The Plumstead Ghost, 1897

The Mysterious Case of the Plumstead Ghost in 1897.

 Ghosts, apparitions, and even the supernatural have long been part of our history, their existence are always in the shadows of our imagination. From ancient folklore to modern-day horror films, the idea of spirits walking among us is a theme that continues to fascinate us. But what happens when an entire town starts believing in a ghost?

This happened in the autumn of 1897, when the population of Plumstead, a quiet town near Woolwich in southeast London, was gripped by fear and curiosity over what they called the “Plumstead Ghost.” For a brief period, this so-called ghost stirred up excitement, panic, and some rather odd events, until the mystery ghost was finally unravelled.

This is the strange but true story of the Plumstead Ghost, a tale that spun out of control in a time when believing in ghosts was still very much an accepted truth.

A Ghost in Plumstead

 This story begins in October 1897, as the autumn winds began to chill the air and dusk fell earlier each evening. The first sightings of the ghost were reported near St. James’s Church, a local landmark that had stood for centuries. Townspeople claimed they saw a strange figure near the churchyard and the nearby school. But it wasn’t just a fleeting apparition; many people claimed to have witnessed the eerie ghost wandering through the area. It became so frequent that the local newspapers began reporting on the mysterious figure.

According to the Daily News, this ghostly figure had the effect of terrorising several young girls who fainted upon seeing it. The locals said that some of the fainting episodes were so severe that many of the girls had to take to their beds, suffering from what they called “nervous exhaustion.” In the Victorian era, this idea of nervous illness was common, particularly among women, and was often linked to emotional or supernatural experiences. Of course, the effect of these fainting fits only added to the growing sense of unease in the community.

The Ghost Strikes Again

 As word of the ghost spread, the stories became more exaggerated. One vivid account tells of a schoolmaster who was walking near the churchyard late one evening. Suddenly, a voice boomed out, shouting “Boo-hah!” at the top of its lungs. The next thing he knew, he was grabbed from behind by the mysterious figure. Even though it was a physical encounter, the schoolmaster was still convinced that it was supernatural.

After all, ghosts were known to be mischievous spirits, weren’t they?

The local papers enjoyed reporting these bizarre happenings, with each new sighting sparking more interest in the story of the Plumstead Ghost. It wasn’t long before it seemed that everyone had their own version of events, however no one could agree on exactly what the ghost looked like. Some described it as a white, wispy figure, while others thought it had grotesque features that only added to its frightful appearance. The media frenzy surrounding the ghost gave the story a life of its own, and more and more people claimed to see the towns ghost wandering around after dark.

 A Dog Unmasks the Ghost

 Ultimately, not everyone was content to simply accept the ghost as a mystical being. A few brave souls were determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, including a schoolmaster who decided to find out what was happening. So, one evening he set out with his large Newfoundland dog to investigate. As he walked past a hedge, he heard the now-familiar shout of “Boo-hah!” Without hesitation, the man released his dog, which immediately bounded towards the source of the sound.

Moments later, the schoolmaster heard a cry of pain as his dog bit into something solid, not the otherworldly form of a ghost, but flesh and blood.

This was the turning point in the tale of the Plumstead Ghost. As the dog’s attack proved that the “ghost” was no phantom at all, but a person playing an elaborate prank on the townspeople. The schoolmaster returned with a new conviction that this ghost was a fraud, and it was time to put an end to the nonsense once and for all.

The Schoolboys Take Action

 Now he was convinced, our schoolmaster shared his suspicions with his students, and they agreed to help put an end to the ghost’s antics. A group of schoolboys gathered one evening, determined to teach the ghost a lesson. Armed with stones and youthful enthusiasm, they stormed the churchyard, ready to confront the spirit. As expected, the ghost appeared once again, shouting and making a commotion.

The boys threw stones at the figure, though none hit their mark. The ghost, startled by the ambush, quickly disappeared into the hedges. The boys may not have caught the prankster, but they had made their point, the residents of Plumstead were no longer willing to cower in fear.

Unfortunately, the schoolboys’ vigilante justice had unintended consequences. In their excitement, some of the stones had hit the church’s valuable stained-glass windows, causing the windows to be damaged. The police were called, and two of the boys were arrested for inciting a riot. This presented a problem for the schoolmaster, who had to explain to the authorities the bizarre series of events that had led to the makeshift ghost hunt. Thankfully, the boys were discharged, and no further legal action was taken.

The Ghost is Unmasked

 Just when it seemed like the ghost’s reign of terror was over, it struck again. This time, the so-called ghost was spotted sitting in a tree on the grounds of a large estate, wearing a grotesque mask and shouting his signature “Boo-hah!” at the female servants. But the owner of the estate had had enough. He promptly called the police, who wasted no time in arresting the culprit.

Once arrested, the mystery of the Plumstead Ghost was finally solved. The ghost was not a spectral entity, but rather a local engineer who had taken it upon himself to scare the townspeople for his own amusement. His white garments, now tattered and torn, provided further evidence of his run-ins with the Newfoundland dog, whose bite had left bruises on his backside.

The engineer was eventually sent to an asylum, and with his departure, the Plumstead Ghost was laid to rest once and for all. The townspeople could breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that they had not been haunted by a supernatural being, but by a mischievous prankster.

Why Ghost Stories Persist

 While the story of the Plumstead Ghost is undoubtedly amusing, it also speaks to a broader cultural phenomenon. In 19th-century Britain, belief in ghosts and the supernatural was common, even among the educated classes. The Victorians were fascinated by the afterlife, spiritualism, and the thought of communicating with the dead. Seances, mediums, and ghost stories were all part of the life.

In many ways, the Plumstead Ghost was a product of its time. The fear and excitement that gripped the town was driven by the Victorian fascination with death and the unknown. Newspapers were always keen to promote sensational stories, with the result they played an important role in increasing the number of ghost sightings and then creating a sense of mass hysteria. It wasn’t uncommon for people in that era to attribute strange or unexplained events to the supernatural, and the Plumstead Ghost fits neatly into this mindset.

However, the story also reveals the power of cynicism and rational thinking. Once the schoolmaster and his dog had exposed the ghost as a fraud, the spell was broken. The people of Plumstead realized that their fear had been based on nothing more than a prank, and the town returned to normal.

The Legacy of the Plumstead Ghost

Though the Plumstead Ghost may have been forgotten by history, it remains a fascinating example of how easily fear and superstition can take hold of a community. In an age when science and reason were beginning to challenge long-held beliefs in the supernatural, stories like this one remind us that the line between reality and imagination is often blurred.

So, do you believe in ghosts?

For the residents of Plumstead in 1897, the answer was a resounding “yes” until they learned the truth.

Isn’t Victorian History different?

10 questions to discuss:

1. What was the initial reaction of the local community to the Plumstead Ghost sightings?
2. How did the schoolmaster initially react when he encountered the ghost?
3. What event led to the revelation that the Plumstead Ghost was not supernatural?
4. How did the schoolboys decide to confront the Plumstead Ghost?
5. What unintended consequence did the schoolboys’ actions have during their confrontation with the ghost?
6. What was the outcome of the schoolboys’ encounter with the police following the incident at the churchyard?
7. Describe the Plumstead Ghost’s behavior when he was seen at the big house.
8. How was the Plumstead Ghost finally apprehended?
9. What was the true identity of the Plumstead Ghost?
10. How was the situation resolved in the end?

To learn more of the Plumstead Ghost go to:

https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/spectre-didnt-have-a-ghost-of-a-chance/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34033027/article-plumstead-ghost/

https://thewildstare.com/the-dog-who-put-teeth-into-ghostbusting/

© Tony Dalton