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Hello, and welcome to my Victorian Nightmare. I'm your host, Genevieve Manion, and I'm here to talk about mysterious deaths, morbid fascinations, disturbing stories, and otherwise spooky events from the Victorian era. Because to me, there's just something especially
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intriguing, creepy, and oddly comforting about horror
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and mayhem from the 19th century. So listener discretion is advised. Hello, friends, and welcome to this, my 104th episode. And have I got a spooky and deeply touching episode for you. Today, on a foggy, cold December night in London, 1897, a beloved actor, William Terrace was murdered in cold blood just outside of the Adelphi Theater by a jealous rival. His last words were, I'll come back. But for more than a century, actors, stagehands, and dozens more have claimed that he never left the stage. And in the Victorian Empire Palace Theater in Edinburgh, a world famous illusionist known as the Great Lafayette was performing a spectacular finale when fire suddenly erupted on stage. Amid smoke and chaos, audiences fled as the theater became an inferno, but he tragically did not escape. However, despite his demise, he still had a few tricks up his sleeve. And some say the Great Lafayette has yet to take his final bow. Today for you, dear listener, I will discuss two Victorian theater tragedies. The lives and deaths of illus Sigmund Neuberger, otherwise known as the Great Lafayette, and actor William Terrace, as well as their alleged hauntings of the theaters where they met their tragic ends.
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Hello, friends. Thank you so much for joining me. I was in the mood for spooky,
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haunted Victorian theaters with tragic backstories this week, and I actually found three that
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I was very excited to talk about,
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but I didn't realize how much fabulous information there was out there on just the first two. So the Haunted Ford Theater where Lincoln was shot. We'll have to wait for another day. I think I could probably do an entire episode just on that one theater alone. But for now, I will have some
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deeply tragic, deeply heartwarming, and deeply spooky
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stories to tell you about the folks who allegedly haunt the Adelphi Theater in London and the Festival Theater in Edinburgh. But first, thank you so much everyone who has joined the Patreon. Without you, my show would not continue. So thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.
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If you too would like to receive
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the show ad free with true crime extras, witchy content, and dark poetry, you will find the link to subscribe to the free trial in the episode notes
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along with a link to subscribe to my beloved newsletter. I included a pretty great photo of Toby's toe beans in the last one when it's too hot or too frickin smoky to go for long walks, Toby plays Snufflebed. I throw a bunch of his treats in some dirty clothes and I pile it on his little bed and oh boy, he snuffles until he sploots out cold. It knocks him out. He loves it. It is so fun to watch. If you too would like to get weekly updates on his fascinating little life and other things related to the show, subscribe for free. Obviously.
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Link in the episode Notes this episode of My Victorian Nightmare is brought to you by Alloy Health.
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Did you know that when you start
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seeing those fine lines appearing in your 40s, it isn't just aging? It isn't just sun damage that was done over time. It's hormonal, specifically estrogen loss.
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Since I was in high school, I
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have walked around with a massive sun hat. I wear SPF every single day and I have slinked up against buildings trying to avoid sun as much as I possibly can because I was not built for the sun. I do not tan.
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I couldn't if I wanted to.
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I just burst into flames. But the second that I turned 40, the lines started appearing, my skin appeared thinner and my jowls started jowling. Turns out my issue is mostly just estrogen production slowing down. In the past, there wasn't much we could do about this, but now There is Alois M4 Skincare, which includes prescription Estriol. Estriol is a safe bioidentical form of estrogen actually proven to rebuild lost collagen, restore elasticity and visibly reduce wrinkles. Just go to alloy.com, complete the intake form and you will be matched with a menopause specialized physician to prescribe what's best for you. Try M4 Skincare from Alloy and see results in as little as eight weeks. Head to myalloi.com and use the code Victorian to get 20% off your first order. Your menopause specialized doctor will tailor your skin care to your needs. Plus you get zero dollar unlimited messaging with your doctor. Head to my l l o y.com and use code Victorian to get 20% off your first order. Okay, let us now discuss the Life Faithful Dog Friendship, fatal performance and alleged haunting of Edinburgh's Festival Theater's spectral tenant, Sigmund Neuberger, otherwise known as the Great Lafayette. The theater that still exists today is considered one of Scotland's most haunted theaters. It can be found at 19 Nicholson street and was built in 1830.
