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Classic Ghost Stories

Author: Tony Walker

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A weekly podcast that reads out ghost stories, horror stories, and weird tales every week. Classic stories from the pens of the masters Occasionally, we feature living authors, but the majority are dead. Some perhaps are undead.

We go from cosy Edwardian ghost stories (E. F. Benson, Walter De La Mare) to Victorian supernatural mysteries (M. R. James, Elizabeth Gaskell, Bram Stoker, and Charles Dickens) to 20th-century Weird Tales (Robert Aickman, Fritz Lieber, Clark Ashton-Smith, and H. P. Lovecraft) and wander from the Gothic to the Odd, even to the Literary, and then back again.

Each episode is followed by Tony's take on the story, its author, its content and any literary considerations, which may be useful to students!


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279 Episodes
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Download Charles Dickens The Signalman Free Mp3 https://bit.ly/dickenssignalman (Subscribe to our list and keep in touch with the podcast. Learn of new episodes and bonus Content. )Support our work PLUS you get a free story right now!(The Story Link is in the Thank You Email)Show Your Support With A Coffee!https://ko-fi.com/tonywalker (Buy the thirsty podcaster a coffee...)Final Request: The SurveyI want to know what you want. If you have three minutes, I'd be grateful to know what you think of The Classic Ghost Stories Podcast.https://my.captivate.fm/Click%20here%20to%20go%20to%20the%20Survey (Click here to go to the Survey)Support the showVisit us here: www.ghostpod.orgBuy me a coffee if you're glad I do this: https://ko-fi.com/tonywalkerIf you really want to help me, become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/barcudMusic by The Heartwood Institute: https://bit.ly/somecomeback Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This is the cleaned up audio of a Youtube Video I did. The audio isn't as good as when I do the podcast purely as an audio project. The video of me reading this is to be seen on my Youtube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9o9Vf0G92Pu2MCgKr73vhQIf You Appreciate The Work I’ve Put In Here https://www.patreon.com/barcud (Become A Patreon) For Bonus StoriesOr https://ko-fi.com/tonywalker (buy me a coffee) , if you’d like to keep me working. https://bit.ly/somecomeback (Music) by The Heartwood InstituteSupport the showVisit us here: www.ghostpod.orgBuy me a coffee if you're glad I do this: https://ko-fi.com/tonywalkerIf you really want to help me, become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/barcudMusic by The Heartwood Institute: https://bit.ly/somecomeback Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A Dog in Dürer’s Etching “The Knight, Death and the Devil”Albrecht DürerAlbrecht Dürer was born in Nuremberg, a Free Imperial City of the Holy Roman Empire in 1471. He died aged 58, also in Nuremberg. He was a famous printmaker in his time and travelled across Europe. His work mainly consists of engravings and woodcuts. The Knight, Death & The Devil was printed in 1513, though apparently Durer called it simply “The Knight”.The engraving shows an armoured knight on a horse, leading another horse. The knight is flanked by a rotting corpse holding an hourglass and the Devil. Behind him on a hill is a fortress and beside the horse is a dog. The knight looks straight forward, undistracted by the corpse, the devil or even the dog. The elements in the picture represent a Medieval European morality. The knight is not tempted or swayed by the Devil or cowed by his inevitable death. He continues on his journey. The critic Gary Shapiro said the knight signified resolute determination in the absence of hope.Marco DeneviMarco Denevi was born in 1922 in the town of Sáenz Peña a suburb of Buenos Aires in Argentina. He died in Buenos Aires in 1998. He studied law but went to work in an insurance office where he wrote his first novel in snatched hours. His writing bought him enough success that by 1968 when he was 46, he gave up the insurance trade and became a full time author and essayist. Denevi was the author of novels and short stories, some of which were made into films. He won several prizes for his work.  Alberto ManguelAlberto Manguel is the translator of this piece by Denevi. He was born in Buenos Aires in Argentina, but moved to Canada. He is an award winning author of both fiction and non-fiction as well as a translator, editor and essayist. When he was young he worked in a bookshop in Buenos Aires and there met Jorge Luis Borges. A Dog in Dürer’s Etching “The Knight, Death and the Devil”This is a wonderfully Gothic story. It mainly concerns a knight returning home from a nameless war (as Denevi says: all wars are basically the same war), coarsened and wizened looking forward to days of peace with his wife, his salmon and his lute in his castle, apparently under the pleasant illusion that all will be waiting for him much as it was before he left.We have a nice interlude where