Enfield poltergeist

The Enfield poltergeist was a claim of supernatural activity at 284 Green Street, a council house in Brimsdown, Enfield, London, England, between 1977 and 1979. The alleged poltergeist activity centred on sisters Janet, aged 11, and Margaret Hodgson, aged 13.^[1]

Some members of the Society for Psychical Research (SPR), such as inventor Maurice Grosse and writer Guy Lyon Playfair, believed the haunting to be genuine, while others such as Anita Gregory and John Beloff were "unconvinced" and found evidence the girls had faked incidents for the benefit of journalists. Members of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), including stage magicians such as Milbourne Christopher and Joe Nickell, criticized paranormal investigators for being credulous whilst also identifying elements of the case as being indicative of a hoax.^[2]^[3]^[4]

The story attracted press coverage in British newspapers, has been mentioned in books, featured in television and radio^[5] documentaries, and dramatised in the 2016 horror film The Conjuring 2.

^ Storr, Will (3 May 2015). "The Real Story of the Enfield Haunting". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
^ Couttie, Bob (22 March 1988). Forbidden Knowledge: The Paranormal Paradox. The Lutterworth Press. p. 62-64. ISBN 978-0718826864. The case remains very controversial. Grosse, Playfair, Hasted and others believe it was genuine, Anita Gregory and other members of the SPR were unconvinced. Magicians and ventriloquists came to the conclusion that Janet was cheating.
^ Nickell, Joe (July 2012). "Investigative Files | Enfield Poltergeist". Skeptical Inquirer. 36 (4). Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
^ Hyde, Deborah (1 May 2015). "The Enfield 'Poltergeist': A Sceptic Speaks". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
^ "The Enfield Poltergeist". The Reunion. BBC Sounds. 13 April 2018. Retrieved 8 October 2023.

[storr-1] Storr, Will (3 May 2015). "The Real Story of the Enfield Haunting". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 8 October 2023.

[Couttie-2] Couttie, Bob (22 March 1988). Forbidden Knowledge: The Paranormal Paradox. The Lutterworth Press. p. 62-64. ISBN 978-0718826864. The case remains very controversial. Grosse, Playfair, Hasted and others believe it was genuine, Anita Gregory and other members of the SPR were unconvinced. Magicians and ventriloquists came to the conclusion that Janet was cheating.

[NickellCSI-3] Nickell, Joe (July 2012). "Investigative Files | Enfield Poltergeist". Skeptical Inquirer. 36 (4). Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal. Retrieved 8 October 2023.

[HydeGuardian-4] Hyde, Deborah (1 May 2015). "The Enfield 'Poltergeist': A Sceptic Speaks". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 October 2023.

[reunion-5] "The Enfield Poltergeist". The Reunion. BBC Sounds. 13 April 2018. Retrieved 8 October 2023.

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