Originally released for Patrons on Feb 13, 2023. "Highgate cemetery was one of the first large garden cemeteries built during the industrialization of London. Over the years it's had its ups and downs, from being a sought-after luxury cemetery to an abandoned, overgrown haunt of tramps and adolescents. It was even the scene of a possible vampire sighting. In this episode we discuss the history of Highgate."
Between the late 18th and early 20th century, the fear of premature burial was intense. This fear was spurred by both real incidents and magnification of the issue by newspapers and public interest groups. Many inventive ideas arose to deal with the issue, one of which was the security coffin. In this episode we discuss where this fear came from and the many devices created to aid the mistakenly buried.
This episode is part 2 of a 3-part series, originally published on May 18th 2023. "In this episode, we discuss the evidence from the Jack the Ripper case, including, letters, photos, and personal accounts from the Metropolitan and City of London police. We also dive into the many suspects that have been proposed over the years, which range from escaped asylum inmates to royalty."
When you need a glimpse of hope in the most dire circumstances, there is Anna Essinger, a school teacher who was able to pull her whole school full of Jewish pupils out of Germany. Essinger taught and cared for hundreds of Jewish refugees, quietly and peacefully resisting the Nazi party throughout World War II.
Originally posted on Patreon on July 14, 2023. "In this episode, we discuss the archaeological and scientific work that has been done at the RMS Titanic wreck site, from its discovery in 1985 to the more recent and unfortunate expedition undertaken by OceanGate. We strive to remain sensitive and respectful, while also giving the most up-to-date and factual information about these expeditions."
Bone-setting was the strength-based art of resetting broken bones, dislocations, and bad backs. In the 1730s, one of the most prolific and effective bonesetters was Sarah Mapp, also known as Crazy Sally.
Originally published as 'Lost' on Nov 14, 2016, this remastered episode was published on Patreon on June 18th, 2024. "Before the colony of Jamestown, another colony attempt was made on Roanoke Island. After several years and many unfortunate events, the people and the village seemingly disappeared. The Colony of Roanoke is known as the Lost Colony, and it's not as lost as you might think."
Alchemy is an ancient practice combining mysticism with scientific observation in order to explain and manipulate the natural world. Secrecy was a large part of alchemy and the use of codes and ciphers was common. Several substances were especially important to Alchemists, and in this episode, we dive into these legendary ingredients.
Originally posted on Patreon on Feb 10, 2024 'In this episode, Hallie looks into how technology used by ghost hunters actually works, what its detecting, and how that information is interpreted by investigators.'
The Dybbuk is a malevolent possessing spirit that originates in 16th century Jewish folklore. How does this concept end up part of modern paranormal belief? In this episode, Hallie discusses the origins of dybbuk, how to exorcise one from a human, and if the original being could even possess a box.
Originally published on Patreon on Oct. 11, 2023 'In this episode, we discuss spirit possession from a multitude of angles. What it is, the variations that occur, the history of reports, and the possible scientific explanations for it. We also touch on why its so hard to test any of these theories.'
CW: Death of humans and animals During the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, Robert Falcon Scott made two attempts to reach the South Pole. His second attempt was his last. In this episode, Hallie tells the story of the 1911 race to the South Pole, the adventure and the tragedy.
Originally posted on Patreon on Jan 11, 2024. In this episode, Hallie explores the many aspects of Dark Tourism - visiting places with macabre and haunting histories - as well as the types of locations this practice encompasses. CW: Discussions of enslavement, genocide, incarceration, suicide, and exploitation.
A disease associated with pirates and explorers, scurvy was a constant threat to humans without access to fresh fruit and vegetables. In this episode we discuss the symptoms, the long quest to discover the cause, and tales of disasters and recoveries of those who suffered from scurvy.
Originally posted on Patreon on March 11, 2024. As we're exploring tools used by ghost hunters and mediums, let's take a look at the Ouija board, a mass produced version of the talking board, which was born out of the impatience of Spiritualists attending seances in the late 1800s.
