At the turn of the twentieth century, a pattern of unusual deaths began to surface, when three unrelated women were found drowned in their bathtubs, following a fit or a feinting. The cases seemed unconnected, scattered across towns and surnames, until the similarities grew too precise to ignore. At the center of the widening suspicion was a man named George Joseph Smith, though very few actually knew him by that name until reports of his crimes began to filter into the newspapers, and purely by chance, people around the country began connecting the dots.

SOURCES

Robins, Jane (2010) The Magnificent Spilsbury & The Case of the Brides in the Bath. F. A. Thorpe, Leicestershire, UK.

Kentish Express (1912) Drowned In A Bath. Kentish Express, Sat 20 July 1912, p5. Kent, UK.

Weekly Dispatch (1914) Bride’s Death In Bath. Weekly Dispatch, Sun 27 Dec 1914, p13. London, UK.

Coleraine Chronicle (1915) The Execution of Smith. Coleraine Chronicle, Sat 21 Aug 1915, p4. Londonderry, UK.

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The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye

Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017

Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.

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In 1933 when a young, London inventor died under suspicious circumstances, his two surviving brothers turned to the talents of spiritualist mediums in the hopes of finding some answers to the many questions they had following the wholly satisfying inquest. Over a period of six months, the two men sat for several well known mediums, but by the end of it all, were given no hard answers to any of the bigger matters; Exactly who had been with him at the time of his death, and how had it come about? If anything, they were only asked a new question; Were any of the details given by the mediums to be trusted at all?
SOURCES

Gay, Kathleen (1957). The case of Edgar Vandy. Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 39, 2-61. London, UK.

Mackenzie, Andrew (1970) The unexplained; some strange cases in psychical research. Abelard Schumann, London, UK.

​​Keen, M. (2002). The case of Edgar Vandy: Defending the evidence. Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 66, 247-59. London, UK.

West Ham & South Essex Mail (1912) Funeral of Mr G.H Vandy. West Ham & South Essex Mail, Fri 7 June 1912, p8.  London, UK.

Liverpool Daily Post (1967) The Unexplained. Liverpool Daily Post, Mon 6 Feb 1967, p9. Liverpool, UK.

BBC (1975) Leap in the Dark. [Video] https://youtu.be/_9LrYSWaDxY?si=pdJCgxyv7j0ziQTU. BBC, London, UK.

Sussex Express (1933) Bathing Fatality At Nutley. Sussex Express, Fri 11 Aug 1933, p5. Sussex, UK.

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The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye

Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017

Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.

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Happy New Year! Here is part two of the Christmas Campfire for 2025, though I guess it's more of a New Years Campfire! I hope you enjoy it, it's been another great year for the Christmas Campfire and a huge thank you for everyone for taking part and being brave enough to put there stories out there for our entertainment! I'll be back in January for Season 10, but until then, Happy New Year, wishing you all the very best xxx

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It's Christmas Eve, so it must be time for the Christmas Campfire! Thank you so much to everyone that submitted their stories this year, it's been another great year for entires and there's plenty enough for two episodes. I'll release the second part sometime after Christmas and before the New Year when I return home after visiting family and whatnot. I hope you enjoy this episode, and have a wonderful Christmas!
Best wishes to you and all your loved ones! Ben xx

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Over the Christmas of 1716, during a time of political tension and uncertainty in England, strange events began to trouble Epworth Rectory. After nightfall, the home of Reverend Samuel Wesley was disturbed by unexplained sounds. Soft footsteps thumped in hallways, as dull thuds knocked on the  walls and door latches rattled in their housings. The Wesley family spoke cautiously of a presence they called Old Jeffrey, an unseen force that seemed intent on making itself known. Whether trick, imagination, or something darker, the disturbances unsettled the household for only a short time, but held a potential influence that would be felt centuries later, through the beliefs of the son, John Wesley, who would later go on to be a founding member of the Methodist church.

SOURCES

Southey, Robert (1904) The Life of John Wesley. Hutchinson & Co. London, UK.

Tomkins, Stephen (2003) John Wesley: A Biography. Lion Books, Oxford, UK.

Wesley, John (1784) The Haunting of Epworth Rectory: An Account of the Disturbances in my Father's House. The Arminian Magazine, No.7, 1784, London, UK.

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For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at ⁠⁠⁠⁠darkhistories.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠

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or join our Discord community: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye

Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017

Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.

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In the summer of 1819,  the whaleship Essex set sail from Nantucket, chasing fortune across the vast and indifferent Pacific. What began as a routine whaling voyage soon veered into a nightmare, however, when the hunted became the hunter, and the ship, until now known as one of the luckiest around, was smashed to splinters, leaving her crew adrift in an ocean without mercy. Their struggle was a descent into fear, hunger, and the raw edge of human endurance that would go on to inspire the story of Moby Dick, though much of the darker elements would be left at sea, where such stories belonged.

