The Enfield Poltergeist

The Enfield Poltergeist has fascinated people andcase was reported in the national newspapers. One of
been the subject of debate ever since reports of thethe reporters suggested to Mrs Harper that she should
poltergeist activity started to appear in the nationalcall in the SPR (Society for Psychical Research). One
newspapers back in the late nineteen seventies.of their members, Maurice Grosse, who lived in North
Psychic researchers who spent months investigatingLondon went to the house and started his
the case obtained photographs and audio recordingsinvestigations just a week after the disturbing events
of the poltergeist activity. They became firmlyhad begun. Although the evidence gathered during the
convinced that the Enfield Poltergeist was a genuineinvestigations on behalf of the SPR was inconclusive,
case of poltergeist infestation. Guy Lyon Playfair, oneMaurice Grosse became convinced that the Enfield
of the investigators involved in the Enfield PoltergeistPoltergeist was a genuine case of poltergeist activity
case, subsequently wrote a book on the subject calledand remained firm in his convictions until his death at
This House Is Haunted. There are, however, peoplethe age of ninety in October 2006.
who remain sceptical and say that there is insufficientAs the haunting continued, the Poltergeist activity
evidence to prove that the Enfield Poltergeist wasescalated. Throughout the time the Enfield Poltergeist
anything other than a hoax played out by the childrenwas in residence the Harper family experienced just
involved in the alleged poltergeist manifestations.about every kind of Poltergeist activity recognised by
The Enfield Poltergeist case centred around a familypsychic researchers. The knocking and sliding furniture
living in the North London suburb of Enfield. The familywere followed by furniture flipping over, drawers
comprised of a divorcee, Peggy Harper (heropening and closing, footsteps, the sighting of
pseudonym from the famous book, This House isapparitions including a small child, an old lady and a man
Haunted, not her real name), and her four youngin old fashioned clothing. The Poltergeist became
children. The Poltergeist activity was focused on theinteractive firstly communicating through rapping and
younger daughter of the family, Janet, who was agedlater by speaking through Janet and her brother Jimmy
eleven when the strange events began in August(the gruff male voices were apparently produced by
1977. The Enfield Poltergeist remained active in theusing the false vocal chords). Janet was thrown
household until September 1978.around her bedroom by an unseen force and there
The first manifestation of the Enfield Poltergeistwere unexplained failures of electrical equipment in the
happened one night when Janet and her brother, Peterhaunted house.
(then aged ten), complained to their mother that theirI can vividly remember reading about the Enfield
beds were shaking about in a strange way. ThePoltergeist in the newspapers back in 1977/78. The
movement had apparently ceased when their motherHarpers' house was near to where I lived and my
entered the room and turned on the light. At first Mrseldest daughter was just a year younger than Janet
Harper dismissed the occurrence as a prank on theHarper. Although the Harper children did not attend the
part of the children and the event would have beensame schools as my children, they might well have
forgotten but further strange things began to happen.played together in the local park. One of the things that
On the same night, Mrs Harper and the children heardmade the Enfield Poltergeist so unsettling was the fact
noises that sounded like feet shuffling across thethat the haunting took place in a completely ordinary
carpet.three bed roomed semi-detached local authority house.
Having introduced itself, the Enfield Poltergeist made aSomehow the haunting seemed more creepy
further nuisance of itself that night. Mrs Harper and thebecause it took place in such ordinary surroundings.
children heard loud knocking coming from the walls ofWe expect ghosts to appear in isolated manor
the house and saw furniture moving, apparently of itshouses, haunted mansions or Transylvanian castles.
own accord. The experience frightened the family soFeeling that ghosts might turn up in an ordinary family
badly that they ran out of the house to seek help fromhouse with carpets and kids' toys and a TV set, must
neighbours and called the Police in to investigate. Thehave made many people uncomfortably look over
Police found no trace of any human intruder but it istheir shoulders to identify the source of any strange
reported that one of the Police officers witnessed anoise or unexpected draught. I certainly felt that way.
chair moving several feet across the floor withoutAlthough my curiosity was strongly aroused by the
human intervention..sensational newspaper coverage, I did not dare to
The day after this, the poltergeist became even moretake a walk past the haunted house just in case some
active and toy bricks and marbles flew through the airmalevolent invisible presence decided to follow me
as if thrown around by an invisible hand. When thehome.
toys were picked up, they were hot to the touch. MrsIt has not been proven that the case of the Enfield
Harper sought help from a local vicar and a psychicPoltergeist was a real instance of poltergeist activity
medium but they were unable to explain or halt whatbut, on the other hand, it has never been proven that
seemed to be a paranormal attack on the family.the Enfield Poltergeist was anything other than a
In desperation, Mrs Harper turned to the press and thegenuine haunting.