the band of soldiers are travelling through a gothic forest where the trees are all bearing the terrible, but appealing to some, fruits of war. The minstrel imagines that the knight’s suit of armour its empty and that the knight whom the soldiers had trusted to save them from death is not really there.But then we return to the main point. Wars are games of chess played by little kings, popes and emperors to advance their petty ambitions. The knight will be forgotten by history, we are told. Then we are given access to the knight’s musings that perhaps his otherwise pointless efforts in the war in which he has spent his life will be remembered and honoured with land and titles by the little kings. As he thinks of this, the dog approaches.The knight, or Denevi, considers that peasants and dogs do not even really know there was a war, much less what it was about, and in fact it was about nothing other the game of chess played by little kings and popes.The knight considers how he may have, by his actions, have spun a web to snare the fly kings to make them help him. He ponders that God may be pretty similar to the dog, in that he does not even know there was a war and is oblivious to the aims and ambitions of the popes and kings.The theme of the story seems to be about perspective and how those who are considered lowly, like thSupport the showVisit us here: www.ghostpod.orgBuy me a coffee if you're glad I do this: https://ko-fi.com/tonywalkerIf you really want to help me, become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/barcudMusic by The Heartwood Institute: https://bit.ly/somecomeback Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Pallinghurst Barrow by Grant Allen A horror story about spirits who linger in old places in the English countryisde. Published 1892. Suggested by Susan Tudor-Coulson If You Appreciate The Work I’ve Put In Here - You could buy me a coffee at https://ko-fi.com/tonywalker or join as a Patron for exclusive content here: https://www.patreon.com/barcud Grant Allen Charles Grant Blairfindie Allen was born in 1848 on Wolfe Island in Ontario in Ca nada and died in Haselmere in Surrey aged 51. His father was from Dublin and he was a protestant minister. He was educated at home and then when he was 13, his family moved to the USA, then to France then to Britain. He was educated at King Edward’s School in Birmingham (where Tolkien later went amongst other famous alumni) and then at Merton College in Oxford. He went to teach in Brighton and in Jamaica. He returned to Britain from Jamaica and began to write professionally. He was most famous for his scientific essays. But he also wrote science fiction.  He was an atheist and socialist. He was married twice. He died of liver cancer in 1899. He was a friend and neighbour of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Chanctonbury Ring, Old Weird Albion The Old Weird Albion | Justin Hopper || Landscape, Memory & MythI mention how much I enjoy the work of Justin Hopper.  Chanctonbury Rings – a spoke word and music album made with folk artist Sharron Kraus and Ghost Box Records co-founder The Belbury Poly (Ghost Box).  Long Barrows were the product of a late Stone Age civilisation with additions from Bronze Age folk. They are particularly to be found in Wessex and the south and west of England. But of course megalithic structures of similar types can be found all over Atlantic Europe. Nobody would suggest that the so-called Picts created them. Theosophists & Madam Blavatsky The Theosophical Society was created mainly by Madame Helena Blavatsky who had a background in Spiritualism. This was a time of religious change with a huge upsurge in Spiritualism. The first lodge was in Scotland. There were influences from western Occultism, but also Hinduism and Buddhism and they talked about the ascended masters. These ascended masters included Abraham, Moses, Solomon, Jesus but also the Buddha, Confucious and Lao Tzu but also Mesmer, Bohme and Cagliostro.  Theosophy has evolved into the New Age. Mrs Bruce (the esoteric Buddhist) seems to be one of these. Ghosts The story reports that we only see the ghosts from periods within our knowledge.  But of course this is not true. Many ghosts are not really identifiable at all.  Flint and iron This is an old piece of folklore Cannabis Indica Indeed. No wonder he saw visions. Fiddlers Green, Clint Marsh Fiddler’s Green Peculiar Parish Magazine I love this 'zine. As the Clint Marsh says, *Fiddler’s Green Peculiar Parish Magazine was born of a languid afternoon of conversation on a sunny tavern lawn. Taking its name from the pleasant afterlife dreamed into being by sailors, cavalrymen, and other adventu New Patreon Request Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Support the showVisit us here: www.ghostpod.orgBuy me a coffee if you're glad I do this: https://ko-fi.com/tonywalkerIf you really want to help me, become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/barcudMusic by The Heartwood Institute: https://bit.ly/somecomeback Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Outcast by E F Benson

