It is a story which has all the hallmarks of a modern thriller but which actually took place 250 years ago in 18th century England.

A tightly woven tale of intrigue, affairs, multiple marriages, loan-sharking, death, courtroom drama and mass media frenzy lends what was once a supernatural mystery from the 1700s a decidedly modern air.

In January 1762 a ghost was reported to inhabit rented lodgings in a quiet London street, however the events which followed the alleged haunting just a few streets from St. Paul’s Cathedral in Holborn saw two competing factions of the Christian faith dragged into the public spectacle and even Dr Samuel Johnson become involved.

Charles Dickens is one of several Victorian authors whose work alluded to the story and the pictorial satirist William Hogarth referenced the ghost in two of his prints.

The incident began with the untimely death during childbirth of grocer’s daughter Elizabeth Lynes, who had married William Kent from Norfolk around 1756. While the child survived William was unable to care for the infant alone and his dead wife’s sister, Fanny, moved in to help him. Sadly the little boy also died.

Inevitably there was an attraction between William Kent and his sister-in-law and though he was barred from marrying her the pair lived as a married couple after they moved to London but only after a period of separation while she stayed with her brother.

After a short stay in their first rented rooms near Mansion House in the city William Kent argued with his landlord over the couple’s relationship. They had hoped their unmarried life together would be discreet but on learning of their deceit the landlord refused to repay the money which William had lent him. He in turn promptly had the landlord arrested.

It was a situation that would be replayed again in Kent’s capacity as, what would be called today, a loan shark.

The couple moved on to Cock Lane in 1760 where once again Kent gave his landlord, parish clerk Richard Parsons, a loan while charging him high rates of interest on the sum borrowed.

During their time there and after landlord’s daughter, Elizabeth, had moved in, strange scratching noises were reported at the property. The girl said she heard the mysterious sounds while staying in the rented home during Fanny’s pregnancy.

Sadly Fanny later died of smallpox in February 1761 just as her husband began a legal fight over the disputed money owed by his landlord.

It was when Kent won the legal battle that the noises began again at 25 Cock Lane.

Parsons claimed that it was Fanny who was haunting the property and he was backed up by his daughter.

Regular seances were held at the property to determine the motives behind ‘Scratching Fanny’ and the narrow street became a focal point for public scrutiny, attracting crowds which made Cock Lane impassable.

Lodger Catherine Friend moved out when she found the noises, which had returned intermittently and which were becoming more frequent, could not be stopped.

The unexplained sounds apparently emanated from Elizabeth Parsons, who also suffered fits, and were likened at the time to the sound of a cat scratching a chair.

Richard Parsons called upon John Moore, assistant preacher at St Sepulchre’s and rector of St Bartholomew-the-Great in West Smithfield to assist him to establish the presence of one ghost, presumed to belong to Fanny’s sister, Elizabeth, had already been noted while Fanny lay dying.

The two concluded that the spirit now haunting Parsons’ house must be that of Fanny Lynes herself.

The notion that a person’s spirit might return from the dead to warn those still alive was a commonly held belief in 18th century England.

Parsons and Moore devised a method of communication with the ghost; one knock for ‘yes’, two knocks for ‘no’. Using this system, the ghost appeared to claim that Fanny had been murdered.

Following repeated questioning of Fanny’s ghost it was divined that she had died not from smallpox, but rather from arsenic poisoning. The deadly toxin had apparently been administered by Kent two hours before Fanny died and now, it was supposed, her spirit wanted justice.

As a clergyman with inclinations toward Methodism Moore was inclined to trust the ghost, but for added support he enlisted the aid of Reverend Thomas Broughton, an early Methodist.

Broughton visited Cock Lane on January 5 and left convinced the ghost was real.

The story spread throughout London, newspaper The Public Ledger began to publish detailed accounts of the phenomenon, and Kent fell under public suspicion as a murderer.

After reading reports of the accusations in the press William Kent vowed to clear his name.

A week later he enlisted two physicians who attended Fanny in her last days, and with Reverend Broughton, went to Cock Lane.

Elizabeth Parsons was publicly undressed, and with her younger sister was put to bed.

The audience sat around the bed, positioned in the centre of the room when the ghost was asked a series of questions:
‘Are you the wife of Mr. Kent?’ — Two knocks
‘Did you die naturally?’ — Two knocks
‘By poison?’ — One knock
‘Did any person other than Mr. Kent administer it?’ — Two knocks

The Lord Mayor of London eventually became involved and Elizabeth was moved again to another house to try and clear the crowds from the narrow Cock Lane.

It was on the 1st Feb 1762 that Dr Samuel Johnson was invited to witness a séance, along with other nobles.

It was then that the truth came out.

Elizabeth was making the knocking sounds with a small piece of wood she hid in her clothes.

The haunting was a fraud, motivated by the disagreement between William Kent and his former landlord.

Following a trial, Parsons, was sentenced to two years in jail. His wife was imprisoned one year; and Mary Frazer six months hard labour.

Parsons continued to protest his innocence for his part in the curiously modern tale of revenge that is the Cock Lane ghost story.