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Bedford Public House Ghost

Bedford Public House, SW12, London Apparition Victorian

The original Bedford Hotel was built in the 1870s. In 1876, the pub building housed the coroner's inquest into the notorious unsolved murder of Charles Bravo, a resident and lawyer who was poisoned, possibly by his wife. Charles Delauney Bravo was a British lawyer who was fatally poisoned with antimony in 1876. The case is still sensational, notorious and unresolved. The second inquest concluded with a verdict of wilful murder by person or persons unknown. No one was ever charged, and the case remains unsolved.

During the Coroner's inquest, the lurid details of Florence's past affair with Dr James Manby Gully, a married man thirty-seven years her senior, became a topic of intense fascination. Gully was a suspect, but although he testified at the inquest, nothing further came of the case. In 1923, Sir Harry Poland QC stated that "Dr. Gully was in no way implicated."The Bedford Pub was the location of the inquest, and some say it is haunted by Charles himself. Sightings of a shimmering grey figure have been seen in the ballroom, which was once the billiards room. In one incident an entire piano fell off a stage by itself at around midnight after a jazz concert. Some say the event was caused by an angry ghost who didn't like the music. The Bedford in Balham is one of London's most iconic pubs - a historic Grade II listed venue famed for its live entertainment and vibrant spirit.

Historical Context

The Bedford Public House dates back to the Victorian era.

Location

Location Details

Location Type
Public House
Activity Types
Visual Audio
Witness Credibility
Multiple Witnesses
Threat Level
Harmless
Accessibility
Public Access
Date / Era
Unknown
Postcode Area
SW12

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