The Outcast by E F Benson

2022-09-1601:06:12

The Outcast by E F Benson First we are introduced to Mrs Bertha Acres through the eyes of Tony and his wife Madge. The initial incident is her husband shooting himself due to detesting her. That is the first sign we have that this lady is to be the subject of the story and it is enough to make us prick up our ears and raise questions about her.  (If You Appreciate The Work I’ve Put In Here - You could buy me a coffee at https://ko-fi.com/tonywalker or join as a Patron for exclusive content here: https://www.patreon.com/barcud) We next have the description of the domestic scene in the little home and little village and here we see the wit of the humorist of upper middle-class social situations that came to the fore in the famous Mapp and Lucia series that made his name.  The theme of reincarnation is set by the brother-in-law Sir Charles Alington, particularly that a reincarnated spirit  can inhabit a male or female body. Then we are told the evil history of the Gate House and that one brother betrayed his brother for being a Catholic and then repented. Remember the end takes place around Easter, Judas Iscariot is mentioned. Benson’s father was a vicar and his brother a priest. Are these hearkenings to the Easter story: betrayal, sin and reincarnation an intentional inversion?   The body is in the water three days (note three, surely not a coincidence?) and no corruption has come to it.  It’s like an antichrist or Judas figure.     The end, the purging by fire may represent the expiation of the sin of betrayal by this spirit who was forced to live again and again and wander without rest. The Flying Dutchman, the Wandering Jew.   In terms of style, it seemed to me that the story is made up of two. There is the witty social commentary (that we also find in The Pallinghurst Barrow by Grant Allen) poking fun at the haut bourgeois, and then a masterfully creepy horror story. Benson is unequalled I think it writing these scenes. First the body in the sack that tumbles over and follows Made (though that was reminiscent of Oh Whistle and I’ll Come to You)  New Patreon Request Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Support the showVisit us here: www.ghostpod.orgBuy me a coffee if you're glad I do this: https://ko-fi.com/tonywalkerIf you really want to help me, become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/barcudMusic by The Heartwood Institute: https://bit.ly/somecomeback Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Happy Halloween! A disturbing and scary tale that will be performed live in Whitehaven this Halloween as part of our Eerie Cumbria programme.I hope you will be suitably disturbed by it, even it you don't live in Whitehaven.You can listen to my version of Dracula free on Bandcamp (you get to play each chapter 3 x before you have to pay a cent) if you need more Halloween vibes.https://theclassicghoststoriespodcast.bandcamp.com/album/dracula-by-bram-stoker New Patreon Request Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Support the showVisit us here: www.ghostpod.orgBuy me a coffee if you're glad I do this: https://ko-fi.com/tonywalkerIf you really want to help me, become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/barcudMusic by The Heartwood Institute: https://bit.ly/somecomeback Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Stalls of Barchester Cathedral by M R James was published in 1910. It is one of Montague Rhodes James's most famous and best loved, or most feared, stories. As often with M R James, these are not just comforting cuddly ghosts — the ghost cat is decidedly disturbing — but there is something scary and demonic about the stalls themselves. Thanks to Gavin Critchley for sponsoring this Halloween 2022 episode of The Classic Ghost Stories Podcast. It's not the first he has sponsored but his kindness has allowed me to do this for all of you. Thank you, Gavin. The stalls are the wooden seats in a cathedral where the clergy and other officials of the church sit.  Not for the first time either do I see something decidedly folk horror in James's work with reference to the old tree that was used for unspeakable old folk things being the substances of the stalls.  The BBC did a well-loved ghost story for Christmas of The Stalls of Barchester Cathedral, but this is my audio book version for you. Get All Episodes Ad Free! $1 a month for the whole back catalog of episodes on Patreon. Download at your leisure.  https://www.patreon.com/barcud Buy Dracula Audiobook for Download Buy it directly from me at a knockdown price £4.99.   https://ko-fi.com/s/a7a5c648b8 If You Appreciate The Work I’ve Put In Here Buy me a coffee at https://ko-fi.com/tonywalker,  or join as a Patron for members only stories for $5 a month:  https://www.patreon.com/barcud Late Night Talk Radio Listen to my other podcast! Here  https://link.chtbl.com/late_night New Patreon Request Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Support the showVisit us here: www.ghostpod.orgBuy me a coffee if you're glad I do this: https://ko-fi.com/tonywalkerIf you really want to help me, become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/barcudMusic by The Heartwood Institute: https://bit.ly/somecomeback Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ray Bradbury wrote "The Witch Door" in 1995.The main characters live in a dilapidated New England farmhouse. They've come to escape from the totalitarian Government and collapsing cities. One night, one night, they hear a hammering on the Witch Door in their house.The witch door dates back to 1680 when people used it to hide witches from the Salme Witch Trials.The noises grow louder and a woman bursts out of the tiny room behind the door and woman dashes out into the night.   Set in the future, The Witch Door is that mixes science fiction and dystopian futures with a witch thrown in to make the point.A woman friend of theirs who is on the run from the Government, arrives and asks the to hide her.They put her in the room beyond the Witch Door.#fullaudiobook #books #bradbury #raybradbury #audiobook New Patreon Request Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Support the showVisit us here: www.ghostpod.orgBuy me a coffee if you're glad I do this: https://ko-fi.com/tonywalkerIf you really want to help me, become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/barcudMusic by The Heartwood Institute: https://bit.ly/somecomeback Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Dead by James Joyce

