The Gobblers’ll Git You, If You Don’t Watch Out! Ghostly gobblers who tap at your windows and gobble in the garret…
Posted by
Chris Woodyard
on
November 21, 2017
in 18th century , Animal Tales , Cryptozoology , Death , Ephemera , Fairies and Elemental Spirits , Folklore , Fortean Mysteries , Ghosts , News , Poltergeists , Victorian
and tagged Epworth Rectory , fairy turkey , ghostly gobblers , ghostly turkeys , headless turkey ghost , king of the fairies , poltergieists , Thanksgiving , The Gobblers'll Git You If You Don't Watch Out! , turkey as messenger of death , turkey as omen of death , turkey ghost , white turkey
Death by Eclipse and Other Coronal Curiosities Strange deaths, insanity, and portents associated with the eclipse.
Posted by
Chris Woodyard
on
August 19, 2017
in 18th century , Death , Ephemera , Folklore , Fortean Mysteries , Grim and Grewsome , News , Scientific Oddities , Sky Mysteries , Strange Deaths , Victorian , Wonders and Curiosities
and tagged Death by Eclipse and Other Coronal Curiosities , eclipse forteana , eclipse insanity , eclipse madness , eclipse of 1869 , eclipse suicide , Francis Bacon , Richard Mead
The Devil’s Fire-Proof Chain A strange gold chain protects a noble Swedish house from fires.
Posted by
Chris Woodyard
on
December 8, 2016
in 18th century , Fairies and Elemental Spirits , Folklore , News , Occultism/Magic , Victorian , Wonders and Curiosities
and tagged Carl Edward Vilhelm Piper , Count Piper , Count Sparre , evil spirits , fire elemental , fire spirits , lucky charms , Sweden , Swedish forteana , The Devil's Fire-Proof Chain , vardoger
An Historic Hernia The extraordinarily gruesome death of Queen Caroline of Ansbach, consort of King George II, presented by guest blogger Catherine Curzon, author of Life in the Georgian Court.
Posted by
Chris Woodyard
on
September 3, 2016
in 18th century , Death , Grim and Grewsome , medical oddities , News , Social History , Strange Deaths
and tagged An Historic Hernia , Caroline of Ansbach , Catherine Curzon , Georgian Court , gruesome deaths , King George II , Life in the Georgian Court , royal deaths
Dame Elsan Cow-witches A mysterious charm gotten from a man in black heals Dame Elsan’s calves and leads to her trial for witchcraft.
Posted by
Chris Woodyard
on
April 30, 2016
in 18th century , Ephemera , Folklore , News , Occultism/Magic , religion , Social History , Witches
and tagged a Swedish Witch , Cow-witching with Dame Elsan , Dame Elsan , Dame Elsan Ketler , Sweden , Swedenborg , Swedish witchcraft , Swedish witches , Walpurgisnacht
Weekend Compendium: 13 January 2016 Valentine Edition Featuring an 18th century “Missed Connection” ad, 19th century hints for photographic sitters. The Angel of Lourdes, monkey ghosts, Valentines for Undertakers and Spiritualist Mediums.
Posted by
Chris Woodyard
on
February 13, 2016
in 18th century , Animal Tales , Death , Ephemera , Fairies and Elemental Spirits , Folklore , Fortean Mysteries , Ghosts , Mourning Customs and History , News , religion , Sky Mysteries , Spiritualism , Victorian , Weekend Compendium , Witches
and tagged angels , Lourdes , missed connections ad , monkey ghosts , undertakers , Valentine's Day , Vauxhall , Victorian photography , Victorian valentines , Vinegar Valentines , Violet Tweedale , Weekend Compendium: 13 January 2016 Valentine Edition
A private language created by an Icelandic child.
Posted by
Chris Woodyard
on
April 7, 2015
in 18th century , Ephemera , Folklore , Fortean Mysteries , Interesting People , News , Wonders and Curiosities
and tagged constructed languages , glossolalia , Iceland , made-up languages , private languages , Siun Johnson
It’s that time of year when mysterious pillars of light brighten the winter sky. Three examples of mystery lights and pillars.
Posted by
Chris Woodyard
on
February 7, 2015
in 18th century , Fortean Mysteries , News , Scientific Oddities , Sky Mysteries , Victorian , Wonders and Curiosities
and tagged aurora borealis , fortean mysteries , ice crystals , light pillars , mystery lights , Newburyport Massachusetts haunted school house , northern lights , sky mysteries
The Prophetic Ghost of King Louis XVI of France The Utopian author Louis-Sebatien Mercier claimed that he saw and spoke with the ghost of Louis XVI.
Posted by
Chris Woodyard
on
July 12, 2014
in 18th century , Death , Ghosts , Grim and Grewsome , Prophecies , Wonders and Curiosities
and tagged Baron de Lamothe-Langon , Étienne Léon , French Revolution , King Louis XVI , Louis-Sebastien Mercier , The Prophetic Ghost of King Louis XVI of France
When the Eddy-stone Light-house burned in 1755, a spry Henry Hall, aged 94, sprang into action to battle the fire. During the fire he was badly injured and was carried home where he gave his doctor a bizarre explanation for his injuries: he had swallowed melted lead from the fire.
Posted by
Chris Woodyard
on
June 12, 2014
in 18th century , Grim and Grewsome , medical oddities , News , Strange Deaths , Wonders and Curiosities
and tagged Dr Edmund Spry , Dr Edward Spry , Dr. John Huxham , drinking molten metal , Eddystone Lighthouse , Henry Hall , melted lead , Royal Society
