The Legend of Spring-heeled Jack

 

We tend to think of the Victorian Era as an age of science & reason, however, there is another side to the Victorian’s unlike our own. An age that believed in phrenology, fairies, ghosts, galvanism, photographs, seances……..& the legend of Spring-heeled Jack. This is one of the most perplexing paranormal entities to have confused humanity. The legend began in the 19th century & tells the story of an evil phantom with flaming red eyes, fiery breath & masked underneath a large cloak. He would leap out at unsuspecting victims in London. The story soon began to spread across the entire UK & even as far as America.

He has been described as a sinister being, who has an aura of fear & evilness about him. He is said to wear a black coat, a helmet, & an oilskin. He reputedly has red balls of fire for eyes, & breaths white flames of horror. He has clawed hands & can take huge leaps on top & over buildings. The earliest reports have described him in three different disguises – a ghost, a bear, & devil.

19th Century Sightings

Mary Stevens: The year is 1837 in the month of October. Whilst on her way to Lavender Hill through Clapton Common, London, a cloaked figure leapt out at Mary & attacked her. He gripped her tightly, enabling her from moving, ripped off her clothes, & sexually assaulted her. The girl began to scream & her assailant fled from the scene. The very next day, Spring-heeled Jack was seen in Mary’s neighbourhood, where he jumped in front of a coach. The coachman lost control & crashed. Spring-heeled Jack let out a terrifying shriek of laughter & made his getaway where he apparently leapt over a 9 foot high wall.

Sir John Cowan, Lord Mayor of London

Cowan’s announcement: As the victims of Spring-heeled Jack began to rise, Sir John Cowan, the Lord Mayor of London, made a public announcement. He read out a lengthy complaint made by a concerned citizen, which included various accounts of Jacks attacks. Then in 1838, two more young women were attacked.

Jane Alsop: The first of the two women was Jane Alsop. On the night of 19th February, Jane was in her father’s house when there was a knock at the door. She heard a voice coming from the other side telling her he was a policeman. He asked Jane to bring a light with her as he had caught Spring-heeled Jack in the lane. Innocently, Jane opened the door & went to hand the cloaked figure the candle she was holding. Suddenly, the figure threw off his cloak, revealing his red fiery eyes & vomited blue & white flames into her face. He began to rip off her gown & inflicted bloody scratches on her neck & arms with his icy cold metallic claws. Jane’s sister appeared & Jack fled.

Lucy Scales: The second woman was 18 year old Lucy Scales. On 28th February, Lucy was walking home with her sister after visiting with their brother in Limestone. As they passed the Green Dragon Alley, Lucy came across a man wearing a large cloak. He immediately spewed out blue flames into her face, blinding her & triggering violent fits which continued for hours after.

With every attack that occurred, The Times, a British daily tabloid, reported on every incident which helped to spread the word. A new wave of attacks took place a few years later in the 1870’s.

Actual newspaper clipping about Spring-heeled Jack

 

Birmingham & The Black Country: Of course, us folk in Birmingham & the Black Country never escaped the legend. In 1855, sightings of Jack were reported in Old Hill, Dudley. It is said Jack jumped from the roof of the Cross Inn onto the roof of a butcher’s shop across the road. This sighting was typical of many, & was followed by a spat of further sightings, until the panic died down. However, Jack would return after many months & sometimes years later. There were numerous sightings in Blackheath in 1877 & again around Dudley & the Acocks Green district of Birmingham in the 1880’s

Aldershot Barracks: August 1877 in North Camp, Hampshire, UK. A sentry came across a strange figure at the barracks, who ran towards him & slapped him, several times, across the face. A guard shot at the assailant, but to no avail. The figure mysteriously disappeared with astounding leaps.

Liverpool: Everton, North Liverpool, 1888, Spring-heeled Jack was seen on the rooftop of Saint Francis Xavier Church in Salisbury Street.

Modern Sightings

Attercliffe: In the 1970’s, the residents of Attercliffe, Sheffield, reported a red eyed figure who punched women. He reputedly leapt between rooftops & walked down the sides of the walls.

Herefordshire: Marshall, a salesman from South Herefordshire, saw a man who took giant leaps towards him & slapped him across the face in 1986.

West Surrey: A group of children on their way home from school, reported seeing a man dressed all in black with red eyes. The children said he could run as fast as a car.

Epsom: In February 2012, Scott Martin & his family were travelling by taxi. They were seconds away from Nescot College in Ewell Bypass, when they saw a dark figure run across the street & climb a roadside bank in seconds.

American Sightings of Spring-heeled Jack

It is believed that Spring-heeled Jack has made an appearance with our American friends too

The Ghost of Raymond Street: Near Raymond Street Jail, Brooklyn, New York, a seven to twelve foot tall phantom was seen in 1892. He was seen dressed all in white with horns on its head & spitting fire from its mouth.

The Ghost of Wading River: A ghost sighting was reported after it had appeared at the churchyard in Long Island at 11:55 every night. It was seen moving quickly between gravestones as if to read the inscriptions. When the clock strikes 12, it would perch itself on top of a gravestone & spit out 12 fire balls, then it would disappear.