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It was destroyed in numerous fires and
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rebuilt before and throughout the 19th century. It has gone by numerous names as well. Dunedin Hall, Alhambra Music hall, the Royal Amphitheater. And in its incarnation of the Queen Theater, it burned down.
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Then it became the Newsom's Circus and burnt down.
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And then became the Empire Palace Theater in 1892. And in this incarnation, a terrible tragedy befell the theater in 1911. The tragic death of the great Lafayette, an illusionist during a performance where he would magically become a lion. Sigmund Neuberger was born in Munich in 1871 and his family emigrated to the United in 1884. It's unclear exactly where they emigrated to, but at 19 years old, he began entertaining in vaudeville styles and performing magic acts. Vaudeville was a popular form of entertainment at the time, especially in the 1880s through the 1930s.
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I always thought vaudeville was like a place when I was little, like Louisville or Nashville. And people were just performing folk performances from that locality. But that is not so. The term traces its roots to the French phrase vaudeville, which referred to 15th
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century satirical songs from the Vere Valley in Normandy.
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So I wasn't entirely incorrect. I guess Sigmund knew what he was doing.
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He was an astounding illusionist. He put on a fabulous show and grew to become the best paid illusionist of his time. He made about 44,000 pounds a year after moving to the United Kingdom in
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the late 1800s and the turn of the century. That was equivalent to over £7 million a year in today's currency.
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He was very fond of diamonds and
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wore numerous diamond rings. He drove a Mercedes.
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He dressed flamboyantly and led a very extravagant life. And some have suggested that he and Harry Houdini were lovers, but there is no way to confirm this. They were, however, very, very fond of each other. They had a very strong public friendship. They would perform together at times not
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in the same acts, but they would
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both have their own performances at the
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same theaters on the same nights.
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And Harry gave to Sigmund very most prized gift.
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He gave Sigmund a dog, A mixed breed, little gal.
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Sigmund loved this dog more than life itself. And he named her Beauty. He never traveled anywhere without her.
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He even had his Mercedes fitted with
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a chair so that he and Beauty could sit comfortably and safely in the front together. He also had another dog that he equally loved, a Dalmatian, Although the Dalmatian's name appears to have been lost to time. Sigmund never married. He had no public romances. He dedicated all of his time to his dogs. But he was especially fond of sweet beauty. He was convinced that she could communicate with him through her eyes and understood him completely.
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He ordered the very fanciest meals, most expensive cuts of meat and even had six course meals prepared for her every night. Oh, to pamper a pup like this. If I were rich, Toby would have everything that he desired. I dream sometimes of having a home where I can have like a walk in freezer that's just for him. He's such a toasty boy in the summer and he loves the snow so much. I would make him a little cold room with all of his toys, a little igloo to sleep in. Literally all of my witchcraft is done for the sake of giving that little tater tot a happy life. Long story short, I understand exactly where Sigmund's heart was.
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At age 15, beauty was a corpulent
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little lady, rather overweight again. He loved to feed her whatever she
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pleased and she passed away one night in her sleep. Sigmund was utterly heartbroken. He paid a lot of money to
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have her embalmed so that he would
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have time to find her somewhere most fitting to bury her. He wanted her to be buried in a cemetery that he could visit with a beautiful monument on consecrated ground. But this was not possible. Cemetery councils would not allow animals to be buried in any cemeteries at this time.
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Quick side note.
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Did you know that there is a simply beautiful secret Victorian pet cemetery in Hyde Park Park?
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I promise we'll get right back to the story, but a man named Mr.
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Windbridge in the late 1800s, I couldn't find his first name, had been working as a gatekeeper of Victoria Lodge on the edge of the park for decades. He had a private residence there and a private garden which he chose to turn into a pet cemetery for Victorian London's well to do.
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The very first person to inter a pet there was the Duke of Cambridge.
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His dog Prince was buried there in 1893. Some of the headstones will break your heart.
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There is poor dear Tappy, the dog of Lord Petrie, who died in the process of having the dog interred there. He died right before his dog's funeral.
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But it's kind of nice to know
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that his dog was likely on the
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other side waiting for him.
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I may do an entire episode on that cemetery. I have found some simply marvelous resources about it.
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I found an article from the strand magazine from 1893 called A Cemetery for Dogs.
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And this is just an excerpt. My heart, it reads.
