Uploaded December 2023 | Updated September 2026, 4 minutes ago
Dark Histories is primarily an audio podcast, available on all your podcast apps, wherever you listen: pod.link/1279731673
Having risen to the status of international newspaper sensation, The Dalby Spook, or Gef the talking mongoose to those that knew him, was now poised to meet some of the world’s most infamous psychical researchers. Unfortunately, Gef was as shy amongst company as he was talkative to the Irvings. Yet still the story of Gef persisted until eventually, his name ended up associated with a debate that took place in the highest office of the land.
SOURCES
Josiffe, Christopher (2017) Gef! The Strange Tale of an Extra-Special Talking Mongoose. Strange Attractor Press, London, UK.
Price, Harry & Lambert, R.S. (1936) The Haunting of Cashen’s Gap. Unknown Press.
Fodor, Nandor (1964) Between Two Worlds. Parker Publishing Co. London, UK.
Carrington, Hereward & Fodor, Nandor (1953) The Story of the Poltergeist Down the Centuries. Rider, London, UK.
The Muswellbrook Chronicle (1932) Strange Doings on Isle of Man. The Muswellbrook Chronicle, Tues, 3 May 1932, p1. Sydney, Australia
The Isle of Man Examiner (1932) Dalby Sensation. The Isle of Man Examiner, Fri, February 19, 1932. Isle of Man.
Peel City Guardian And Chronicle (1932) The Dorlish Cashen Buggane. Peel City Guardian And Chronicle. Sat, February 20, 1932. Isle of Man.
Josiffe, Christopher (2014) British Voodoo: the Black art of Rollo Ahmed. Fortean Times, July 2014. London, UK.
Josiffe, Christopher (2014) British Voodoo: the Black art of Rollo Ahmed. Fortean Times, August 2014. London, UK.
Harris, Melvin (1982) The Mongoose That Talked. The Unexplained, Vol. 9, Issue 97. Orbis Publishing Ltd. London, UK.
Harris, Melvin (1982) Lost For Words. The Unexplained, Vol. 9, Issue 98. Orbis Publishing Ltd. London, UK.
Isle of Man Times (1936) Manxland’s 1000 Year Old Custom Once Again Observed. Isle of Man Times, Sat Jul 11, 1936. Isle of Man.
Isle of Man Times (1936) Personal. Isle of Man Times, Sat Jul 11, 1936. Isle of Man.
Isle of Man Times (1936) Mr Rollo ahmed. Isle of Man Times, Tues Jul 14, 1936. Isle of Man.
Daily Herald (1936) BBC Editors Slander Action. Daily Herald, Thurs Nov 5 1936. London, UK.
The Times (1936) Law Report, Nov. 4. The Times, Thurs Nov 5 1936. London, UK.
The Times (1936) Law Report, Nov. 5. The Times, Fri Nov 6 1936. London, UK.
The Times (1936) Law Report, Nov. 6. The Times, Sat Nov 7 1936. London, UK.
The Isle of Man Examiner (1947) Talking Mongoose Killed. The Isle of Man Examiner, Fri February 21, 1947. Isle of Man.
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This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, check out betterhelp.com/darkhistories to get 10% off your first month.
Also sponsored by Factor, America's No.1 Ready to eat meal delivery service. Check out factormeals.com/darkhistories50 for 50% off using code darkhistories50.
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For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com
Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: patreon.com/darkhistories
The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: author.to/darkhistories
Dark Histories merch is available here: bit.ly/3GChjk9
Connect with us on Facebook: facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast
Or find us on Twitter: twitter.com/darkhistories
& Instagram: instagram.com/dark_histories
Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com
or join our Discord community: discord.gg/cmGcBFf
The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye
Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017
Dark Histories is primarily an audio podcast, available on all your podcast apps, wherever you listen: pod.link/1279731673
Having risen to the status of international newspaper sensation, The Dalby Spook, or Gef the talking mongoose to those that knew him, was now poised to meet some of the world’s most infamous psychical researchers. Unfortunately, Gef was as shy amongst company as he was talkative to the Irvings. Yet still the story of Gef persisted until eventually, his name ended up associated with a debate that took place in the highest office of the land.
SOURCES
Josiffe, Christopher (2017) Gef! The Strange Tale of an Extra-Special Talking Mongoose. Strange Attractor Press, London, UK.
Price, Harry & Lambert, R.S. (1936) The Haunting of Cashen’s Gap. Unknown Press.
Fodor, Nandor (1964) Between Two Worlds. Parker Publishing Co. London, UK.