The Dead by James Joyce

2022-11-1801:59:21

The Dead is is the last story, and the longest from James Joyce's 1914 short stories collection: Dubliners. It is longer than the rest, being more like a novella. It is considered one of the classics of Irish literature, and possibly the best literary short fiction in the English language.Dubliners is a rich and generous story and though Joyce was considered a pioneer of modernist literature, with his 1922 novel Ulysses and especially with Finnegans Wake in 1939.Joyce left Ireland in 1904 and lived abroad in Trieste, Switzerland and Paris and never really lived in Dublin again but his books and all his writing are set among the people and places he grew up amongst.See a full analysis and summary here: https://www.ghostpod.org/2022/11/05/the-dead-by-james-joyce-analysis/This audio book reading is by Tony Walker of The Classic Ghost Stories Podcast.  It was made into a film in 1987, by John Huston starring Anjelica Huston and Donal McCann. Download my narrations of some stories at my Bandcamp sitehttps://theclassicghoststoriespodcast.bandcamp.com/Visit the Website For Story Noteshttps://www.ghostpod.org/2022/11/05/the-dead-by-james-joyce-analysis/ New Patreon Request Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Support the showVisit us here: www.ghostpod.orgBuy me a coffee if you're glad I do this: https://ko-fi.com/tonywalkerIf you really want to help me, become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/barcudMusic by The Heartwood Institute: https://bit.ly/somecomeback Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A Fall of Snow by James Turner is a beautifully written and poignant story about a childhood visit to his uncle and a mysterious happening that stayed with him for the rest of his life. The story is set in a large house at Christmas, which is situated in the English County of Suffolk. It is a tale about family, loss, love, and friendship, and it is told in Turner's trademark lyrical style. It is an excellent read for anyone who loves atmospheric stories that explore the human condition.If You Appreciate The Work I’ve Put In HerePlease, buy me a coffee at https://ko-fi.com/tonywalker, Or join as a Patron for members only stories for $5 a month: https://www.patreon.com/barcudCheck out my Audiobooks on my Bandcamp StoreAudio | The Classic Ghost Stories PodcastSubscribe to my Haunted Place channel hereBefore you continue to YouTubeMusic By The Heartwood Institute https://bit.ly/somecomeback***  New Patreon Request Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Support the showVisit us here: www.ghostpod.orgBuy me a coffee if you're glad I do this: https://ko-fi.com/tonywalkerIf you really want to help me, become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/barcudMusic by The Heartwood Institute: https://bit.ly/somecomeback Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Ghost of Jerry Bundler by W. W. Jacobs is Jacob's second most famous supernatural fiction short story after The Monkey's Paw. It's a Christmas Ghost story set in the bar of an old coaching inn in an English country town just a few days short of Christmas. A group of travellers find themselves having to stay over Christmas at the haunted inn and begin to entertain and ultimately terrify themselves.A spooky little story for Christmas ghosts with a twist at the end that deserves its place on any podcast that reads out classic horror audiobooks.Check out my Bandcamp sitehttps://theclassicghoststoriespodcast.bandcamp.com/Remember I have members only stories too! New Patreon Request Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Support the showVisit us here: www.ghostpod.orgBuy me a coffee if you're glad I do this: https://ko-fi.com/tonywalkerIf you really want to help me, become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/barcudMusic by The Heartwood Institute: https://bit.ly/somecomeback Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Get the Book that this story comes fromhttps://amzn.to/3Uu4kGX (affiliate link)A most wonderful Christmas Ghost story. I know I tend to over-enthuse, but Green Holly by Elizabeth Bowen is, for me, one of the best ghost stories in English from the mid-20th Century.Bowen removes ghosts from their history of clanking and scaring and contrasts them with the ordinary world or ordinary importance (the war effort in 1944) and suggests that our aspirations for romance and glamour are phantasms, which nevertheless we prefer to real life.See what you think.Elizabeth Bowen (1899 to 1973-Dublin). Bowen believed in ghosts and other strange things. Her stories about England during World War I. Bowen did not just sit back and watch the war. She was an air raid warden. When bombs fell, she walked her route to make sure people were in shelters and had turned off their lights. When she was writing her stories, it wasn't at all clear who would win the war. Bowen later said that she had never felt more alive than when the blitz was going on.Download my narrations of some stories at my Bandcamp sitehttps://theclassicghoststoriespodcast.bandcamp.com/ New Patreon Request Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Support the showVisit us here: www.ghostpod.orgBuy me a coffee if you're glad I do this: https://ko-fi.com/tonywalkerIf you really want to help me, become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/barcudMusic by The Heartwood Institute: https://bit.ly/somecomeback Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
