#ghosthistory

[ofgraveconcern]

October 5th 1713, birth of French philosopher, writer, and prominent figure during the Age of Enlightenment Denis Diderot, best known as editor, and contributor to the ‘Encyclopédie’ founded in 1751 alongside Jean le Rond d'Alembert. The ‘Encyclopédie’ was the first to include contributions from a wide field of authors on a variety of topics. Its skeptical and secular tone with regard to religion, became both a rallying call for the forerunners of the French Revolution, and saw bans by the French Government and Catholic church. From 1759 to 1765, Diderot was the sole contributor, authoring 7,000 articles on a variety of topics. Dying in 1784, his remains were unearthed nine years later by graverobbers, who stole his lead lined coffin, and dumped his corpse, his remains were then transferred to a mass grave. On the same day in 1789, near riot over the lack of bread available in Paris, thousands of women began to march on Versailles, demanding that the royal family including Louis XVI return to Paris, which bowing to the pressure of the march did so, in the process ending the royal privilege of the ‘ancien régime’, which had existed in France since the 15th century. The event is seen as a defining moment in the beginnings of the revolution that Diderot sowed the seeds of. October 8th 1774, death of German Phantasmagoria pioneer, illusionist, and occultist Baron Johann Georg Schropfer. The horror theatre shows later named Phantasmagoria were first developed by Schröpfer in the form of entertainment séances, and the use of magic lanterns to project the appearance of ghosts. Schröpfer would invite audiences into his Leipzig coffee house, where after preparing a magical punch of his own recipe (Continued in the comments). #ghost #history #historymemes #phantasmagoria #gothictales #frenchrevolution #tarothistory #tarotcards #tarotart #tarotartist #mortalsmarket #illustrationdaily #gothicillustration #guillotine #gothichistory #onthisday #onthisdayinhistory #ghosthistory #ghostsighting #macabre #macabreart #enlightenmentistherevolution #ageofenlightenment #denisdiderot #sceance #magiclantern #scéance #18thcentury #18thcenturyhistory #gothictheatre https://www.instagram.com/p/CUxhE47FIDW/?utm_medium=tumblr

[randomnessreloaded]

A wire cage. A séance. A materialising spirit.

In 1879, investigators attempted to eliminate fraud by placing a medium inside an iron enclosure during a séance.

Witnesses still claimed a full-bodied apparition appeared.

Victorian spiritualism was never simple — it blurred the line between science and the supernatural.

Listen to the full story on Randomness Reloaded.

[archiveglitch]

Today, I watched the hustle and bustle of preparations for Miss Law School. Young people always put everything off until the last minute — two weeks for a dance? But, surprisingly, they manage to get everything done.

I look at their movements and see a smoky 1980s pub. Jazz, men in impeccable suits, women whose dresses whispered with every step. My place is the far end of the bar. Rudolf, our regular bartender, poured drinks and sold secrets. He knew more about everyone in that room than a detective.

Thanks to him, I knew who was in love and who was a criminal. It's a pity that modern bars have lost this magic of confession. Now all I can do is watch these diligent students. They are trying so hard to embellish their celebration, to add at least a drop of the magic that used to be as natural to us as the air we breathe.

I look at them and think: maybe magic isn't jazz or dresses, but this unstoppable desire of people to add a little colour to their lives.

<Watching the shadows of the 1980s dance in the eyes of 2026.>

[ofgraveconcern]

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Latest Orders completed (part two) Thank you to everyone who ordered over the weekend! at the Darksome Black Sheep Holiday Market @darksomecraftmkt Go to www.ofgraveconcern.com for your own gothic art inspired from history 1348 - 1848 #christmasghost #christmasghoststories #ghosts #ghosthistory #ghost #strangehistory #darkhistory #weirdhistory #artshowcase #christmashistory #historyofchristmas #gothicchristmas #gothchristmas #darkchristmas #darksomevirtualmarket #darkart #darkartandcraft #darkaesthetic #christmasmarket #christmasmarkets #uniquechristmas #halloweeniseveryday #gothicmarket #gothshopping #morbidmacabre #macabreart #macabreartist #oddities #odditiesandcuriosities #odditiesforsale https://www.instagram.com/p/CXMIefsgX09/?utm_medium=tumblr

