy's there and everybody's happier when new daddy's around." — Ben Kissel
The episode begins by introducing the Enfield Poltergeist, a highly documented haunting that took place in London between 1977 and 1979. The hosts distinguish it from other sensationalized cases, emphasizing the presence of numerous credible witnesses and varied paranormal phenomena. They critically examine the claims surrounding Ed and Lorraine Warren's involvement, suggesting their role was minimal and potentially self-serving, contrasting their portrayal in media with their actual involvement. The narrative then shifts to the core investigation, led by Maurice Grosse and Guy Lyon Playfair, whose extensive documentation forms the basis of the episode's discussion.
The early stages of the haunting are detailed, beginning with seemingly minor disturbances in the Hodgson family's home, including knocking sounds and moving furniture. The hosts discuss the family's circumstances and the initial calls to authorities, highlighting a police officer's official report of a moving chair as a significant piece of evidence. The scientific analysis of poltergeist knocks versus regular knocks is presented, noting differences in acoustic wave patterns. The episode also touches upon the initial media interest, with reporters from the Daily Mirror investigating the claims, leading to instances of objects being thrown at them.
Further into the investigation, the role of Maurice Grosse, an inventor with a personal interest in the paranormal, is explored. His connection to the case is deepened by the unfortunate coincidence of the poltergeist's focus, Janet Hodgson, sharing the name of his deceased daughter. The episode details various poltergeist activities, such as levitating furniture, flying objects, apparitions, and the unusual behavior of electronics. The hosts discuss the involvement of mediums and investigators from the Society for Psychical Research, presenting conflicting interpretations of the phenomena, from potential psychological roots to genuine supernatural influence. The episode concludes by posing the question of how to interpret the vast amount of evidence, leaving listeners to consider the plausibility of the Enfield Poltergeist events.