The Katie King séances

Record summary

Florence Cook claimed to produce a materialized spirit called Katie King in séances investigated by William Crookes and other observers in London. Photographs, reports of physical examination and later accusations of fraud made the episode one of the best-known Victorian disputes over spirit appearance. It matters for comparing apparition claims that occur in staged ritual spaces rather than domestic haunting contexts, especially questions of darkness, controls, identity and witness expectation. The evidence remains controversial, with later exposure claims and conflicting testimony complicating interpretation.