Happy Halloween! In celebration, Hallie is proud to present Perfect Skin , a short horror story, written exclusively for the MCP by author L.J. Stanton. This audiobook will be free for everyone for two weeks. After that, it will only be accessible to patrons of the MCP. CW: Body horror, pregnancy horror, birth horror
In the beginning of 1692, young women in Salem village began experiencing strange symptoms, which were soon blamed on witchcraft. The girls began accusing neighbours of bewitching them, escalating the situation. More and more young women became afflicted and more townsfolk were accused. 19 people were eventually executed. In this second instalment, Hallie discusses the criminal trials, the executions, and the rise and fall of the power of the afflicted.
In the beginning of 1692, young women in Salem village began experiencing strange symptoms, which were soon blamed on witchcraft. The girls accused three women of bewitching them, but instead of resolving the case, the matter only escalated. More young women were afflicted and more townsfolk were accused, and 19 people were eventually executed. In this first instalment, Hallie discusses what was going on in Salem when accusations began to fly, who was afflicted, who was accused, and who was hear...
In this special spooky season episode, Hallie interviews Ryan Matthew Cohn ( Oddities ) and Regina Marie Rossi ( Oddities Flea Market ) about their upcoming book The Witch's Door. They talk exploded skulls, provenance, ethical collecting and more! The book is part personal history and part examination of specific objects from their massive oddity and curiosity collection.
MCP host Hallie sites down with John and Rob Donkin, also known as Bad Viking Games, to discuss thier cozy mystery game Strange Horticulture. You are the owner of horticultural shop in the bleak town of Undermere. Many of the plants you stock can heal or harm. When murder strikes, you are dragged into a web of intreague involving witches, cults, and many toxic plants.
CW: Detailed descriptions of execution methods and corpse desecration Before 1868, executions in England were held in designated public spaces. One of these was famous due to its long history as a place of death and for the large number of criminals that could be executed at once. That place was Tyburn and its infamous execution apparatus was known as the Tyburn Tree.
"Lizzie Borden took an axe and gave her mother 40 whacks. When she saw what she had done she gave her father 41." Or did she? In this epic remaster of the MCP's very first episode, we go over the details of the murder case against Lizzie Borden, and discuss what might have happened in Fall River on Aug 4th, 1892. The original epiosde was released on July 31, 2016 and was titled 'An Axe to Grind.' Please enjoy this remasterd and updated version!...
During the Victorian era, the display of differently abled humans, termed the Freak Show, was a hugely popular form of entertainment. Today this form of entertainment is nearly taboo, but the morbid fascination with disability and physical differences remains. Let's discuss why.
It may come as a surprise, but most plants aren't very friendly. Like most creatures, they survive by defending themselves against predators, parasites, and pathogens. Some have developed quite extreme defence mechanisms, and they are subject of this episode.
CW: animal experimentation, mental illness, suicide, non-consensual surgical procedures, malpractice and abuse in mental health facilities. One of the most infamous procedures from the era of psychosurgery is the Lobotomy. From the beginning there was criticism that lobotomy was too unpredictable and invasive to treat mental illness. Despite this, the procedure was marketed as a miracle cure and thousands of vulnerable people were subjected to it, with and without their consent....
The 1870s were a rough time in Kansas. Travelers and settlers on the frontier struggled against the odds to make even a modest living. The Bender family had a unique method of survival: murder. CW: forced relocation, murder of adults and children, suicide
CW: Torture, Rape, Execution, Racism, Self-Harm, and Suicide Colonial Australia was used by the British to house prisoners in the late 1800s. Pentridge Prison began as a stockade in 1851 and grew into one of the most infamous prisons in Victoria, both for its size and the brutality of the punishments suffered by its inmates.
Have you ever wondered why paranormal investigators use certain devices to detect ghosts? It all has to do with theories about what ghosts are. In this episode, we explore theories about ghosts throughout history. Is there room for the possibility that they exist? Maybe.
Often called the Dyatlov Pass Incident of the 70s, the Chivruay Pass Tragedy has similar elements: 10 students go hiking in the snowy Russian mountains and are later found frozen to death. They also share a cloud of mystery and intrigue that may or may not be true.
For this winter holiday special, Hallie dives into the folklore of Iceland to talk about the terrifying creatures of midwinter. Who are they, what are their origins , and what has become of them in the modern era?
