In late 1803, accounts of ghost sightings began to circulate in Hammersmith, England. This led to a tragic event, and a legal case that revealed some limitations in existing English law. 

Research:
“The case of the murdered ghost.” BBC News. January 3, 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/3364467.stm
“Fears of a Ghost and the Fatal Catastrophe.” The Morning Chronicle. Jan 5, 1804. https://www.newspapers.com/image/394016127/?match=1&terms=Francis%20Smith
Feikert-Ahalt, Clare. “The Case of a Ghost Haunted England for Over Two Hundred Years.” Library of Congress Blog. In Custodia Legis. Law Librarians of Congress. Oct. 30, 2015. https://blogs.loc.gov/law/2015/10/the-case-of-a-ghost-haunted-england-for-over-two-hundred-years/
Castle, Terry. “Phantasmagoria: Spectral Technology and the Metaphorics of Modern Reverie.” Critical Inquiry. Autumn, 1988, Vol. 15, No. 1.pp. 26-61. The University of Chicago Press. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1343603
“FRANCIS SMITH. Killing; murder. 11th January 1804..” Proceedings of the Old Bailey.
“The Hammersmith Ghost: London’s Paranormal Murder.” Discovery UK. Jan. 7, 2025. https://www.discoveryuk.com/mysteries/the-hammersmith-ghost-londons-paranormal-murder/
“The Hammersmith Ghost.” Cambridge Chronicle and Journal. Jan. 14, 2804. https://www.newspapers.com/image/975790052/?match=1&terms=Hammersmith%20ghost
Kirby, R.S. “Kirby's Wonderful and Scientific Museum: Or, Magazine of Remarkable Characters, Volume 2.” 1804. https://books.google.com/books?id=ggMhkDz-33EC&source=gbs_navlinks_s
Medland, W.M. and Charles Weobly. “A Collection of Remarkable and Interesting Criminal Trials, Actions at Law, &c: To which is Prefixed, an Essay on Reprieve and Pardon, and Biographical Sketches of John Lord Eldon, and Mr. Mingay, Volume 2.” Badcock. January 1804. Accessed online: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=c5YuAAAAYAAJ&rdid=book-c5YuAAAAYAAJ&rdot=1
Mitchell, Edwin Valentine, ed. “The Newgate calendar :
comprising interesting memoirs of the most notorious characters who have been convicted of outrages on the laws of England.” Garden City Pub. Co. 1926. https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/006759756
“Murder – Hammersmith Ghost.” The Bury and Norwich Post. Jan. 18, 1804. https://www.newspapers.com/image/394552157/?match=1&terms=Hammersmith%20ghost
“The Reath Hammersmith Ghost.: The Bath Journal. Jan. 16, 1804. https://www.newspapers.com/image/975620428/?match=1&terms=Hammersmith%20ghost
“Regine v. Gladstone Williams.” Transcript of the Shorthand Notes of Marten Walsh Cherer Ltd., 36-38 Whitefriers Street,
Fleet Street, London, EC4Y 8BH. Telephone Number: 01-583 7635, Shorthand Writers to the Court. https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Crim/1983/4.html

In late 1803, accounts of ghost sightings began to circulate in Hammersmith, England. This led to a tragic event, and a legal case that revealed some limitations in existing English law.&nbsp;
Research:
<ul>
<li>&ldquo;The case of the murdered ghost.&rdquo; BBC News. January 3, 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/3364467.stm</li>
<li>&ldquo;Fears of a Ghost and the Fatal Catastrophe.&rdquo; The Morning Chronicle. Jan 5, 1804. https://www.newspapers.com/image/394016127/?match=1&amp;terms=Francis%20Smith</li>
<li>Feikert-Ahalt, Clare. &ldquo;The Case of a Ghost Haunted England for Over Two Hundred Years.&rdquo; Library of Congress Blog. In Custodia Legis. Law Librarians of Congress. Oct. 30, 2015. https://blogs.loc.gov/law/2015/10/the-case-of-a-ghost-haunted-england-for-over-two-hundred-years/</li>
<li>Castle, Terry. &ldquo;Phantasmagoria: Spectral Technology and the Metaphorics of Modern Reverie.&rdquo; Critical Inquiry. Autumn, 1988, Vol. 15, No. 1.pp. 26-61. The University of Chicago Press. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1343603</li>
<li>&ldquo;FRANCIS SMITH. Killing; murder. 11th January 1804..&rdquo; Proceedings of the Old Bailey.</li>
<li>&ldquo;The Hammersmith Ghost: London&rsquo;s Paranormal Murder.&rdquo; Discovery UK. Jan. 7, 2025. https://www.discoveryuk.com/mysteries/the-hammersmith-ghost-londons-paranormal-murder/</li>
<li>&ldquo;The Hammersmith Ghost.&rdquo; Cambridge Chronicle and Journal. Jan. 14, 2804. https://www.newspapers.com/image/975790052/?match=1&amp;terms=Hammersmith%20ghost</li>
<li>Kirby, R.S. &ldquo;Kirby's Wonderful and Scientific Museum:&nbsp;Or, Magazine of Remarkable Characters, Volume 2.&rdquo; 1804. https://books.google.com/books?id=ggMhkDz-33EC&amp;source=gbs_navlinks_s</li>
<li>Medland, W.M. and Charles Weobly. &ldquo;A Collection of Remarkable and Interesting Criminal Trials, Actions at Law, &amp;c: To which is Prefixed, an Essay on Reprieve and Pardon, and Biographical Sketches of John Lord Eldon, and Mr. Mingay, Volume 2.&rdquo; Badcock. January 1804. Accessed online: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=c5YuAAAAYAAJ&amp;rdid=book-c5YuAAAAYAAJ&amp;rdot=1</li>
<li>Mitchell, Edwin Valentine, ed. &ldquo;The Newgate calendar : comprising interesting memoirs of the most notorious characters who have been convicted of outrages on the laws of England.&rdquo; Garden City Pub. Co. 1926. https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/006759756</li>
<li>&ldquo;Murder &ndash; Hammersmith Ghost.&rdquo; The Bury and Norwich Post. Jan. 18, 1804. https://www.newspapers.com/image/394552157/?match=1&amp;terms=Hammersmith%20ghost</li>
<li>&ldquo;The Reath Hammersmith Ghost.: The Bath Journal. Jan. 16, 1804. https://www.newspapers.com/image/975620428/?match=1&amp;terms=Hammersmith%20ghost</li>
<li>&ldquo;Regine v. Gladstone Williams.&rdquo; Transcript of the Shorthand Notes of Marten Walsh Cherer Ltd., 36-38 Whitefriers Street, Fleet Street, London, EC4Y 8BH. Telephone Number: 01-583 7635, Shorthand Writers to the Court. https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Crim/1983/4.html</li>
</ul>

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Stuff You Missed in History Class

In late 1803, accounts of ghost sightings began to circulate in Hammersmith, England. This led to a tragic event, and a legal case that revealed some limitations in existing English law. 

Hammersmith Ghost Murder

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/1a77d4fc-9664-407d-ae23-b383016d6e88/transcript

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