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The graves are bright and green. Some are even decorated with flowers. They were Friends and playmates of their mistresses. Sources of comfort and consolation in their hours, of sadness, of amusement in their leisure and trusted companions always. It is a fitting thing that the memories of faithful friends should be kept green.
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Yeah, we'll see if I could get through that episode.
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But let's return to the great Lafayette. He decided that he wanted her buried in Piercefield Cemetery in Portobello. And he would not take no for an answer. The cemetery authorities dug in their heels,
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but there's few things that money can't buy. And Sigmund told them that he would
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pay the prettiest penny for a plot and agreed to be buried there himself when the time comes. And his sweet dog would simply keep watch until that time.
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They agreed.
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He had a beautiful plaque erected on the spot that said, dedicated to the loving memory of my dearest beauty.
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There was also, allegedly, a plaque that I see of man the more I love my dog. But I haven't seen a photo of that. There are currently what appear to be
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daisies planted beside the plaque with the dedication inscription. I'm putting all of the photos in the Instagram and in the newsletter. The link is in the episode notes. Only 10 days after the burial of his sweet friend, the great Lafayette, still in grief, chose to perform at the Empire Palace Theater his most popular act. It was called the Lion's Bride. In this act, he would miraculously swap places with a real lion. He was particularly famous for performing with live animals. He also had a horse that was part of the show. The lion trick was the finale, and
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it went off without a hitch.
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He said, alakazam.
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And the lion appeared where he stood with the aid of a trapdoor which he jumped down into.
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But as the curtain closed, a stage lamp fell onto the thick and flammable stage carpet, which went up in a ball of fire. Every member of the audience was able to escape, but 10 crew members, including the horse and the lion, were trapped and perished in the flames. Sigmund actually escaped, but he chose to run back to attempt to save the horse and got caught himself. The fire burned for three hours. Once the building burned out, there was nothing left. The remains of the crew and animals were found. Although identification was very difficult, Sigmund was identified by his costume and cremated. But the next day, another body was found wearing the same costume, only with diamond rings. He also had a bejeweled sword that is now on display at the Salon de Magi Museum. This was Sigmund. And the man who they thought was really him was his double. That was Used as a part of his magic act. Sigmund's Mercedes led the procession at his funeral and his Dalmatian was sat in the very front of the car. Now this is going to break your heart in half. But it's also so painfully beautiful. The urn of his ashes were placed between the paws of beauty. Sigmund was Jewish, but no rabbi would agree to lead the ceremony because he was being buried with his dog. So a local minister kindly performed the ceremony, although there were many members of the Jewish Congreg of Edinburgh there. Although the ceremony was private, hundreds of people attempted to join. The crowds had to be contained by authorities outside of the cemetery and all along the route to the cemetery there were crowds eight people deep. According to papers at the time, the procession was likened to being reminiscent of a royal procession. In the Liverpool Daily Post, his beautiful stone reads Sacred to the memory of the Great Lafayette, born 25 February 1871 and died 9 May 1911. There is a lovely photograph of Harry Houdini standing beside his stone that I will also post. He was quoted by autobiographer Arthur Setterington to have said at his grave, quote,
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he fooled them in life and he
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fooled them in death. I envy him. In regard to the mistaken remains situation, Arthur Setterington wrote an autobiography of Sigmund Newberger called the Life and Times of the Great Life Lafayette. Now, according to folks who have worked in the theater and numerous, many numerous others over the years, it appears as
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though the spirit of the Great Lafayette
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continues to put on shows in the theater till this very day. One of the most frequently repeated stories comes from a longtime theater employee who reportedly claimed to have seen a dark human shaped figure high in of the stage among the lighting platforms. The figure apparently appears briefly and then vanishes. The employee believed it resembled Lafayette and other staff allegedly reported similar experiences over the years. Some have claimed to see Neuberger's diamond rings glinting in the darkened areas of the theater. People claim to see sparkles and flashes that appear out of nowhere and appear to be to be moving as if on human hands. Sigmund's body was actually found underneath the stage and employees have reported a dark figure walking around in the basement and backstage areas. A dark shadow that appears and moves around corners. At first they believe it's a tall man, but then the shape shifts. That soon changes and moves before disappearing. Many people have claimed claimed to experience cold spots, doors opening and closing on their own and the sounds of footsteps in empty sections of the theater when no one Is there? Some have even claimed to hear the roar of a lion in the auditorium after hours, presumably the roar of the lion that perished in the fire. In a commemorative piece written about the 1911 fire and the tragedy, it is written, the curtain falls, falls. The footlights fade. The lion sleeps, the stage betrayed. Yet mystery keeps your name alive. For twice in death did Lafayette arrive. He loved no soul as much as she, the little dog named Beauty. And when she died, he softly said, soon I shall follow where she's led. Not dead to those who loved him. Not lost, but gone before. He lives with us in memory and will forevermore. Now let's discuss the spirit that has been known to haunt not only the Adelphi Theater in central London, but also the Covent Garden underground station nearby. The spirit in question is the ghost of Victorian stage actor William Terriss, who was murdered in cold blood outside of the Adelphi Theater, where he had been starring in a play called Secret Service Service in 1897. His killer was a jealous, deranged rival actor by the name of Richard Archer. Prince William Terriss was known as Breezy Bill due to his easygoing demeanor.
