My history hero: Danny Robins chooses Harry Price (1881–1948)
Presenter Danny Robins chooses Harry Price as a history hero
In profile
Harry Price was a British ghost-hunter, psychic researcher and author who achieved fame through his investigations into paranormal phenomena and for exposing fraudulent mediums. Renowned for his investigation into Borley Rectory – “the most haunted house in England” – he died of a heart attack at his West Sussex home at the age of 67.
When did you first hear about Price?
I was obsessed by ghosts from an early age. When I came across Price he was already something of a mythical figure, thanks to cases such as the Borley Rectory ‘hauntings’ that loomed large in my childhood.
What kind of man was he?
He had a Walter Mitty quality: he was constantly fictionalising his life and pumping out fake versions of himself – partly, I think, because of his humble background [his father was a travelling salesman]. He lied about where he was born and grew up, and faked archaeological finds and ‘artefacts’ that he’d knocked up in his shed.
What made Price a hero?
I think one should use that word cautiously when talking about Harry, but, for all his flaws, he turned the paranormal into something mainstream and fun, and brought science to the study of the subject. He pretty much invented the concept of the ‘ghost-hunter’, and much of what we associate with ‘the paranormal’ has its roots in his work and the image he cultivated.
He made psychic phenomena into news, and became a tabloid figure in what I think of as the golden age of ghost-hunting. Moreover, alongside Harry Houdini, he made it his mission to unmask fake mediums – the rock stars of the day, making huge money – as charlatans and tricksters.
What was his finest hour?
First, exposing fake mediums who preyed on people’s grief. Second, his detective-style investigations into paranormal occurrences, in particular at the Borley Rectory – though plenty of people will tell you that Harry faked phenomena and dramatised events there. He was simultaneously a showman and a researcher, and sometimes the showman won out.
Is there anything you don’t particularly admire about him?
The duplicitousness and slightly free approach to the truth he brought to the study of the paranormal. But I think his admirable qualities outweigh his less-admirable ones. Incidentally, he was also one of the founders of what became the British Film Institute.
Can you see any parallels between his life and yours?
Like him, I believe that we need to listen to those people who’ve had ghostly encounters, and try to make sense of their experiences.
What would you ask him if you could meet his ghost?
That would be wonderful – and would prove that we were both on the right track! I’d like to know if he regretted those occasions when he fluffed the truth and over-dramatised moments in his investigations. The truth should be enough.
Danny Robins presents Uncanny, exploring paranormal and supernatural phenomena, on BBC Sounds and BBC iPlayer. His live show, Uncanny: Fear of the Dark, will tour the UK from September.
This article was first published in the June 2025 issue of BBC History Magazine
Authors
York Membery is a regular contributor to BBC History Magazine, the Daily Mail and Sunday Times among other publications. York, who lives in London, worked on the Mirror, Express and Times before turning freelance. He studied history at Cardiff University and the Institute of Historical Research, and has a History PhD from Maastricht University.