SOURCES

Chase, Owen (1821) Narrative of the Wreck of the Whaleship Essex. Wesleyan University Press. NH, USA.

Heffernan, Thomas (1981) Stove by a Whale: Owen Chase & The Essex. Wesleyan University Press, NH, USA.

Philbrick, Nathaniel (2000) In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex. Viking Press. NY, USA.

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For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at ⁠⁠⁠⁠darkhistories.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠

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The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye

Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017

Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.

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In the autumn of 1954, France found itself gripped by a strange and unnerving spectacle. From quiet rural villages to bustling towns and cities, witnesses reported everything from flying discs, cigars and carrots, to little creatures in diving gear waddling beneath a glowing sphere. Newspapers buzzed with excitement as sightings unfolded night after night, spreading across the country like a raging epidemic. It was the first major group of UFO sightings outside of America, and by the end of the year, more than two thousand reports were made from people from all regions of the country, and all walks of life. Was it signs of an impending alien invasion, or all the outcome of a collective delusion? That was the question posed at the time, and it’s still one that’s never really been answered.

SOURCES

Michel, Aimé (1958) Flying Saucers and the Straight Line Mystery. S. G. Phillips Inc. NY, USA.

Graeme Rendall (2024) The French UFO Wave of 1954. Independently Published.

Gross, P. (2025). UFOS at close sight: the 1954 French flap sightings catalogue. Patrickgross.org. https://ufologie.patrickgross.org/1954/1954.html

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For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at ⁠⁠⁠darkhistories.com ⁠⁠⁠

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The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye

Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017

Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.

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In this week's episode of Yesterday Today I had a bit of a dive into teh murder of Mary Jane Kelly and how it was presented in the London papers, along with a few other oddities, like Barnaby and Burgho the bloodhounds and the insistence of drunk people to pretend they were a heavily hunted serial killer...

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Support the show by visiting our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories⁠⁠⁠

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or join our Discord community: ⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf⁠⁠⁠

The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye

Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017

Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.

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In the frozen landscape of Finnish winter, 1885, the quiet croft of Efraim Martin in Ylöjärvi became the center of local attention thanks to a series of unexplainable events that saw almost the entire neighbourhood crowd into the small farmhouse. Rumours of the devils and demons wound through the township, as neighbors swore they saw an invisible force cause havoc throughout the otherwise peaceful home. The story spread like the winter frost, and soon the authorities themselves were forced to ask the question: was this trickery, or had the Devil truly come to Ylöjärvi?
SOURCES

Stenius, J. Harrison (2020) The Haunting of Martin’s Croft. Independently published, Finland

Aamaluheti (1885) The Devil’s Tricks. Superstition or Spiritism? Aamaluheti, Thurs 22 Jan 1885, p4. Tammerfos, Finland.

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For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at ⁠⁠⁠darkhistories.com ⁠⁠⁠

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The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: ⁠⁠⁠http://author.to/darkhistories⁠⁠⁠

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or join our Discord community: ⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf⁠⁠⁠

The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye

Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017

Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the shadows of war-torn Paris, a charming young doctor lived a double life. Physician by day, and resistance fighter by night, his underground network promised salvation to those desperate to escape the Nazi grip. But in a time where trust was at a premium, the truth was not necessarily as it seemed. When Dr. Marcel Petiot’s home at 21 Rue Le Sueur became a concern to his neighbours as a sickly smelling smoke rose from his furnace, the illusion began to unravel. A resistance fighter, a Gestapo set up, or the scene of countless heinous crimes, the truth was as complicated to the police as it was for those who knew the doctor's friendly smile, and kind bedside manner.

SOURCES

King, David (2011) Death in the City of Light. Little Brown Book Group, London, UK.

Liverpool Echo (1944) Death House Doctor Hunt. Liverpool Echo, Mon 13 March 1944, p3. Liverpool, UK.

Rosbotton, Ronald C. (2015) When Paris Went Dark: The City of Light Under German Occupation, 1940-1944. Back Bay Books, NY, USA.The Standard (1946) Dr Petiot Executed In Paris. The Standard, Sat 25 May 1946, p12. London, UK.

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For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at ⁠⁠⁠darkhistories.com ⁠⁠⁠

Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: ⁠⁠⁠http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories⁠⁠⁠ or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories⁠⁠⁠

The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: ⁠⁠⁠http://author.to/darkhistories⁠⁠⁠

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The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye

Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017

Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices