The Haunting of Alma Fielding, also known as The Thornton Heath Poltergeist, began in 1938 and remains one of the most fascinating and well-documented paranormal cases in British history. This extraordinary series of events unfolded in a modest house in the London suburb of Thornton Heath, drawing intense interest from both the public and paranormal investigators. The case would go on to have a significant impact on the study of poltergeist phenomena.
In February 1938, Alma Fielding, a 34-year-old housewife, reported experiencing bizarre occurrences in her home, which she shared with her husband Les, their son Don, and a lodger named George. The incidents began when Alma was bedridden with a kidney infection, and her husband was suffering from complications following a tooth extraction. What started as seemingly inexplicable events quickly escalated into a full-blown poltergeist case that would capture the nation’s attention and challenge conventional understanding of paranormal activity.
The poltergeist activity manifested in various ways, many of which are considered classic signs of such hauntings. Objects would inexplicably move on their own, often flying through the air with considerable force. Furniture would shift position without any visible cause, and loud, unexplained noises would startle the family at all hours. Perhaps most disturbingly, household items would frequently shatter or break for no apparent reason, creating an atmosphere of constant tension and fear within the home.
One of the most notable aspects of the Thornton Heath case was the focus of the activity on Mrs. Fielding herself. Many of the paranormal events seemed to centre around her, leading some investigators to speculate about a possible connection between her presence and the poltergeist phenomena. This observation would later prove crucial in the development of theories about the nature of poltergeist activity.
As news of the haunting spread, it attracted the attention of both the press and paranormal investigators. The Sunday Pictorial, a popular newspaper of the time, sent reporters to cover the story, bringing the Thornton Heath Poltergeist to national attention. Their reports described a scene of chaos and mystery, with objects flying about the house and the family living in a state of constant anxiety.
Enter Nandor Fodor, a Jewish-Hungarian journalist and psychic investigator who would become intimately involved with the case. Fodor, who was the chief ghost hunter at the International Institute for Psychical Research, saw in the Thornton Heath case an opportunity to advance the understanding of poltergeist phenomena and possibly provide evidence for the existence of the paranormal.
Fodor’s investigation of the case was meticulous and groundbreaking for its time. He employed a combination of traditional ghost-hunting techniques and more modern, psychological approaches. From the outset, Fodor entertained the possibility that Mrs. Fielding might be causing the disturbances through normal means, despite her visible distress at the events. This sceptical approach would prove controversial among his peers but ultimately lead to significant insights.
The phenomena observed by Fodor during his investigation were truly remarkable. Dishes would float in mid-air before crashing to the floor, glasses would fly out of Mrs. Fielding’s hands, and objects from the Thornton Heath house would mysteriously appear at the Institute, some ten miles away. These events occurred even under controlled conditions, with Mrs. Fielding under close observation and wearing special clothing to prevent sleight-of-hand tricks.
As the investigation progressed, Alma began to exhibit a broad range of psychic powers, including apportation – the ability to make objects materialise from thin air. During séances at the Institute, Alma produced over fifty ‘apports’ or materialised objects, which fell from her person or landed at a distance as she went into trance. These objects included a butterfly brooch, a stick of rhubarb, an ammonite, a tin of laxative pills, a terrapin, a beetle, white mice, and even an ancient terracotta oil lamp supposedly pilfered from the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Alma also claimed to have experienced astral projection, reporting an out-of-body experience where she lost consciousness at the Croydon Picture Palace and found herself in South Kensington. Additionally, she began giving séances at the Institute, acting as a medium with a Persian spirit called Bremba as her guide.
As Fodor delved deeper into the case, he began to uncover a complex psychological backdrop to the haunting. His investigation of Mrs. Fielding’s background revealed a history of neurotic behaviour and dissociative episodes. She reported hearing voices, experiencing visions, and showed signs of a fragmented personality.
Fodor proposed that the poltergeist phenomena were not caused by external spirits or entities, but rather were a manifestation of repressed psychological trauma. This theory was radical for its time.
Despite the controversy, Fodor’s work on the Thornton Heath case would prove influential in the long run. His emphasis on psychological explanations for apparent paranormal phenomena laid the groundwork for future research in the field. The case of Alma Fielding remains a subject of debate and fascination, serving as a complex example of the interplay between perceived supernatural events and human psychology.