[ofgraveconcern]

18th September 1709, birth of English scholar, lexicographer, and one time Ghost investigator Samuel Johnson. Although best known as the author of ‘A Dictionary of the English Language’, published in 1755, Johnson was also the most prominent member of the committee which investigated the 1762 London sensation of the Cock Lane Ghost, in which strange knocking sounds and ghostly apparitions were reported. William Kent the lodger in the building claimed that they were the ghost of his dead wife, named ‘Scratching Fanny’ from the supernatural scratching sounds that were allegedly heard from the room. Regular séances were held and Cock Lane was often made impassable by the throngs of interested bystanders. The house was visited by Samuel Johnson and also Horace Walpole, author of the ‘Castle of Otranto’, the first Gothic novel which was published in 1764. A pamphlet named ‘The Mystery Revealed’ which explained the details of the case was also published the same year, its authorship likely attributed to Johnson’s friend playwright and poet Oliver Goldsmith, best known for his 1770 poem ‘The Deserted Village’. 20th September 1803, birth of English novelist, story writer and playwright Catherine Ann Crowe, writer of The Nightside of Nature, published in 1846. Inspired by German writers, the book gives the reader chilling anecdotes of ghostly events, hauntings and other paranormal phenomena. The book became her most popular work, attempting to find a scientific, or, ‘psychic’ explanation of supernatural sightings and occurrences, during the height of the spiritualism movement. In February 1854, Catherine Ann Crowe was discovered naked in Edinburgh one night, (continued in the comments). #ghosthunting #ghostart #ghostartwork #ghostsightings #ghosthistory #darkhistory #ghostbooks #gothichistory #gothictales #gothicvictorian #victoriangothic #victoriangothicstyle #regencygothic #18thcentury #18thcenturyhistory #darkromantic #darkromanticism #historicalillustration #gothicillustration #historymemes #macabremonday #macabremondays #samueljohnson #castleofotranto #horacewalpole #candleart #candleartist #poltergeist #halloween #halloweendecor https://www.instagram.com/p/CUDKuZyFlfQ/?utm_medium=tumblr

[ofgraveconcern]

12th January 1762, first public séance to investigate the validity of claims of a knocking ghost in Cock Lane, London. The Cock Lane ghost was a purported haunting that attracted mass public attention in 1762. Several accounts of strange knocking sounds and ghostly apparitions were reported, William Kent the lodger in the building claimed that they were the ghost of his dead wife, named ‘Scratching Fanny’ from the supernatural scratching sounds that were allegedly heard from the room. Regular séances were held and Cock Lane was often made impassable by the throngs of interested bystanders. A committee was also formed to investigate the claims, the most prominent member being Dr Samuel Johnson, more famously known as the author and compiler of his English language dictionary. On or about the 25th of February, a pamphlet called ‘The Mystery Revealed’ was published, most likely written by Oliver Goldsmith. Settling in London in 1756, Goldsmith had held various brief jobs as an apothecaries assistant, and a hack journalist in Grub Street, known for its impoverished writers and artists. A lifestyle which earned him the moniker of ‘inspired idiot’ by Horace Walpole, author of the ‘Castle of Otranto’, the first Gothic novel which was published in 1764. Horace Walpole had also visited Cock Lane at the end of January. Continued in the comments. #londonghosts #ghostillustration #ghostartwork #ghosthistory #illustrationwork #historymystery #historymysteries #strangehistory #weirdhistory #macabrehistory #hiddenhistory #historicalmystery #historicalmysteries #darkhistory #oddhistory #historicalstories #historicalstory #gothicliterature #gothicstyle #darkillustration #illustrationartwork ##historicalillustration #macabreillustration #ghostsighting #olivergoldsmith #horacewalpole #thecastleofotranto #paranormalhistory #ghoststories https://www.instagram.com/p/CNIR9dXHjmL/?igshid=riiv70bak85z

