The history of 30 East Drive is not rooted in an ancient castle or a forgotten burial ground, but in the terrifying ordeal of an ordinary family living in a post-war council house on the Chequerfield estate in Pontefract, West Yorkshire.

This unassuming semi-detached home became the site of what is widely regarded as one of Europe's most violent and sustained poltergeist cases.

The Pritchard Family and the First Signs (1966)

The haunting began in August 1966, shortly after the Pritchard family—Joe, Jean, and their two children, Phillip (15) and Diane (12)—moved into the house.

• The Initial Phenomena: While the parents were away on holiday, the first incidents were witnessed by Phillip and his grandmother, Mrs. Scholes. These included mysterious, chalk-like dust falling from mid-air, unexplained pools of water instantly forming on the kitchen floor, and odd noises.

• The Naming: As the activity became a constant presence, the local press dubbed the unseen force "Mr. Nobody." The Pritchard family, in a strange attempt to normalize the terror, simply referred to the entity as "Fred." The more sinister name, "The Black Monk of Pontefract," was later applied due to the reported apparition of a figure in dark, monastic robes.

Escalation and the Focus on Diane (1968-1969)

The disturbances initially paused but returned with increasing force in 1968, continuing until late 1969. The focus of the phenomena appeared to be the youngest child, Diane.

• Classic Poltergeist Activity: The house became a circus of chaos:

  • Objects were levitated and thrown (including heavy furniture and a grandfather clock).

  • Pictures were slashed, and lights were constantly switched on and off.

  • Doors would fly open or slam violently.

  • Unexplained substances appeared, such as green foam from the taps and holy water seeping from the walls following an attempted exorcism.

• Physical Assaults: The haunting escalated beyond mere destruction. Family members and witnesses reported being slapped, pinched, and shoved. In the most dramatic and terrifying event, Diane's hair reportedly stood on end before she was dragged, kicking and screaming, up the main staircase, leaving her deeply traumatised.

The Black Monk Legend

While the entity was most often perceived as a poltergeist (a destructive, non-corporeal entity often linked to an adolescent focus), the appearance of a dark figure cemented its permanent place in paranormal history.

The legend suggests the figure is the ghost of a 16th-century monk from a local priory who was executed for the rape and murder of a young girl near the site where the house now stands, which could explain its fixation on the young Diane.

The haunting eventually subsided, and the Pritchards moved out, but the house and the events that occurred there became the subject of Colin Wilson's 1981 book Poltergeist!, cementing it as a national media sensation and inspiring the 2012 film When the Lights Went Out.

Documenting the Paranormal: Evidence and Captures at 30 East Drive

The haunting at 30 East Drive is unique in paranormal lore due to the sheer volume of phenomena witnessed by external parties—including neighbours, clergy, and police—during the Pritchard family's ordeal.

In the decades since, it has become a major destination for paranormal investigators who claim to have captured various forms of evidence.

Phenomena Reported by Original Witnesses (1966-1969)

While formal modern ghost-hunting equipment wasn't widely used in the 1960s, the best "evidence" from the original haunting came from credible, multiple-witness reports:

• Levitation and Movement of Objects: The most consistent and witnessed phenomenon was the violent movement of household items. This ranged from small objects like keys being flung across rooms to heavy items like the grandfather clock being thrown and furniture being tipped over.

• Physical Effects: Police and neighbours reported witnessing physical assaults on the family, particularly the dragging of young Diane up the stairs by an invisible force.

• Unexplained Substances: Witnesses observed baffling materialisations, such as chalk-like dust falling from the ceiling, pools of water forming instantaneously on the kitchen floor, and green foam mysteriously pouring from the taps.

• Apparitions: The entity's identity as the "Black Monk of Pontefract" stems from the sighting of a dark, cowled, shadowy figure by multiple witnesses, including family members and their neighbours, often seen lurking on the staircase or in the corners of the rooms.

Modern Paranormal Captures (Post-2000s)

Since the house was acquired by new owners and opened to investigators, modern electronic equipment has been used to attempt to capture residual activity, leading to various claims:

• EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena): Many groups have claimed to capture distinct voices or whispers on audio recorders when no human voice was speaking. Some reports include a specific voice identifying itself as "Monk."

• Shadow Figures on Camera: Investigators have frequently claimed to capture photographic and video evidence of dark, human-shaped shadows in the house. Some notable claimed captures show a definite dark mass on the stairs or appearing to peek around corners.

• SLS Camera Captures: The use of SLS (Structured Light Sensor) cameras, which map heat signatures and shapes, has allegedly recorded stick-figure anomalies—unexplained moving forms with human proportions—in various parts of the house, particularly in the living room and near the infamous staircase.

• Equipment Malfunctions: Consistent reports from multiple investigation teams detail mysterious draining of phone and camera batteries, or equipment suddenly switching off or malfunctioning without explanation.

Despite the intensity of the alleged activity, the evidence remains typical of paranormal claims—largely anecdotal, circumstantial, or open to skeptical interpretation (like dust particles appearing as "orbs" on camera).

However, the sheer number of different types of phenomena reported over the decades is what maintains 30 East Drive's terrifying reputation.