Find me here:
  The Paranormal Guide
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Atlas
  • Glossary

Spring-Heeled Jack

10/2/2014

Comments

 
Picture
A sinister and hideous figure was said to stalk the streets of London in the 1800's, inciting fear due to reports of his supernatural abilities.

Described as being both 'devil-like' and 'gentleman-like' in appearance, was 'The Terror of London' one or more entities, and did he even exist?


The Terror of London

PictureIllustration from 1904
For almost seventy years the streets of London were said to be the wandering grounds of an entity who was rumoured to have been responsible for vicious attacks on anyone who dared to leave their homes during the night hours. First reportedly seen in 1837, the being was to become encased in popular myth, for tales of this "man" and his legendary super-human feats, as well as his bizarre appearance, were to become legendary around the world and be investigated, researched and theorized by writers of the supernatural and paranormal for decades afterwards.

If we are indeed talking about one entity, he was to be called Spring-Heeled Jack, or the Terror of London.

In the early years of the Nineteenth century, Londoners believed that the streets of their city were, at night, inhabited by the souls of the dead, and many people made claims of seeing, interacting with and being assaulted by these spirits.

"The Terror of London" was said to have first been reported in 1837 by a man on his way to work who decided to cross into a grassland area to get to work earlier. Although the area was known to be dangerous, he took a risk and prevailed onwards. Approaching a churchyard nearby, a tall figure leapt down before him and confronted him with "glowing red eyes". The man quickly reported his encounter, and soon the story spread like wildfire through the nearby villages, with residents gripped in fear and panic.

Eyes Resembling Balls of Fire

PictureAnother slightly later illustration
Soon others were to report encountering a similar being, and "Jack" was attributed with a number of reported abilities and appearances. He was seen leaping tall fences and gates, and even buildings. He was described in some accounts as human-like, speaking impeccable english, in some accounts demonic-looking,with eyes "resembling balls of fire". He was said to have clawed hands, and as well as wearing a black cloak, had a helmet and wore tight-fitting garments.

Almost always tall and thin, in one account he is said to have kissed a victims face while tearing at her clothes before the teenage girl managed to escape.

He was said to emerge from darkly lit alleyways or jump down from great heights, and more than once was seen exhaling blue and white flames. In some accounts he is said to be heard laughing in a high-pitched, maniacal manner.

Reports started surfacing of people supposedly dying from terror at the sight of "Jack",and rewards were offered to anyone who could provide information to his identity. The police were instructed to search for him, and soon Spring-Heeled Jack became a minor celebrity, with people buying newspapers just to read about his newest exploits, theatres began performing plays about his adventures and as his fame grew, he began to appear less.

However,up until 1904 reports of encounters with "Jack" continued, but he seemed to disappear after that. In the late 1970's reports started surfacing of a man grabbing women "who has red eyes and punches other men". He could also walk down sides of walls.

In February 2012 a family claimed a dark figure ran across the road in front of their car late at night before jumping a fifteen-foot wall. Reports of a man with an elongated chin and wearing dark clothes bounding across rooftops have also been made in modern times.

So, if Spring-heeled Jack is one entity, and has been responsible for attacks and pranks since 1837, what is he?

Another 'Jack' of the Time

PictureAnother similarly described figure from the time... Jack the Ripper
A number of theories have been put forth, with sceptics preferring to stick to rational explanations for the accounts, while other writers have claimed supernatural possibilities. Sceptics believe the myth was created out of mass hysteria due in part to maybe one or two accounts of strangely clothed men attacking slave girls, or that it was perhaps a very human man playing tricks due to a macabre sense of humour. If so,where did superhuman bounds, glowing red eyes and claws for hands start surfacing?

It is noted that most of his attacks were on girls, with a sexual element to the attacks, with clothes been ripped or torn away and victims being kissed. Did "Jack" have a sexual predatory aspect to his personality?

Paranormal theorists would posit that he was perhaps an extra-terrestrial/s who were perhaps attracted to human women. Others speculate of origins in Hell, summoned by witches or the occult either by accident or on purpose. And some believe he was a mutant human with freakish abilities, who perhaps was mentally unstable.

In 1888 a string of murders attributed to legendary serial killer Jack the Ripper took place in the Whitechapel district of London. A number of prostitutes were mutilated and in some cases internal organs were taken. Could the two Jacks be the same entity? Were the previous attacks on young girls pre-cursors to the savagery that took place in 1888? The fact that "The Ripper" was never caught and to this day his identity has been speculated at by many historians and scholars could lie in the possibility that he bounded away after committing unspeakable horrific crimes.

The enigma of Spring-Heeled Jack will surely be one that will mystify many generations to come, and will remain one of Britian's greatest mysteries.


By Matty Sweeney 2014
Put together by Ashley Hall 2014
Comments
comments powered by Disqus

    The Paranormal Guide Articles

    Here you will find all of the articles written for The Paranormal Guide on all things paranormal, strange, dark, macabre, weird, strange and bizarre!

    All photos with the blog posts remain the property of their respectful owners. If one of your photos is featured here without attribution please leave a comment on the blog and full credit will be given.

    Categories

    All
    Bizarre Experiments
    Conspiracy
    Cryptozoology
    Cursed And Haunted Objects
    Curses Demons And Exorcisms
    Earth Mysteries
    Fakes Frauds And Hoaxes
    Ghosts And Hauntings
    Ghosts Ghouls And Demons
    Interesting And Inspiring People
    Investigations
    Miracles
    My Paranormal
    Paranormal Photos
    Paranormal Vocabulary
    Phobias And Philias
    Post Mortem Practices
    Psychics Predictions And Seers
    Questions And Discussions
    Reviews
    Spirituality And Miracles
    Spirituality And Miracles
    Strange And Macabre Places
    Strange And Tragic Deaths
    This Week In Dark History
    Tragedy
    True Crime And Punishment
    Ufos And Aliens
    Unsolved Mysteries
    Urban Legend Superstition And Folklore
    Weird Odd And Bizarre


    Ashley Hall -
    The Paranormal Guide

    Ashley Hall explores The Paranormal, True Crime, Strange Deaths, Dark History, The Weird, The Strange and The Bizarre! Fact or Fiction? You decide!

    Picture

    Contributors

    Picture
    Matty Sweeney
    Picture
    Peet Banks
    Picture
    Nic Hume

    Picture
    Check out The Paranormal Guide Podcast and join three paranormal investigators and researchers for honest and raw discussions on all things paranormal, strange, dark and macabre HERE!

    Archives

    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012

    Please note that dates are from when the article was originally made.
    The Paranormal Guide does have posts all the way up to the current date.


    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.