One of my own stories, specially written for Christmas 2022. It’s a very personal story, and you may find it a little sentimental, but it is my Christmas present to those listeners who are happy to receive it from me. New Patreon Request Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Support the showVisit us here: www.ghostpod.orgBuy me a coffee if you're glad I do this: https://ko-fi.com/tonywalkerIf you really want to help me, become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/barcudMusic by The Heartwood Institute: https://bit.ly/somecomeback Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Frederick McCarthy Forsyth CBE is an English author and journalist. He was born on August 25, 1938. A former RAF pilot and investigative journalist, created the modern thriller when he wrote The Day of The Jackal He is best known for thrillers like The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File, The Fourth Protocol, The Dogs of War, The Devil's Alternative, The Fist of God, Icon, The Veteran, Avenger, The Afghan, The Cobra, and The Kill List. Forsyth's books are often on lists of the best-selling books, and more than a dozen of them have been made into movies. By 2006, more than 70 million copies of his books had been sold in more than 30 languages. The Shepherd tells the story of a De Havilland Vampire pilot who is going home on Christmas Eve, 1957. On the way from RAF Celle in northern Germany to RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, England, his plane loses all of its electricity. He gets lost in fog over the North Sea and is almost out of gas when he runs into a De Havilland Mosquito fighter-bomber that seems to have been sent up to "shepherd" him in. The main themes of the story are how he is guided to a safe landing and how he tries to find the pilot who saved him. Forsyth wrote this original piece as a Christmas present for his first wife Carrie, who had asked him to write her a ghost story. The story was written on Christmas Day, 1974, and came out around the same time the next year. The idea came to the author when he was trying to think of a setting that wasn't a haunted house and saw planes flying overhead. Many people have thought that the references were to old RAF stories. Even though Forsyth is a former RAF pilot and could have heard and changed such a story (whether on purpose or not), no references or personal stories have been given to back up such claims. Since 1979, the story has been told on the Canadian news show As It Happens on CBC Radio One. It is always read by Alan Maitland and is always on the last episode, which is always on or before Christmas Eve. As it Happens had a 50th anniversary special in 2018, and Carol Off, Michael Enright, and Tom Power read lines from The Shepherd to honour the tradition. On December 14, 2014, in London, at St. Clement Danes, the Central Church of the Royal Air Force, actor Nigel Anthony put on an original version of The Shepherd by Amber Barnfather, complete with music and sound effects. Frederick Forsyth opened the show, which raised money for the RAF Benevolent Fund. David Chilton was in charge of the sound, and the Saint Martin Singers sang a cappella pieces. John Travolta confirmed in 2022 that he is making a movie version of The Shepherd right now. Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens Audiobook If you like my voice and want to support my work, get my narration of this Christmas Classic herehttps://theclassicghoststoriespodcast.bandcamp.com/album/a-christmas-carol-by-charles-dickens New Patreon Request Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Support the showVisit us here: www.ghostpod.orgBuy me a coffee if you're glad I do this: https://ko-fi.com/tonywalkerIf you really want to help me, become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/barcudMusic by The Heartwood Institute: https://bit.ly/somecomeback Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dickens's second Christmas story is called "The Chimes." The main character in this story is an old messenger Toby Veck who has lost