[ofgraveconcern]

👻 12th January 1762, first public séance to investigate the validity of claims of a knocking ghost in Cock Lane, London. The Cock Lane ghost was a purported haunting that attracted mass public attention in 1762. Several accounts of strange knocking sounds and ghostly apparitions were reported, William Kent the lodger in the building claimed that they were the ghost of his dead wife, named ‘Scratching Fanny’ from the supernatural scratching sounds that were allegedly heard from the room. Regular séances were held and Cock Lane was often made impassable by the throngs of interested bystanders. A committee was also formed to investigate the claims, the most prominent member being Dr Samuel Johnson, more famously known as the author and compiler of his English language dictionary. On or about the 25th of February, a pamphlet called ‘The Mystery Revealed’ was published, most likely written by Oliver Goldsmith. Settling in London in 1756, Goldsmith had held various brief jobs as an apothecaries assistant, and a hack journalist in Grub Street, known for its impoverished writers and artists. A lifestyle which earned him the moniker of ‘inspired idiot’ by Horace Walpole, author of the ‘Castle of Otranto’, the first Gothic novel which was published in 1764. Horace Walpole had also visited Cock Lane at the end of January. Continued in the comments. #londonghosts #ghostillustration #ghostartwork #ghosthistory #illustrationwork #historymystery #historymysteries #strangehistory #weirdhistory #macabrehistory #hiddenhistory #historicalmystery #historicalmysteries #darkhistory #oddhistory #historicalstories #historicalstory #gothicliterature #gothicstyle #darkillustration #illustrationartwork ##historicalillustration #macabreillustration #ghostsighting #olivergoldsmith #horacewalpole #thecastleofotranto #paranormalhistory #ghoststories https://www.instagram.com/p/CKG_S48nz-X/?igshid=16om23ta3i6yd

[ofgraveconcern]

Ghosts Invisible but recorded 18th September 1709, birth of English scholar, lexicographer, and one time Ghost investigator Samuel Johnson. Although best known as the author of ‘A Dictionary of the English Language’, published in 1755, Johnson was also the most prominent member of the committee which investigated the 1762 London sensation of the Cock Lane Ghost, in which strange knocking sounds and ghostly apparitions were reported. William Kent the lodger in the building claimed that they were the ghost of his dead wife, named ‘Scratching Fanny’ from the supernatural scratching sounds that were allegedly heard from the room. Regular séances were held and Cock Lane was often made impassable by the throngs of interested bystanders. The house was visited by Samuel Johnson and also Horace Walpole, author of the ‘Castle of Otranto’, the first Gothic novel which was published in 1764. A pamphlet named ‘The Mystery Revealed’ which explained the details of the case was also published the same year, its authorship likely attributed to Johnson’s friend playwright and poet Oliver Goldsmith, best known for his 1770 poem ‘The Deserted Village’. 20th September 1803, birth of English novelist, story writer and playwright Catherine Ann Crowe, writer of The Nightside of Nature, published in 1846. Inspired by German writers, the book gives the reader chilling anecdotes of ghostly events, hauntings and other paranormal phenomena. The book became her most popular work, attempting to find a scientific, or, ‘psychic’ explanation of supernatural sightings and occurrences. In February 1854, she was discovered naked in Edinburgh one night, convinced that spirits had rendered her invisible. #ghosts #ghoststories #ghosts #ghosthistory #candles #gothiccandles #gothicliterature #castleofotranto #horacewalpole #samueljohnson #phantasmagoria #history #historical #historicalfacts #hiddenhistory #macabre #macabreart #gothic #gothicstyle #ghoststyle #dark #darkstyle #tarot #tarotcards #tarotart #tarotartist #18thcentury #victorian https://www.instagram.com/p/CFXDTzYgKB0/?igshid=m7zc6s0jh6st