Join Emily Zarka, Ph.D. on a journey to discover humans’ unique drive to create and shape monster mythology through oral storytelling, literature and film.
Curated by: Storied (119 videos)
Check out Ritual on @PBSDocumentaries : https://youtu.be/Dg4wfeJ3wVU?si=Aa9D64K4AK2l7ZHQ In 1803, London’s Hammersmith Ghost sparked terror—and a deadly case of mistaken identity. When Francis Smith shot Thomas Millwood, believing him to be a ghost, he was convicted of murder. The bizarre trial shaped British criminal law for centuries. But who, or what, was the Hammersmith Ghost? ***** PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateStoried ***** Written and Hosted by: Dr. Emily Zarka Creative Director: David Schulte Executive Producer: Amanda Fox Executive Producer: Dr. Emily Zarka Producer: Thomas Fernandes Editor/Animator: Ben Harisson Illustrator: Samuel Allan Executive in Charge (PBS): Maribel Lopez Director of Programming (PBS): Gabrielle Ewing Assistant Director of Programming (PBS): John Campbell Additional Footage: Shutterstock Music: APM Music Produced by Spotzen for PBS Digital Studios. Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monstrumpbs ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bibliography “AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THE HAMMERSMITH GHOST.” Fraser’s Magazine for Town and Country, vol. 18, no. 105, September 1838, pp. 338–47. Goodman, Jonathan. The Supernatural Murders : Classic True Crime Stories. Kent State University Press, 2012. Journal of the Society for Psychical Research, vol. 11. Society for Psychical Research, 1903. Middleton, Jacob. "An Aristocratic Spectre." History Today, vol. 61, 2011. "Resuscitation of the Hammersmith Ghost." The Ware Patriot, no. XIX, n.d., p. 145. “The Hammersmith Ghost.” The Monthly Visitor and New Family Magazine, vol. 6, January 1804, pp. 26–36. Thomson, G. C. "The Murder of a Ghost." The Canadian Bar Review, vol. 12, no.1, 1934. Verma, Shraddha. Top Criminal Cases That Shocked The India. True Sign Publishing House, 2023. Weatherhead, Paul. Phantoms of Christmas Past: Festive Ghost Hoaxes, Ghost Hunts and Ghost Panics. Collective Ink, 2025.