hope in people. He is drawn to a church's bell tower, where he meets the ghosts of the bells and the goblins who help them. He learns through a series of visions why he shouldn't give up hope that people can change for the better.Though called a Christmas Story, it actually happens on New Year's Eve and a big theme of the story is closing off the business of the New Year and looking forward with hope to the new one.Again, Dickens's sympathies lie with the impoverished working classes whom he paints (on the whole) as kind to each other and human as opposed to the wealthy who are seen as shallow, hypocritical and cruel.Buy my A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens Audiobook! New Patreon Request Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Support the showVisit us here: www.ghostpod.orgBuy me a coffee if you're glad I do this: https://ko-fi.com/tonywalkerIf you really want to help me, become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/barcudMusic by The Heartwood Institute: https://bit.ly/somecomeback Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Rosemary Timperley was born in 1920 in North London and died in November 1988. Her father was an architect and her mother a teacher. Timperley went to her local girls school and became a teacher herself.  She taught English and History in a state school. Her pupils said she was a very dramatic figure (she ran the drama club) and wore long swirling black dresses with long drop or hoop earrings. In 33 years, she published 66 novels and several hundred short stories. However, her ghost stories are the ones that people remember the most.  She was editor of various editions of the Pan Ghost Book, including the 5th. This story The Mistress In Black was taken from that book published 1969. Many of her short stories were published in magazines such as The New Yorker, Harper's Bazaar, and The Atlantic Monthly. Timperley's work often dealt with supernatural and paranormal themes, and she was considered a master of the ghost story genre. She also wrote several non-fiction books and articles on subjects such as writing and the supernatural. Timperley passed away in 1988. While she was a teacher she began to submit her stories to magazine and they began to be accepted. She became a staff writer and agony aunt on the magazine Reveille. She lived in Richmond, Surrey  for many years. Many of her stories are set in London. During the Second World War she worked at the Citizens’ Advice Bureau in Kensington, London. She got married to a Physics teacher in 1952 and they lived in Essex just outside London. They separated in the early 1960s according to some sources, but they appear to have been officially married until his death in 1968. Timperley managed to travel widely across the world despite her hectic writing schedule, visiting Italy (a number of her works are set in Venice), Morocco, Belgium, Russia, and Greece.  Timperley's publisher, Robert Hale, stated that her first-hand knowledge of other nations and diversified work experience inspired her novels, plays, and short tales. Indeed, Timperley is believed to have worked as a waitress, a counter assistant in a police canteen, a typewriter, and an artist's model before becoming a freelance writer. Timperley had to spend several months in the hospital in 1964 because of a serious illness.  Timperley began working as an auxilary nurse in a Surrey hospital shortly after this life-changing encounter. Her time in this industry surely influenced works such as The Tragedy Business (1969), The Haunted Garden (1966), and The Washers-Up (1967). (1968). She was also inspired by her experience as a teacher, as evident by the fact that children play a significant role in most of her work. Furthermore, the background of her first two novels is thought to have been inspired by her own childhood experience at Hornsey High School.  Timperley spent much of her life in the London suburb of Richmond, and many of her stories are set there. Timperley was well-versed in London, and her novels, in particular, contain numerous references to various locales in the city. Reading her anecdotes, it's clear that Timperley travelled by tube and bus a lot, avoiding the use of a car  and, while being city born and bred, loved open landscapes and desired to live an uncluttered, "carefree" existence. In 1961 she mentions she is living in an old-fashioned flat and living on coffee, pink-gin and cigarettes.  