Dark Histories

Midway Atoll & The Wreck of the Wandering Minstrel

In the heart of the Pacific in the late 19th century, an expedition planned by Frederick and Elizabeth Walker, turned into a nightmare. In the dead of night, their ship, The Wandering Minstrel, struck the jagged reefs of Midway Atoll, splintering beneath their feet. With no way to escape, they were stranded on a barren, wind-lashed island, surrounded by endless water and lurking predators. Days stretched into weeks and then months, as hunger, fear, and desperation set in. Worse, it appeared they shared the island with an unknown character, whose previous shipping career had almost certainly ended in murder.
SOURCES
Pearl, Matthew (2025) Save Our Souls: The True Story of a Castaway Family, Treachery & Murder. Harper, London, UK.
Liverpool Weekly Courier (1889) Story of the Wandering Minstrel. Liverpool Weekly Courier, Sat 22 June 1889, p2. Liverpool, UK.
Liverpool Mail (1867) Married. Liverpool Mail, Sat 11 May 1867, p7. Liverpool, UK.
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The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye
Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017
Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.
 
 

The Islandmagee Witch Trials of 1711

In the windswept town of Islandmagee, County Antrim, in the year 1711, fear took root, and hysteria fanned the flames of injustice. Eight women—healers, widows, and outcasts—stood accused of witchcraft, charged with tormenting a young girl through dark sorcery. In an Ireland largely untouched by witch trials, this case became an eerie echo of Salem’s horrors. As whispers turned to accusations, the trial unfolded with damning testimonies, spectral evidence, and the weight of superstition, as women turned to spiders, victims vomited pins and feathers and panic and politics conquered over reason.
SOURCES
Sneddon, Andrew (2013) Possessed by the Devil. The History Press Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.
Sneddon, Andrew (2015) Witchcraft & Magic in Ireland. Palgrave macmillan, London, UK.
Tisdall, William (1775) Account of the Trial of Eight Reputed Witches. The Hibernian magazine, or, Compendium of entertaining knowledge v.5.
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For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com
Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories
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Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9
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The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye
Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017
Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.
 

Occult Rituals & Space Rockets: The Strange Life of Jack Parsons

Beneath the blazing Californian sun, in a world teetering on the edge of war and wonder, one man dared to ignite the stars. Jack Parsons, a visionary rocket scientist, fused the fiery realms of science and the esoteric, dreaming of propelling humanity into the cosmos. By day, he crafted engines that defied gravity; by night, he conjured rituals steeped in occult lore. A trailblazer, a heretic, and a dreamer, Parsons danced on the razor’s edge of genius and chaos, leaving behind a legacy as explosive as his creations.
 
SOURCES
Carter, John (1999) Sex & Rockets: The Occult World of Jack Parsons. Feral House, WA, USA.
Crowley, Aleister (1976) Magick in Theory & Practice. Dover Publications. NY, USA.
Parsons, John (1980) The Book of AntiChrist. Isis Research. CA, USA
 
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For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com
Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories
The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories
Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9
Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast
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& Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/
Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com
or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf
The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye
Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017
Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.
 
 

Christmas Campfire 2024 (Part 2)

Here is Part 2 of this years Christmas Campfire, more of a New Years Campfire, really. I hope you enjoy!

Christmas Campfire 2024 (Part 1)

Hey everyone! Merry Christmas (Eve)! Here is this years Christmas Campfire, or at least the first half of it. Thanks for everyone for taking part, I hope you enjoy some spooky stories and have a wonderful Christmas Day!

The Life and Hauntings of Violet Tweedale

The life of Violet Tweedale was one of some fantasy and interest. A Victorian woman, powerful and wealthy in a time when women were not often such, she spent her days writing, socialising and hobnobbing with the elite. Described in some gushing, and highly dated terms as “a woman of many parts. She can paint a landscape and cook a dinner, she can write a book and make a shirt, she can etch a sporting scene and embroider the finest designs, she is a brilliant pianist, and has the reputation of being one of the best political speakers of the present day. With her regular features, white hair, commanding presence, and strong personal magnetism, she is an undoubted power on the public platform.” But this was not all Violet Tweedale was. She was also a keen ghost hunter, and from an early age, had been scouring old estates in the hopes of uncovering the other side, with some degree of success.
SOURCES
Tweedale, Violet (1919) Ghosts I Have Seen: And Other Psychic Experiences. Herbert Jenkins, London, UK. 
Chambers, William (1832) Chambers’ Edinburgh Journal. No. 1. Sat 4 Feb 1932. Edinburgh, Scotland.
Western Mail (1915) Literature. Western mail, Fri 2 April 1915, p44. Perth, Australia.
Prasil, Tim (2019) The Victorian Ghost Hunters Casebook. Brom Bones Books, UK.
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This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, check out betterhelp.com/darkhistories to get 10% off your first month.
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For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com
Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories
The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories
Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9
Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast
Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories
& Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/
Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com
or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf
The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye
Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017
Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.
 
