Key Takeaways
- The Battersea Poltergeist episode details the 1956 haunting of 15-year-old Shirley Hitchings by an entity named Donald.
- Donald communicated extensively through knocks and written messages, earning him the title "The Poltergeist Who Can Write".
- The poltergeist claimed to be a French prince, exhibiting violent tendencies, including setting objects on fire.
- Media attention and sensational reporting significantly amplified the poltergeist's activity and public interest.
- Attempts at exorcism and hypnosis were unsuccessful, often resulting in increased paranormal disturbances.
Deep Dive
- The episode introduces the two-part Battersea Poltergeist case, focusing on 15-year-old Shirley Hitchings and an entity named Donald.
- This marks a thematic shift from previous Nazi-themed content to a more "goofy" supernatural subject.
- Donald became known as "The Poltergeist Who Can Write" and "The Poltergeist Prince" due to prolific communication and a claim of being a French prince.
- The haunting at 63 Wycliffe Road began in January 1956 with a mysterious key found in Shirley's bed, followed by escalating knocks, taps, and scratches.
- Most activity centered in 15-year-old Shirley's bedroom, and she was described as shy and imaginative.
- Her parents, Wally and Kitty, strict Church of England members, initially sought rational explanations and avoided Catholic exorcisms during the 12-year haunting.
- After ruling out physical causes, Wally Hitchings contacted Harry Hanks, a spiritualist and train conductor, who arrived with his family in February 1956 to help.
- Seances conducted by the Hanks family proved ineffective, and the Hitchings family's stress escalated.
- The poltergeist activity later intensified, with reports of scissors moving at Shirley's workplace, leading to her taking time off.
- The Battersea poltergeist became a neighborhood and media sensation within months of initial occurrences.
- Shirley's grandmother, Ethel, claimed psychic abilities and reported objects like clothes and shoes flying.
- The press extensively covered the Hitchings' accounts, naming the entity "Spooky Willie" and initiating direct communication with the spirit through knocking.
- Continuous influx of reporters and widespread press coverage amplified the poltergeist's activity, effectively "feeding" it.
- The South London Advertiser published a sensational story in 1956, claiming the poltergeist was an undead suitor for Shirley.
- Wally Hitchings had to chase crowds away from their home, highlighting Britain's ingrained cultural acceptance of hauntings due to its long history.
- Harry Hanks attempted an exorcism from his home, drawing police attention due to anonymous tips about black magic, which was illegal in the UK until the mid-20th century.
- During the session, an African spirit guide named "Sambo" allegedly possessed Hanks, who adopted a stereotypical black dialect in 1956 England.
- This exorcism was declared successful, but media suspicion led to a hypnotist's involvement.
- Shirley proved uncooperative during hypnosis, leading reporters to abandon their investigation, after which paranormal activity resumed with increased intensity.
- Harry Hanks suggested Shirley was a natural medium attracting a second entity, while Shirley maintained it was Donald.
- The Weekend Mail attempted to discredit the case by reporting the "Spook Was in Girl's Big Toe," linking poltergeist taps to Shirley's deformed toe.
- Donald the poltergeist sent a message via Ouija board, claiming to be 15, lost in Chennai, and threatening fire if reporter Michael Kirsch was not contacted.
- This led to increased poltergeist activity and Donald writing messages on walls and paper, despite investigators noting distinct handwriting from Shirley's.
- Paranormal investigator Harold Chibbett arrived, advocating non-interference, though he embedded himself with the family for 24/7 observation.
- Donald escalated threats, demanding reporter Ronald Maxwell's appearance and threatening to set the house on fire.
- This was followed by Shirley reporting green orbs and the smell of smoke, then her bedsheets catching fire, burning Wally Hitchings.
- Fire investigators could not explain this incident; the next episode will conclude the 12-year Battersea Poltergeist case.