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He was a strikingly handsome, terribly charming,
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by all accounts, gentleman, and a very good actor with a wide range from Shakespeare to modern comedies. He was also deeply liked and admired by some big shots. The most famous living actor at the time, Sir Henry Irving, was a close friend. Terriss was the son of a lawyer, but he didn't want to become a lawyer himself. He preferred a more natural life. He was a farmer of sheep and he bred horses in the Falkland Islands.
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But he wasn't very good at farming. It didn't work out, so he was looking for a new kind of gig. He took to acting like a duck to water and decided to try his
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luck auditioning for plays in London. A contemporary of his named Ellen Terry,
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remarked that when she first met him,
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he seemed to not be the brightest
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bulb in the box. Not a direct quote, she just said that he wasn't a very clever individual,
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very, very kind, but also lacking that sparkle that many actors have. He also had terrible stage fright, but like magic, as soon as he stepped onto the stage, he was electrifying, especially when playing the parts of heroes. I went to film school 1 million
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years ago, and one of my teachers taught us about this interesting skill that he developed when casting movies. He said, never trust the first impression or the second impression or the third impression of an actor. Trust nothing but the lens, he said.
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James Dean was a classic example of this. Every producer said the same thing. When you'd meet him, he just looked like a stale, nervous kid. But when you'd look at him through the lens and call action, you couldn't take your eyes off him.
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This teacher of mine also worked on
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the set of the Shining and he
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said when he first met Jack Nicholson, it was the same situation. Of all people, he was like, he's just a normal, somewhat washed out guy. No sparkle, didn't seem to radiate anything special at all. But we all know what happens when
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you turn a camera on the guy.
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Apparently, Mr. Terrace produced a similar effect and the critics agreed he would receive luminous reviews.
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The Daily Mail called him a splendid force.
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He was a superstar of the day.
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Not only that, but an incredibly kind and generous man who did a lot of charity in secret. There was also a situation where a
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colleague recalled where one evening he came
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into the theater before his show that night, soaking wet from toe to toe,
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but it was only drizzling a little. And they asked if the rain had maybe picked up terribly. And he said, looks that way, doesn't it? The colleague didn't think more of it,
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but found out later that he had jumped into the Thames to save a little girl from drowning that evening. Evening, he never said a thing. He contributed generously to the Actors Benevolent Fund that supported out of work actors. It was this talent, this generosity, this all around likability of William that enraged Richard Prince, who honestly sounds like a
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textbook narcissist, borderline psychotic in my armchair
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psychiatrist, vampire point of view. He was born William Flint, but he changed his name to sound more regal in a thespian sense.
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But by most sources and reviews he was a terrible actor, pompous, quick to
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throw other actors under the bus, blame others for bad reviews of the shows he performed in.
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He was described as a hopeless ham and over actor.
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He was also described in reviews as
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not just unable to play serious roles,
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but incapable of playing any parts at all.
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But he didn't take any of these reviews to heart. He just thought that these reviewers were idiots. He thought he was amazing and not
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given the respect and admiration that his performances deserved. He could only really land small roles. And for a time he worked in the same company as Terriss. While he was always the lead, it was said that he would stand in the wings and make audible derogatory remarks
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and scoffs while Terriss was on stage. During performances, he would loudly make remarks to other performers standing nearby that he would do such a better job of the performance and they would roll their eyes. I Love that saying, there are no
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small roles, just small actors. And he very much sounds like the smallest you could find. His delusions of grandeur and jealousy morphed into paranoia. He was so convinced that he was amazing that the only reason he wasn't
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being cast in bigger, brighter roles was
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because of a conspiracy. He believed that he had been blacklisted by the industry. And perhaps a very powerful, well, like actor was to blame.