Carrington, Hereward & Fodor, Nandor (1953) The Story of the Poltergeist Down the Centuries. Rider, London, UK.
The Muswellbrook Chronicle (1932) Strange Doings on Isle of Man. The Muswellbrook Chronicle, Tues, 3 May 1932, p1. Sydney, Australia
The Isle of Man Examiner (1932) Dalby Sensation. The Isle of Man Examiner, Fri, February 19, 1932. Isle of Man.
Peel City Guardian And Chronicle (1932) The Dorlish Cashen Buggane. Peel City Guardian And Chronicle. Sat, February 20, 1932. Isle of Man.
Josiffe, Christopher (2014) British Voodoo: the Black art of Rollo Ahmed. Fortean Times, July 2014. London, UK.
Josiffe, Christopher (2014) British Voodoo: the Black art of Rollo Ahmed. Fortean Times, August 2014. London, UK.
Harris, Melvin (1982) The Mongoose That Talked. The Unexplained, Vol. 9, Issue 97. Orbis Publishing Ltd. London, UK.
Harris, Melvin (1982) Lost For Words. The Unexplained, Vol. 9, Issue 98. Orbis Publishing Ltd. London, UK.
Isle of Man Times (1936) Manxland’s 1000 Year Old Custom Once Again Observed. Isle of Man Times, Sat Jul 11, 1936. Isle of Man.
Isle of Man Times (1936) Personal. Isle of Man Times, Sat Jul 11, 1936. Isle of Man.
Isle of Man Times (1936) Mr Rollo ahmed. Isle of Man Times, Tues Jul 14, 1936. Isle of Man.
Daily Herald (1936) BBC Editors Slander Action. Daily Herald, Thurs Nov 5 1936. London, UK.
The Times (1936) Law Report, Nov. 4. The Times, Thurs Nov 5 1936. London, UK.
The Times (1936) Law Report, Nov. 5. The Times, Fri Nov 6 1936. London, UK.
The Times (1936) Law Report, Nov. 6. The Times, Sat Nov 7 1936. London, UK.
The Isle of Man Examiner (1947) Talking Mongoose Killed. The Isle of Man Examiner, Fri February 21, 1947. Isle of Man.
-------
This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, check out betterhelp.com/darkhistories to get 10% off your first month.
Also sponsored by Factor, America's No.1 Ready to eat meal delivery service. Check out factormeals.com/darkhistories50 for 50% off using code darkhistories50.
-------
For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com
Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: patreon.com/darkhistories
The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: author.to/darkhistories
Dark Histories merch is available here: bit.ly/3GChjk9
Connect with us on Facebook: facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast
Or find us on Twitter: twitter.com/darkhistories
& Instagram: instagram.com/dark_histories
Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com
or join our Discord community: discord.gg/cmGcBFf
The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye
Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017







![The Dodleston Messages: Ghost in the Machine
On Dark Histories, we hear the words of people lost to history, echoing through the writings of labourers, servants, judges, juries, maids and mistresses exactly as they were written in decades and centuries past. This one way communication with history is always limited by it’s very definition and no matter how much we dig, we can never ask the writers what were they feeling as they wrote each line, and whilst we judge them by the information they give, we can never invite them to ask what they make of the people and things of today in our alien, modern world. In 1984, an Economics teacher living in the small rural village of Dodleston found he had the opportunity to do exactly this, when he was thrust into a strange link that tied him across centuries with a past inhabitant of his home via an early model personal computer and it’s word processing software EDWORD. Both accused the other of trickery, poltergeist activity, witchcraft and devilry, but eventually, a bond between the two was formed. Cross-century communications are never easy, however, especially when the future gets involved.
To take part in the review drive mentioned in the show, send your screenshots to social@darkhistories.com
SOURCES:
Webster, K. (1989). The Vertical Plane. London: Harper Collins.
Hall, William J. & Petonito J. (2018) Phantom Messages: Chilling phone calls, letters, emails and texts from unknown realms. Disinformation Books.
Out of this World. (1996). BBC One Television.
Mercurius Politicus (2010, 1 November). Ghost in the Machine [Article, comments]. Retrived 14 June, 2019, from https://mercuriuspoliticus.wordpress.com/2010/11/01/ghost-in-the-machine/
For extended show notes, including maps, links and scripts, head over to darkhistories.com
Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories
Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast
Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories
& Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/
Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com
or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/6f7e2pt
Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017
Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). Its out of copyright now, but if youre interested, that was that. The Dodleston Messages: Ghost in the Machine](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/OwZJwNvCGII/mqdefault.jpg)