She lived a quite, reclusive life until her death New Patreon Request Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Support the showVisit us here: www.ghostpod.orgBuy me a coffee if you're glad I do this: https://ko-fi.com/tonywalkerIf you really want to help me, become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/barcudMusic by The Heartwood Institute: https://bit.ly/somecomeback Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Join Tony as we explore Edward Bulwer-Lytton's classic short story, 'The House & The Brain'. This captivating tale, first published in 1859, follows a narrator as he investigates the strange occurrences in a haunted house. The story is notable for its suspenseful atmosphere, its examination of the power of the human mind, and its timeless themes. This is an engaging listen for those interested in the Gothic horror genre." New Patreon Request Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Support the showVisit us here: www.ghostpod.orgBuy me a coffee if you're glad I do this: https://ko-fi.com/tonywalkerIf you really want to help me, become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/barcudMusic by The Heartwood Institute: https://bit.ly/somecomeback Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Join The Classic Ghost Stories Podcast for a thrilling reading of 'Our Feathered Friends' by renowned British author Philip MacDonald. Originally published in 1931, this haunting tale takes place on a blistering hot summer's day, when a young couple ventures into the cool shade of an isolated forest and encounters an unexpected and terrifying phenomenon. The story's unexpected twists and turns are sure to keep you on the edge of your seat as you experience one of the masters of detective and mystery fiction at work. Don't miss this gripping short story, which hints at something unusual and chilling lurking within the depths of the forest. New Patreon Request Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Support the showVisit us here: www.ghostpod.orgBuy me a coffee if you're glad I do this: https://ko-fi.com/tonywalkerIf you really want to help me, become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/barcudMusic by The Heartwood Institute: https://bit.ly/somecomeback Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
ames Hogg (1770-1835) was a Scottish poet, novelist, and essayist known for his work in the Romantic literary movement. He was born in the small village of Ettrick in the Scottish Borders, and his upbringing was marked by poverty and hardship. Hogg's father was a shepherd, and Hogg himself worked as a shepherd for much of his youth. However, he had a passion for literature and began writing poetry and prose at an early age. Despite his lack of formal education, Hogg was a talented writer, and he began to gain recognition for his work in the early 1800s. His first major publication was "The Mountain Bard" (1807), a collection of poems that celebrated the rural life and landscape of Scotland. This was followed by his most famous work, "The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner" (1824), a novel that explored themes of good and evil, religious fanaticism, and psychological horror. In addition to his writing, Hogg was known for his eccentric personality and his love of Scottish folklore and tradition. He was a close friend of other Scottish writers such as Walter Scott and Robert Burns, and he was a frequent visitor to literary salons and gatherings in Edinburgh. Despite his literary success, Hogg struggled with financial difficulties for much of his life. He continued to write and publish until his death in 1835, and he is remembered as one of Scotland's most important writers of the Romantic period. New Patreon Request Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Support the showVisit us here: www.ghostpod.orgBuy me a coffee if you're glad I do this: https://ko-fi.com/tonywalkerIf you really want to help me, become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/barcudMusic by The Heartwood Institute: https://bit.ly/somecomeback Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, we delve into the dark and unsettling world of Robert W. Chambers' short story "The Repairer of Reputations." Join us as we explore the mind of an unreliable narrator, Hildred Castaigne, and his delusional quest for power and revenge. As we uncover the secrets of Castaigne's dystopian world and his belief in a cursed play called "The King in Yellow," we confront the disturbing and thought-provoking themes of madness, manipulation, and the fragility of reality. Buckle up for a journey into the unknown, as we dissect one of Chambers' most iconic and haunting stories. New Patreon Request Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Support the showVisit us here: www.ghostpod.orgBuy me a coffee if you're glad I do this: https://ko-fi.com/tonywalkerIf you really want to help me, become a Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/barcudMusic by The Heartwood Institute: https://bit.ly/somecomeback Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Comments (32)