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Prince wasn't just openly disdainful of terrorists from the side of the stage.
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He was also openly rude and condescending
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to his face and every other actor,
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anyone who got more positive attention than
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he did, which was everyone. And rather than think that it could
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be his own behavior and lack of talent that was getting him locked out of certain opportunities, he decided to fixate on Terrace and blame him for. For everything. Without any proof, he was now entirely unemployed. He couldn't get a job anywhere. No one wanted to work with him. And his obsession with the idea that it was all Terrace's fault became more and more unhinged. By October 1897, he was going fully out of his mind with conspiracy theories about Terrace telling anyone that would listen that he was a dirty dog. But no matter how much damage he
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attempted to inflict on Terrace's reputation, it
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wasn't worth it working.
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He was too good a guy and too talented. A colleague, overhearing Prince talking smack about Terrace at a bar, heard one person call him straight up crazy and told him to settle down. To which he replied, yes, but the
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world will one day ring with my madness.
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End quote. Like, yes, I am crazy, but you
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haven't seen nothing yet.
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Terrifying.
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Despite all of the smack talking and
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not so veiled maniacal threats, Terrace wrote
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the Actors Benevolent Fund on Prince's behalf in hopes of helping him get his rent paid. And the fund gave him some money. But after two months, they stopped paying.
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The fund wasn't to simply fund the full lifestyles of actors, but to help
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them get back on their feet while
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they looked for work. He didn't look for work.
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He just sat around and fixated on how much he hated Terrace. And getting cut off from his free money led him to the end of the his tether. He decided that he must murder Terrace. He knew where to find him. At the Adelphi Theater, where he would be delivering another sold out performance that evening. And if you would follow me down this dark and somewhat dreary Maiden Lane in Covent Garden, London. It is a chilly December in 1897. The gas lamps glow in the foggy Atmosphere. Oh, watch your step. The cobblestones are rather cobbled around here.
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You don't want to twist your ankle.
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The lane includes some haberdasheries, dress shops. This is the.
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Oh, this is the Wig Inn.
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We are passing now. Voltaire stayed here in 1727 while exiled
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from Paris after insulting a nobleman. Voltaire challenged him to a glove slap
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in the face duel.
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But the guy was a coward. He just had Voltaire throw. Thrown in prison and he would only be released if he left France. So he said, fine, and he stayed right there.
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It is right now about 6pm the curtain goes up at about 8 o' clock in the Adelphi Theater just yonder there. And if you would stand over here in this alcove with me cheeky mix.
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Oh, hey, Jane.
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Trying to get fresh with an old lady, are you?
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Sorry, I didn't see you there, darling.
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It's just so foggy and dark tonight.
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Yeah, moon is a thick mushroom soup to contend with tonight. Off to the pub.
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Lovely to run into you, dear.
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Stay safe, friends. A sense of sourness in the fog. Keep your eyes wide.
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You too, darling.
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Oh, how nice to see her. That was Jane Cakebread.
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She's somewhat famous around here. She's not an actress. She has been arrested 300 times for disorderly conduct, possibly more than anyone in her day. Rum is her poison of choice. Despite her constant arrests, police always treat her with respect. She's got a great sense of humor. Apparently. They've tried their very best to actually help her get off the sauce, but
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she keeps going back.
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Still nice to run into her. Okay, you can see just through the
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fog, a gentleman in a top hat and cloak approaching the theater's back door with a lady that's a friend of his. They were just out to dinner. The man has a key to the back entrance. It is William Terrace. Now stand back.
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You may want to close your eyes. Oh, God. Seemingly out of nowhere, a man just plunged a knife into Mr. Terrace's back.
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Oh, God.
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He's turned around and is now being stabbed in the shoulder and the chest. Oh, his friend has fallen down as well. She's holding. Holding him in her arms. You can't hear it from here, but he just said to his friend, I'll come back. There are people running in their direction.
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Mr.
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Prince is not running.
