The haunted obelisk

[Jose Oranto]

Hi all

A different post.

The graphic novel "From Hell", by Alan Moore & Eddie Campbell, cites an urban legend about a ghost in Embankment who jumps into the river from the obelisk. Moore picked up this tale from London's Secret History by Peter Bushell (1983) and London The Sinister Side by Steve Jones (1998). I bought these two books to find out the source of this myth but neither of them gives a reference. I've been looking over "Great Thames Mysteries", by Elliott O'Donnell (1930), and it doesn't seem to mention anything about it. Has anyone heard of this? I need a source, perhaps a newspaper from any year before 1888 that mentions this... unless it was a Bushell and Jones invention, of course.

"Walking east, we come to Hungerford Bridge. A little beyond it is curious stone obelisk known as 'Cleopatra's Needle' [...] The area immediately surrounding the Needle is said to be haunted. Late at night a shadowy figure is sometimes seen standing on the parapet. After a period of indecision it casts itself off, but vanishes before it can hit the water below."

London's Secret History. Peter Bushell. 1983

"The obelisk had toppled into the sand near Alexandria and was presented to the British in the early eighteen hundreds. There are at least six men who must have wished the granite had been left to rest in the sands of its homeland and an unknown number of suicides, who maybe fatally attracted by this mysterious stone, have thrown themselves into the river here, it is also the haunt of two of London's ghost."

London The Sinister Side. Steve Jones. 1998


From Hell...

[Chris Phillips]

This book published in 2010 quotes a story from Elliott O'Donnell's Haunted Waters (1957):

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=IyOpX-0baiMC&pg=PA122

[Jose Oranto]

This book published in 2010 quotes a story from Elliott O'Donnell's Haunted Waters (1957):
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...baiMC&pg=PA122

Thank you very much Chris for bringing this book to my attention. There are two stories by O'Donnell in that book. One of them tells a similar story:

BLACKFRIARS BRIDGE
The bridges over the Thames all have reputations for being magnets for those wishing to commit suicide, and this forms the background for one of Elliott O'Donnell's ghost stories in his Ghosts of London (1932). As a postman was walking across Blackfriars Bridge early one autumn morning, a tall woman in black and a policeman were the only people in sight: Suddenly the woman began climbing on to the wall of the bridge. Feeling sure she was about to commit suicide, the postman ran towards her, to try to prevent her from ella, but it was too late, for she had disappeared. However, off her came his coat from her, and he was about to jump into the river, to try to save her, when the policeman, who, as he must have seen what had just taken place, appeared to be somewhat callous, stopped him. 'Put on your coat again,' he said, catching him by the arm. ‘It is of no use jumping in. What you saw was no living person, it was a ghost.' He claimed to have seen exactly the same thing before, and suggested that if the postman did not believe him he should come back at the same time the next day. The same hour the following morning, he found him again on the bridge, and the very same thing occurred... 'Well,' the same policeman who was standing by, observed, 'didn't I tell you so? I've seen her do the same thing, at the same hour, for seven consecutive mornings. I'm told it won't happen again (it's what they call periodical haunting) for a good many years, and I'm thankful for that, as it's a bit trying on one's nerves.'


Elliott O'Donnell's Haunted Waters (1957):

Numbers 2 and 3 West Street, demolished in the 1860s, close to the Fleet River … Built by an affluent Gipsy, they served conjointly the purpose of a tavern and an inn, which became the resort of fences, robbers, and every kind of criminal. There were sliding panels, secret staircases, cupboards for storing stolen goods, and trapdoors, which afforded a means of escape and of dropping bodies of victims into the Fleet, to be borne speedily by the current into the Thames. Many cruel, dark deeds were perpetuated in the inn. Strangers in London were decoyed by attractive women, confederates of the robbers, to the inn, where they were robbed and murdered. Once within the walls of the inn there was no hope of escape and no mercy. It was small wonder that stories of ghostly happenings in the inn and in the Fleet were constantly circulated.

[Gary Barnett]

In 1928, a young man named David Onslow Smith committed suicide by jumping into the Thames from Cleopatra’s Needle. He had apparently been dabbling in the occult and told a friend that if he should die before the friend he would return and tell him about it.

[Gary Barnett]

The best report of the case was in the Daily Telegraph of 12th October, 1928.

[Jose Oranto]

In 1928, a young man named David Onslow Smith committed suicide by jumping into the Thames from Cleopatra’s Needle. He had apparently been dabbling in the occult and told a friend that if he should die before the friend he would return and tell him about it.

That's awesome Gary. I even found some time ago someone who committed suicide at (I think I remember... I may be wrong) to the wonderful memorial of the composer Arthur Sullivan, behind the obelisk, but unfortunately it is not useful to me since it happened after 1888. I have some suicides compiled close to the Needle, but I need a contemporary ghost story.

[Gary Barnett]

June, 1888:

No ghost, though.

[Gary Barnett]

I can’t find a ghost in 1888, but there was an illusionist named Maskelyne who performed something he called ‘Cleopatra’s Needle’ at that time.

[Jose Oranto]

June, 1888:

No ghost, though.

Thank you very much Gary

Any ghost story related to Cleopatra's Needle would be great (I just need a single mention). No need to be from 1888... the obelisk was erected in 1877, so it could be between 1877 and 1888.

I even have the story of a man who shot himself at the obelisk, but later than 1888.

[Jose Oranto]

I can’t find a ghost in 1888, but there was an illusionist named Maskelyne who performed something he called ‘Cleopatra’s Needle’ at that time.

you got it, Gary... that might be a good clue! Sounds promising, like a good excuse to mention Maskelyne in my book.

[Jose Oranto]

you got it, Gary... that might be a good clue! Sounds promising, like a good excuse to mention Maskelyne in my book.

The grave of illusionists E. A. and Cassie Maskelyne. Edwin Archibald was the son of the magician J.N. Maskelyne

[Jose Oranto]

you got it, Gary... that might be a good clue! Sounds promising, like a good excuse to mention Maskelyne in my book.

I have no idea what the show was about though.

[Gary Barnett]

This is your novel, right?

You’re allowed to make some of it up.

[Jose Oranto]

This is your novel, right?

You’re allowed to make some of it up.

haha not a novel, not fiction at all... what we can't find out, won't be written... 0 theories, speculation, ideas, assumptions or anything like that... a very boring book

[Kattrup]

I have no idea what the show was about though.

Jose, check out George E. Jennes, Maskelyne and Cooke. Egyptian Hall, London, 1873-1904, London 1967.

It has photos and illustrations of the magic show at Egyptian Hall, and includes some brief mentions of Cleopatra's Needle:


The year was 1881, the sketch proves a favourite and is reproduced several times over the following years, in late 1887 it is noted that is was being revived for another season,