Judith Last

You are a wonderful reader!

Feb 3rd
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Top Clean

More E. F. Benson story's is here for free. (^^,) https://archive.org/search?query=title%3A%28E.+F.+Benson+%29&and%5B%5D=mediatype%3A%22audio%22 Enjoy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐❤️

Dec 4th
Reply

Top Clean

Whistle and I'll come to you (movie link)❤️ https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gtTzxP03Dfw&pp=ygUaV2hpc3RsZSBhbmQgSSBjb21lIHRvIHlvdSA%3D Enjoy (^^,) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐❤️🤟

Dec 4th
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Gail Fattori

I just love this story. The details are truly so well placed that it paints a picture. It also captures the moments of a dated social. It is enchanting and I've listened to it many times. I just love it. You are truly underrated as a voice actor. I listen to you every day and night. Well done Tony.

Sep 3rd
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Gail Fattori

I love that you have introduced me to so many extraordinary writers and stories. I've started to collect M. R. James collections. I've been devouring your books too. I love them. Thank you for all you do.

Aug 25th
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Gail Fattori

Thank you soo much Gavin. That was a wonderful story. Thank you Tony for filling my days and nights with awesome, creative, and spooky tales. I love them.

Jul 29th
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Gail Fattori

The book "Ghosts and Other Unpleasantries" is my new favorite.

Jun 14th
Reply

Gail Fattori

The book "Ghosts and Other Unpleasantries" is my new favorite.

Jun 14th
Reply

Gail Fattori

The book "Ghosts and Other Unpleasantries" is my new favorite.

Jun 14th
Reply

Gail Fattori

The book "Ghosts and Other Unpleasantries" is my new favorite.

Jun 14th
Reply

Gail Fattori

This was a true example of theatre. You're accent was impeccable for Sardonicus. That's become a favorite of mine as well. I've shared it with my daughters. I can't wait hear what they think. Well done. Much appreciation from Arizona, U. S. A.

Jun 11th
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Gail Fattori

I absolutely love that szory. You are very talented. I tend to believe that i would be quite artogant to believe that the impossible is not possible, if that makes sense. There are stories of magical things such as this all around the wprld, they must come from somewhere. Great story. I'll probably listen to it multiple times.

Jun 3rd
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Gail Fattori

I love this story. It is so well described and has such fantastic conversations that I can picture everything as easily as a vision. Each character is unique but recognizable as if they were old family members from old family holiday gatherings or parties. It's just wonderful.

May 24th
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Gail Fattori

I loved it! That was an excellent story. You did a fantastic job mixing the relatable situation of the couple hurrying to a friends event with the stranger, and mysterious, suspicious intent. Then you through the fantasy, mythological type of characters and horrifying outcome, especially for me as a mpm. It was wonderful. I just loved it. I'll be sharing that with my daughters.

May 16th
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Gail Fattori

That was fantastic! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I just can't get enough of how you present these stories. I've shared them with my daughters joyfully. Thank you for what you do. It's made me so happy.

May 12th
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Gail Fattori

That was one of my absolute favorites stories!! I really, really loved it Well done Tony.

May 12th
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Gail Fattori

This one actually frightened me. That was s tough one to get through. It was deliciously terrifying.

Apr 30th
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Gail Fattori

This one actually frightened me. That was s tough one to get through. It was deliciously terrifying.

Apr 30th
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Gail Fattori

Tony, that was a lovely story. I really enjoyed that. It was a perfect little Christmas story with a little mystery , a little spooky, and a lot io heart. Well done.

Apr 25th
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Gail Fattori

This is one of my favorite stories. I love listening to you and make listening a daily routine. Thank you for sharing these wonderful tales and your amazing gifz for retelling. I truly listen for hours. Love from Arizona, U. S. A.

Apr 25th
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