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He's just standing and staring emotionless. And people are now dragging him down the street. Here, let's make our way back while the group take Mr. Terrace into the theater. They will take him to his dressing room while Some run for a doctor. Sadly, by the time they lay him down in the dressing room, he will already be dead. He had a wife and two children. Prince didn't try to get away, and he pled guilty at his trial. Guilty with great provocation, to quote him. There was still a trial, though, and even his own mother spoke on behalf of the prosecution. She said as soon as he could speak his first word, he was angry and mean. She said he was vain and obsessive. She also said his delusions of grandeur began early. She said that he claimed to be
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Jesus Christ when he was a child, but kids say all kinds of things. I believed I was really a unicorn, like the lady in the movie the Last Unicorn, and one day this spell would be broken. But it does sound like he had other serious issues, even from a very young age. Although his mother may just have been
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trying to help his insanity defense, Prince was described in Lloyd's weekly newspaper to have been continually turning and twisting the ends of his dark mustache like a stage villain. Throughout the trial, he appeared disconnected and held an air of an unappreciated genius, a hero, a man who executed the just demise of an evil man.
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That is all quite subjective, I'd say.
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A
But he was ruled innocent for reasons of insanity and placed in a lunatic asylum, which enraged the public, especially the famous actor Sir Henry Irving, who was utterly disgusted at the ruling. He, like many, believed Prince deserved to go to the gallows. He believed that because Terrace was an actor and not a painter or poet or other more revered kind of artist, that. That that was why his killer went free up until not too long before this, it is true that actors were not considered respectable as artists the way that they are now, especially those who played villainous characters, but most especially any female actors, regardless of what parts they played. Many, not all, but many, believed that if a woman could so easily pretend
- [30:48]
B
to be in love, to cry, to
- [30:50]
A
perform, she must not be a trustworthy human human being. Irving himself was accused of, quote, familiarizing the masses with the most loathsome details of crime and bloodshed just by acting so well and performing as a villain. He sued a magazine for this and actually won. So he was personally familiar with receiving disrespect and slander for simply performing on stage. It was really only about this time, the late 1800s, that actors became more respected as artists, but Henry I.R. irving still believed that actors were not respected enough in this case to receive justice. However, that claim would be staunchly disagreed with by many, including the Queen herself, who wrote A letter of condolence to Terriss widow. 50,000 people attended Terrace's funeral that took place in Brompton Cemetery. It was the highest attended funeral in the history of the cemetery up until then. The Prince of Wales sent a wreath of lilies and orchids. The Reverend delivering the service referenced acting as a noble calling which now stood higher than ever in the public esteem. He said the love and admiration that surrounded Terrace was a testament to the conscientiousness of his work. Prince was sent to Broadmoor Asylum and was very engaged in the performing arts that were offered at the asylum to patients.
- [32:17]
B
He would star in plays and became
- [32:19]
A
the conductor of the prison orchestra. But it wasn't a happy ending for him. He was indeed severely mentally ill. He was tormented by nightmares. He suffered from terrible insomnia because he would often wake at night screaming. His dreams were always the same. He would dream that he was being hunted by a man with a knife.
- [32:40]
B
This made me wonder how normal this kind of thing is.
- [32:44]
A
Do killers often dream of the murders that they commit only from the victim's point of view?
- [32:50]
B
And, and yes, this is a well known documented phenomenon.
- [32:54]
A
Psychiatrists call it simply identification with the victim after a violent act. Some offenders begin dreaming from the victim's point of view, experiencing the terror or pain that they themselves inflicted. These dreams can be extremely vivid and sometimes include bodily sensations like choking, burning or being unable to breathe. Victorian physician and criminologist Cesar Lombroso collected numerous accounts of criminals dreams and nightmares, believing that they revealed hidden guilt and unconscious impulses.
- [33:29]
B
His interpretations are now considered scientifically flawed. He was also a eugenicist.
- [33:34]
A
But his writings contain many unsettling reports of murderers dreaming of their own deaths or of being tormented by their victims.
- [33:43]
B
Eileen Wuornos dealt with these dreams as well.
- [33:46]
A
She said that she would dream that the men that she had killed would come back and try to kill her. Richard Ramirez experienced that he suffered from
- [33:55]
B
night terrors his entire life.
- [33:57]
A
But in prison he discussed that he would often have dreams of being hunted or confronted not by his victims, but by supernatural forces. Psychologists believe that these dreams are ways of an individual expressing unresolved guilt, anxiety or just simply replaying their worst fears,
- [34:15]
B
which was of being caught.
