Melvyn J. Willin - The Enfield Poltergeist Tapes: One of the most disturbing cases in history. What really happened?

THE ENFIELD
POLTERGEIST
TAPES

One of the most disturbing
cases in history.
What really happened?

THE ENFIELD
POLTERGEIST
TAPES

One of the most disturbing
cases in history.
What really happened?

BY

DR MELVYN J. WILLIN

www.whitecrowbooks.com

The Enfield Poltergeist Tapes

Copyright 2019 by Dr Melvyn J. Willin. All rights reserved.

Published and printed in the United States of America and the United Kingdom by White Crow Books; an imprint of White Crow Productions Ltd.

The right of Dr Melvyn J. Willin to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Design and Patents act 1988.

No part of this book may be reproduced, copied or used in any form or manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations in reviews and critical articles.

For information, contact White Crow Books
@ .

Cover Design by
Interior design by

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-78677-073-8
eBook ISBN: 978-1-78677-074-5

Non-Fiction / Body, Mind & Spirit / Parapsychology / Death & Dying

www.whitecrowbooks.com

Disclaimer: White Crow Productions Ltd. and its directors, employees, distributors, retailers, wholesalers and assignees disclaim any liability or responsibility for the authors statements, words, ideas, criticisms or observations.

THE ENFIELD
POLTERGEIST TAPES

The Enfield Poltergeist became and has remained one of the best-known cases of its kind, not least perhaps because its somewhat dramatic nature and its human interest have sustained several television programmes and assorted publications. It has, however, been eyed in less friendly fashion by various of the more austere members of the psychical research community and certain other persons of a sceptical disposition. The result has been a good deal of sometimes acrimonious dispute. In this situation Dr.Willins new volume is particularly welcome. It contains a considerable amount of hitherto unpublished information indeed quite possibly more first-hand information about the case than has ever appeared before in one volume. And its approach to the numerous clashes of opinion is commendably balanced. It is one of the rare books to which one can truthfully apply the hackneyed claim that within its designated area it is essential reading.

~DR ALAN GAULD, AUTHOR OF POLTERGEISTS

The Enfield Poltergeist Case, a much-publicised set of events, needs occasional fresh scrutiny and analysis. This study by Dr Willin fulfils this need admirably; there is a fresh and close examination of the audio records, and interviews with witnesses, which re-evaluate and enrich the amount of available data. This is a painstaking investigation that will become an essential part of the literature.

~ PROFESSOR JOHN POYNTON, VICE-PRESIDENT, SOCIETY FOR PSYCHICAL RESEARCH.

Dr Willin has performed a valuable service in transcribing and presenting Maurice Grosses Enfield poltergeist tapes so that readers can judge for themselves how far the material supports the positive views expressed by Guy Lyon Playfair in This house is haunted.

~ MARY ROSE BARRINGTON, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENFIELD POLTERGEIST INVESTIGATION COMMITTEE, AUTHOR OF TALKING ABOUT PSYCHICAL RESEARCH: THOUGHTS ON LIFE, DEATH AND THE NATURE OF REALITY.

The Enfield poltergeist is one of the most famous psychical research investigations of the twentieth century. But between the sensationalised accounts in the media and the more sceptical (unpublished) report of the Society for Psychical Research, where lies the truth? As the archive liaison officer for the Society, custodian of the tape recordings from the case, and a friend of the primary investigators, Dr Willin is in a unique position to present the evidence, so that readers can decide for themselves. We may never know for sure but the result is an engrossing perspective on this unique case.

~ PROFESSOR BERNARD CARR, PROFESSOR OF MATHEMATICS AND ASTRONOMY AT QUEEN MARY UNIVERSITY OF LONDON.

ALSO BY THE AUTHOR

Music, Witchcraft and the Paranormal.

ISBN 1-905226-18-7

Paranormal Caught on Film.

ISBN-13: 978-0-7153-2980-1

Monsters Caught on Film.

ISBN-13: 978-0-7153-3774-5

Ghosts Caught on Film.

ISBN-13: 978-0-7153-2728-9

CONTENTS

T he production of this book would not have been possible without the co-operation of the Society for Psychical Research, which holds the copyright of the tape recordings that were bequeathed to it after the deaths of Maurice Grosse and Guy Lyon Playfair who made the original recordings. I also acknowledge Jason Engwers financial generosity during the transcription of the tapes.

When Grosse and Playfair undertook their extensive research for the Enfield Poltergeist Case they received the consent of many people to be recorded during their investigations. There are too many to be named here but I freely acknowledge the part they played in their initial research.

If anyone believes that they should have been acknowledged here then I ask that they contact the publisher to allow further editions of this work to rectify this.

Finally I must acknowledge the support given to me by Jon Beecher at White Crow Books who made this publication possible.

D o not buy this book if you want to read a biased account of the famous Enfield Poltergeist Case from 1977 through to 1978. There are many other choices you could make (see the bibliography) which will either try to convince you of the genuineness of the phenomena produced or its fraudulent origins according to the interpretation of the authors concerned. I do not mind whether you have a wide-open mind or a totally closed one, since I shall not be trying to convince you one way or the other.

Do buy this book if you want to know what really happened!

I have listened and transcribed all of the several hundred audio tapes that were made by Maurice Grosse and Guy Playfair during their investigation of the alleged poltergeist case that took place in Enfield some forty years ago and I shall present, in chronological order, what occurred. It will then be your decision as to whether you believe the phenomena came from spirit entities; psychic forces; mistaken interpretations; hallucinations; naughty children or any other source you might wish to present. I shall strive very hard not to be influenced by what I have read, however intelligent it might be, and instead rely on my ears to describe what was happening according to the audio tapes.

I shall leave out the many hours of general conversation that took place between the parties concerned since I do not believe that the reader will be particularly interested in the weather; special offers in the local supermarket; or what happened in Coronation Street except, of course, when any of these discussions may have been pertinent to the phenomena. Despite this there will be times when you may wonder why I have included episodes which may be of little interest to the reader. In this respect I agree with Guy Lyon Playfair who wrote: