Why This Ghost Sighting Was Different
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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?
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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
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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.
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.
