created 2025-06-11, & modified, =this.modified
Spring-heeled Jack was an entity in English folklore of the Victorian era.
He had a terrifying and frightful appearance, with a diabolical physiognomy, clawed hands, and eyes that “resembled red balls of fire”. One report claimed that, beneath a black cloak, he wore a helmet and a tight-fitting white garment like an oilskin.
Several reports mention that he could breathe out blue and white flames and that he wore sharp metallic claws at his fingertips. At least two people claimed that he was able to speak comprehensible English.
The foundations of spring-heeled jack were laid with reports of ghosts roaming London streets in the 19th century. They were described as pale and stalked the citizens.
The first alleged account was in London in 1837, and the last in Liverpool in 1904.
On her way through Clapham Common, a strange figure leapt at her from a dark alley. After immobilising her with a tight grip of his arms, he began to kiss her face, while ripping her clothes and touching her flesh with his claws, which were, according to her deposition, “cold and clammy as those of a corpse”. In panic, the girl screamed, making the attacker quickly flee from the scene.
The next day he selected another victim, this time jumping in the way of a passing carriage. Several witnesses claimed that he escaped by jumping over a 9 ft (2.7 m) high wall while cackling with a high-pitched, ringing laughter.
The Mayor of London addressed this letter he received, of an anonymous complaint:
It appears that some individuals (of, as the writer believes, the highest ranks of life) have laid a wager with a mischievous and foolhardy companion, that he durst not take upon himself the task of visiting many of the villages near London in three different disguises—a ghost, a bear, and a devil; and moreover, that he will not enter a gentleman’s gardens for the purpose of alarming the inmates of the house. The wager has, however, been accepted, and the unmanly villain has succeeded in depriving seven ladies of their senses, two of whom are not likely to recover, but to become burdens to their families.
At one house the man rang the bell, and on the servant coming to open door, this worse than brute stood in no less dreadful figure than a spectre clad most perfectly. The consequence was that the poor girl immediately swooned, and has never from that moment been in her senses.
The affair has now been going on for some time, and, strange to say, the papers are still silent on the subject. The writer has reason to believe that they have the whole history at their finger-ends but, through interested motives, are induced to remain silent
The mayor’s statement:
The Lord Mayor himself was in two minds about the affair: he thought “the greatest exaggerations” had been made, and that it was quite impossible “that the ghost performs the feats of a devil upon earth”, but on the other hand someone he trusted had told him of a servant girl at Forest Hill who had been scared into fits by a figure in a bear’s skin; he was confident the person or persons involved in this “pantomime display” would be caught and punished
Aslop cases
Jane Aslop answered the door of her father’s house to encounter man saying he was a police offer, saying “we have caught spring-heeled jack here in the lane.” She brought him a candle, and noticed his cloak. The moment she handed him the candle he threw it off, presenting a frightening appearance and vomiting blue and white flames from his mouth while his eyes resembled red balls of fire.
He wore a large helmet and had tight clothing resembling white oilskin. Without saying a word he caught hold of her and began tearing her gown with his claws which she was certain were “of some metallic substance”. She screamed for help, and managed to get away from him and ran towards the house. He caught her on the steps and tore her neck and arms with his claws. She was rescued by one of her sisters, after which her assailant fled.
Thomas Millbank boasted in the Morgan’s Arms that he was Spring-heeled Jack. He was arrested and tried at Lambeth Street court. The arresting officer was James Lea, who had earlier arrested William Corder, the Red Barn Murderer. Millbank had been wearing white overalls and a greatcoat, which he dropped outside the house, and the candle he dropped was also found. He escaped conviction only because Jane Alsop insisted her attacker had breathed fire, and Millbank admitted he could do no such thing.
He became immensely popular in Penny Dreadfuls.
Theories
Skeptics say it is mass hysteria developed on long periods of myths of bogeyman or devils, or myths about a man who clambered over the rooftops saying a devil was chasing him.
Spring-heeled Jack was widely considered not to be a supernatural creature, but rather one or more persons with a macabre sense of humour.
Henry de La Poer Beresford was suspected, as he had bad relations with women and police.
