234: The Hammersmith Ghost Murder | England

In January 1804, the quiet village of Hammersmith descended into fear over reports of a ghost haunting the streets—believed to be the restless spirit of a suicide victim. This wave of panic took a tragic turn when excise officer Francis Smith, convinced he had encountered the ghost, fatally shot Thomas Millwood, an innocent man. The shocking incident sparked one of the earliest legal debates over mistaken belief as a defense for murder. This episode unpacks the chilling tale, the grip of superstition on the community, and the case’s enduring influence on British criminal law – reaching a pivotal reinterpretation nearly 180 years later.



Special Thanks: Branden Morgan (The Devil Within)



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Resources

Podcast

The Devil Within

YouTube

The Haunting Murder Case of the Hammersmith Ghost

Web

Wikipedia



Created & Produced by Sonya Lowe

Script courtesy of Branden Morgan – The Devil Within

Narrated by Noel Vinson

Music: “Nordic Medieval” by Marcus Bressler

Background track: Doblado Studios: https://www.youtube.com/c/DobladoStudios



This True Crime Podcast was researched using open-source or archive materials.