 

The Murderous Life of Dr Thomas Neill Cream (Part 2)

Dr. Thomas Neill Cream, a physician with a respectable facade, became one of the most notorious figures in Victorian London’s dark history. Under the guise of providing medical care, he secretly dispensed deadly doses of strychnine, preying on vulnerable women, using his sinister charm and cunning to both administer poison and run from the effects. For years Cream operated in the shadows, his victims spanning across countries, borders and seas, until his insatiable thirst for power and cruelty ultimately revealed the monster behind the doctor’s mask.
PART 2 SOURCES
Jobb, Dean (2021) The Case of the Murderous Dr Cream. Algonquin Books, NC, USA.
Hodge, James H. (1994) Famous Trials v.5: Thomas Neill Cream, Neville Heath, John Watson Laurie, Dr.George Lamson, Rattenbury and Stoner. Penguin Crime, London, UK.
Loudon, Irvine (1992) Death in Childbirth: An International Study of Maternal Care and Maternal Mortality 1800-1950. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.
Gloucester Citizen (1891) Painful Story. Gloucester Citizen, Fri 16 Oct 1891, p3. UK.
North Devon Journal (1892) Further Charges Of Blackmailing. North Devon Journal, Thurs 23 June 1892, p6. UK.
Reynolds’s Newspaper (1892) Strange Cases Of Poisoning. Reynolds’s Newspaper, Sun 17 April 1892, p5, London, UK.
Illustrated Police News (1892) The Execution Of Cream. Illustrated Police News, Saturday 19 Nov 1892, p1. London, UK.
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For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com
Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories
The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories
Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9
Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast
Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories
& Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/
Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com
or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf
The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye
Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017
Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.

The Murderous Life of Dr Thomas Neill Cream (Part 1)

Dr. Thomas Neill Cream, a physician with a respectable facade, became one of the most notorious figures in Victorian London’s dark history. Under the guise of providing medical care, he secretly dispensed deadly doses of strychnine, preying on vulnerable women, using his sinister charm and cunning to both administer poison and run from the effects. For years Cream operated in the shadows, his victims spanning across countries, borders and seas, until his insatiable thirst for power and cruelty ultimately revealed the monster behind the doctor’s mask.
PART 1 SOURCES
Jobb, Dean (2021) The Case of the Murderous Dr Cream. Algonquin Books, NC, USA.
Hodge, James H. (1994) Famous Trials v.5: Thomas Neill Cream, Neville Heath, John Watson Laurie, Dr.George Lamson, Rattenbury and Stoner. Penguin Crime, London, UK.
Loudon, Irvine (1992) Death in Childbirth: An International Study of Maternal Care and Maternal Mortality 1800-1950. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.
The Hamilton Spectator (1879) London. The Hamilton Spectator, Thurs 8 May 1879, p1. Ontario, Canada.
Illustrated Police News (1892) The Lambeth Poisoning Case: Neill’s Career. Illustrated Police News, October 29, 1892, p1. London, UK.
The Worthington Advance (1891) Record of Crime. The Worthington Advance, Thurs 4 Aug 1891, p1. MN, USA.
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For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com
Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories
The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories
Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9
Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast
Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories
& Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/
Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com
or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf
The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye
Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017
Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.

The Porthole Mystery: James Camb & The Death of Gay Gibson

On a misty night in October 1947, the luxury liner Durban Castle sailed smoothly across the dark waves of the Atlantic. Aboard was Gay Gibson, a young actress with dreams of stardom, and James Camb, a steward with a chequered past. When Gibson mysteriously vanished, and her lifeless body was allegedly pushed through the ship’s porthole, a dark tale of desire, deceit, and death unfolded in a mystery that would captivate the world.SOURCES
Herbstein, Dennis (1991) The Porthole Murder Case. Hodder & Stoughton, London, UK.
The Sunday Pictorial (1947) The Girl in Cabin 126. The Sunday Pictorial, Sunday 26 October 1947, p1. London, UK.
Yorkshire Evening Post (1948) Gay Gibson Jury Sees Liner Cabin Porthole. Yorkshire Evening Post, Thursday 18 March 1948, p1. Yorkshire, UK.
Yorkshire Evening Post (1947) Gay Gibson Disappeared In Shark Infested Seas. Yorkshire Evening Post, Monday 24 November 1947, p5. Yorkshire, UK.
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This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, check out betterhelp.com/darkhistories to get 10% off your first month.
 
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For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com
Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories
The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories
Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9
Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast
Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories
& Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/
Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com
or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf
The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye
Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017
Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.
 

Farrant, Manchester & The Highgate Vampire

In the 1970s, the shadowy depths of Highgate Cemetery, London became the centre of what would go on to become an enduring urban legend. As two men, both with their own views on what the cemetery was hiding, dug deep into their investigations of the grounds, reports spread of a dark, otherworldly figure stalking its overgrown graves. Sometimes tall, sometimes with glowing red eyes, and other times with a dark, top hat, the press reports of the unknown figure stoked a public fear of a secret occult world that lay just out of sight, crawling beneath the surface of an otherwise decent society.
SOURCES
Saker, hugh (1958) Baby Sacrifice Probe By CID. The Daily Mirror, Fri 19 Dec 1958, p3. London, UK.
Lucas, Norman (1958) Baby Sacrificed: Probe Starts. Daily News, Fri 19 Dec 1958, p5. London, UK.
Farrant, Della (2015) Haunted highgate. The History Press, London, UK.
Adams, Paul (2014) Written in Blood: A Cultural History of the British Vampire. The History Press, London, UK.
Ellis, Bill (1993) The Highgate Cemetery Vampire Hunt: The Anglo-American Connection in Satanic Cult Lore. Folklore, Vol 104, 1993. The Folklore Society, Worthing, UK.
The People (1895) The Highgate “Ghost”. The People, Sun 29 Sep 1895, p3. London, UK.
Manchester, Sean (1975) The Highgate vampire: the infernal world of the undead unearthed at London's famous Highgate Cemetery and environs. London, UK.
Farrant, David (1997) Beyond the Highgate Vampire: A True Case of Supernatural Occurrences and Vampirism That Centred Around London's Highgate Cemetery. London, UK.
Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail (1970) Vampire Hunt In London. Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail, Sat 14 March 1970, p1. Hartlepool, UK.
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For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com
Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories
The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories
Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9
Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast
Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories
& Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/
Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com
or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf
The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye
Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017
Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that.