Exclusive : Most Famous Ghost Pictures Ever Taken And The Stories Behind Them

Paranormal phenomenon is notoriously hard to capture on camera, but among the rising number of hoaxes there are a handful of ghost photographs that can send shivers down your spine and involuntary make you ponder the things that go bump in the night.

Experts and sceptics alike have spent their careers testing thousands of images of the paranormal, debunking some and failing to disprove others, here however are 10 most famous ghost pictures that have stood the test of time.

The Spectre Of Newby Church (1963)

Taken in 1963 at the Newby Church in Yorkshire, England, this famous picture depicts a nine-foot-tall figure wearing a cowl and standing at an altar. Several photography experts have scrutinized the image and have declared it is not the result of a double exposure or other photographic tricks.

Lord Combermere Ghost (1891)

Taken by Sybell Corbet in 1891,the figure of Lord Combermere can be faintly be seen sitting in the chair on the left in the library in Combermere Abbey, England. His head, collar and right arm on the armrest can be clearly made out.

The second Viscount Lord Combermere died after being struck by one of London’s first electrically powered motor cabs. It said that while Sybell Corbet was taking the above photograph, Lord Combermere’s funeral was taking place four miles away.

Corroboree Rock Spirit (1959)

Taken by Reverend R.S. Blance at Corroboree Rock, at Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia in 1959, this famous photograph appears to show a woman holding her hands toward her face, peering out into the distance.

Freddy Jackson (1919)

Freddy Jackson was a mechanic for the Royal Air Force had been killed in a freak-accident by an aeroplane propeller, but Jackson did not let his death get in the way of him showing up on time for the group photo two days later. Several of the other men in the photo confirmed that it was in fact Jackson’s face in the background of the picture.

Baby At The Gravestone (1946)

Taken by Mrs. Andrews who was visiting the grave of her teenage daughter in Queensland, Australia. At the time Andrews claimed she saw nothing unusual, however after getting the photos developed she was astonished to see the image of an unknown infant sitting at a gravestone and looking at the camera.

The Backseat Driver (1959)

This famous ghost photograph was taken in 1959 by Mable Chinnery. After visiting the grave of her mother, Mable turned and took a picture of her husband, who was waiting for her in the car. What Mable didn’t expect was her mother coming along for the ride in the backseat.

The Amityville Horror Ghost (1976)

Just twenty days after moving in, the Lutz family fled in terror from their Amityville home. This photograph was taken by professional photographer Gene Campbell in 1976 during an paranormal investigation. Instructed to take pictures of the house, it wasn’t until he looked over rolls and rolls of film in 1979 that he discovered one—and only one—photo depicting a small ghostlike boy.

Widely believed to be the spirit of John Mathew DeFeo who was only nine years old when he was murdered by his older brother just a few short years before the Lutz family moved into the house and the Amityville horror began.

Phantom On The Farm (2008)

Photographer Neil Sandbach was taking pictures around a farm in Hertfordshire, England. After reviewing the digital photos he couldn’t believe his eyes; he was certain there was not a child hanging around the farm that day. He later asked the farm owners if they’d ever had any supernatural experiences there, and the owners confirmed that they had witnessed the specter of a boy in white night clothes many times before.

Tulip Staircase Ghost (1966)

Taken in 1966 by Rev. Ralph Hardy in the Queen’s House section of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England. Hardy, a retired clergyman, intended only to take a picture of the impressive Tulip Staircase but also captured this apparition of a robed figure ascending the stairs.

The original negative was examined by experts, including some from Kodak, who deemed that the photo had not been tampered with. People have reported seeing unexplained figures and the sound of footsteps in the same vicinity for years prior to and after this picture was taken.

The Brown Lady (1936)

Arguably the most famous ghost picture on our list, The Brown Lady of Raynham Hall, Norfolk, England rose to international fame after the apparition was captured on the staircase during a photoshoot for Country Life magazine. The Brown Lady is so named because of the brown brocade dress it is claimed she wears.