- [34:17]
A
But fascinatingly, an opposite situation has been
- [34:21]
B
documented in regard to some diagnosed psychopaths where they have no nightmares at all.
- [34:26]
A
But some do have recurring dreams of the crimes that they commit, but feel nothing or feel happy about the dream that they're having.
- [34:35]
B
Interesting that Ramirez experienced night terrors. He's been classified as a psychopath as I understand it. Speaking, of course, as an armchair psychologist. Vampire. I thought psychopaths couldn't feel fear, or at least don't experience it the same way as non psychopathic folks.
- [34:53]
A
I wonder what that was about. Anyway, after years of torturous nightmares, Prince died in 1937 at age 78. But allegedly, Terrace's last curtain call was not his last public appearance. Until 1972, he was seen by dozens of people in spectral form, not only in the theater, but in Maiden Lane and the train station nearby at Covent Garden. The station was built in 1907, a
- [35:23]
B
few years after his death, but supposedly
- [35:26]
A
the station now stands where Mr. Terrace would stop to pick up pastries at a bakery every day on his way to the district. In 1955, a ticket inspector named Jack Hayden worked at the station and he claimed that one night he saw a rather distinguished looking gentleman on the platform. The station had already been shut down and Jack noted, noticed that this man all by himself wore a beautiful gray suit, white gloves, and he had a cane in his hand. Mr. Hayden approached the man and told him that the station was closed. There were no more trains a coming. And it's a good thing he just saw him because he had just locked the gate behind him. He would have had to spend the whole night there in the tunnel. The man stood silent. With a gentle Smile he said, Mr. Hayden, a little perplexed at the moment
- [36:14]
B
man's silence, said simply, I'll go ahead
- [36:16]
A
and let you out.
- [36:17]
B
He turned toward the gate but didn't hear footsteps behind him walking with him.
- [36:22]
A
He turned and the man was gone.
- [36:24]
B
He didn't think that must have been a ghost of a dead Victorian thespian. He just thought, where did the guy go? He hoped that he didn't run down
- [36:31]
A
the tunnel, but he just for now put it out of his mind. But then four nights later, he saw the same man wearing the same elegant suit with a cane.
- [36:41]
B
He approached again to say, hey, where'd you go the other night?
- [36:44]
A
And he claims that this man then vanished before his very eyes.
- [36:49]
B
He was shaken, but didn't think to
- [36:51]
A
tell anyone about the encounter just yet. Perhaps he thought his mind was just playing tricks on him. But both he and a co worker named Rose Ring heard screaming from outside their staff room.
- [37:03]
B
They both came running and a young
- [37:05]
A
man, a man named Victor Locker, another employee of the station, claimed to have had exactly the same experience. A man in gray with a cane just vanished before his very eyes.
- [37:16]
B
Word spread fast that the tube was haunted. It's unclear who Thought to share photographs of William Terrace with the employees. Perhaps someone versed in the murderous history of the area.
- [37:27]
A
But both Mr. Locker and Mr. Hayden agreed that that was the man. Mr. Locker was so terrified by the situation that he requested to be moved to another station.
- [37:38]
B
His request was granted. Mr. Hayden remained, and he claimed to
- [37:42]
A
have had at least 40 more encounters with the dashingly dapperly dressed spirit of William. Another employee in 1972, a lift operator named Christopher Clifford, also claimed to see.
- [37:56]
B
To quote him, this big geezer, which. Which doesn't mean old man. In the States, geezer is used for old dudes. But I have learned that geezer just means an ordinary dude in England, Similar to guy or fellow or bloke for the Brits. So the guy calls him this big geezer who was, quote, dressed Edwardian, wearing
- [38:17]
A
a big frock coat like you see in the movies. I wonder if this was our William, though, Or perhaps another ghost. Sounds a bit more early 1900s than 1880 ladies.
- [38:27]
B
From the description, who can say, allegedly,
- [38:29]
A
Mr. Terrace's spirit was last seen in the station in 1972 by this gentleman.
- [38:35]
B
I wonder if when we're ghosts, we
- [38:37]
A
still see the same things that we saw when we were alive. Like, do we take the whole world we were in with us?
- [38:44]
B
Was he maybe picking up ghost crumpets all that time at a ghost bakery,
- [38:49]
A
despite it now being a train station? I wonder.
- [38:51]
B
I like to think so that you
- [38:53]
A
can bring an entire comforting place with you when you die. So much of our own spirits absorb into our walls and even our neighborhoods. Okay, I'll stop.
- [39:02]
B
I could imagine scenarios where I can bring my favorite Korean bodega with me when I die. All day, I'll stop. Even before. Even before Mr. Terrace began appearing at the station, he was already making appearances in the Adelphi Theater. This appearance is somewhat strange and kind of violent. A comedic actress by the name of
- [39:20]
A
June Howard Tripp was in the former dressing room of Terrace's leading lady in the last play in which he performed, Jesse Millward. It was rumored that they were having an affair. And while this actress was taking a nap on a chaise lounge, she claimed that she awoke to it shaking violently. And soon after, a green shimmering mist filled the room. She also claimed that she felt as though her arms were being grabbed tightly and then shaken by unseen hands. It stopped as soon as she heard two knocks on her door. She ran to the door, but there was no one there. Allegedly, William would knock twice with his signature cane on Jesse Milward's door every Night when he would arrive at the theater. And allegedly, Mrs. Tripp claimed that she had bruises on her arms. For weeks after the spooky event, her
- [40:10]
B
story attracted the attention of ghost hunter
- [40:13]
A
Harry Price and medium Stella sea.
- [40:16]
B
They asked if they could perform a
- [40:17]
A
seance in the allegedly haunted dressing room,
- [40:20]
B
and they did, with June and a
- [40:22]
A
few cast members of the performance clowns
- [40:24]
B
in the clover that was being put
- [40:26]
A
on at the time.
- [40:27]
B
A reporter from the daily news was also there, and they reported, quote, the
- [40:31]
A
medium's alleged control, known as Palma, rang a bell said to be out of
- [40:37]
B
her reach, played various musical instruments, and caused a table to charge me violently, end quote. The reporter continued, june assured me that
- [40:47]
A
there were wraps under the sofa on which she was sitting. But it was agreed that we were no nearer to a solution of the mystery, end quote.
- [40:56]
B
So not much happened, I'd say.
- [40:57]
A
But William's granddaughters, now adults in 1967, endeavored to see if they could encounter the ghost of their grandfather.
- [41:06]
B
They stayed all by themselves in the theater all night. I think that is more terrifying a situation than staying in a cemetery all night. A dark theater allegedly haunted by your own grandfather. Like, I love both of my dead grandfathers, but absolutely not. I am not meeting them in a dark Victorian theater in the middle of the night. Back to it.
- [41:26]
A
They claimed to see a light floating around in the dark theater that moved and floated into the lobby.
- [41:33]
B
They heard the sounds of a moaning and deep breathing. So they ran back to where they
- [41:38]
A
were originally sitting and allegedly found all of their things, like coats and purses had been moved from where they originally were. There was another encounter of the green, smoky light. It was also apparently seen by workmen who claimed to see green smoke that also had a shimmer to it in the shape of a body crossing the stairs stage one night.
- [42:02]
B
How they would assume this was the
- [42:04]
A
ghost of William, it is not clear,
- [42:05]
B
but apparently he appeared more clearly.
- [42:08]
A
An electrician claimed to see the ghost of a man in a gray tailored suit that he described as being from the turn of the century. And his encounter is particularly creepy and interesting. He said he saw this man walk through the empty theater. And the seats, which automatically fold up on spring, mysteriously opened up and then closed as he slowly walked by. Oh, what a horrifyingly awesome image. Mr. William Terriss is buried at Brompton cemetery in London. In Lloyd's weekly newspaper, a memorial poem written by an actor friend of William's by the name of Stuart Robertson reads, terrace Farewell. Ah, me we little thought how soon farewell on all our lips would be that in the twilight of the year's last days, A felon hand with sudden murder fraught, should end life's play with the grimmest tragedy and sorrow's hue be mingled with thy bays. Farewell, farewell no more. The listening throng will breathless hang on thy melodious speech, that from the stage in manliness could teach the truth that virtue ever conquers wrong. If you enjoyed this podcast and would like to hear more, please rate the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Leave me comments because I love them so much. Much and for ad free listening, True crime extras, dark poetry and witchy content. Join the patreon@myvictoriannightmare.com Be kind to yourselves and I will see you in your nightmares.