Legends Of Spring Heeled Jack

Reports of his existence date back to the 19th century.

One very creepy criminal case that has never been solved concerns Spring Heeled Jack. For at least 150 years, there were many alleged, frightening experiences

with this strange creature, and to this day, no one knows just who—or what—he was exactly. Of course most would write him off as being nothing more than a folktale, but people have been frightened of him nonetheless.

So what do the legends say about Spring Heeled Jack? For starters, it’s said that he was “capable of leaping very high, as if he were bouncing on springs.” He allegedly wore a helmet and very tight clothing. He also apparently had claws, and his skin was described as being “oily” and his eyes were red, and some witnesses claimed to have seen him “exhale blue flame.” At least two witnesses claim that he could speak in clear English. He also had a very strange laugh.

While this sounds nothing more than a myth or an urban legend, there was a dark, disturbing side to this story as well—he apparently was capable of sexual assaulting young girls. His first sighting was around London in October of 1837, when he attacked a servant girl named Mary Stevens. Thankfully, her screams were overheard by others nearby, and they managed to save her. The creature then fled and “disappeared”. Assuming that this incident was only a myth, it was strange coming from the Victorian period. Tales and folklore those days usually aren’t so dark and sexual.

Shortly after this alleged incident, many more girls claimed to have been attacked by Spring Heeled Jack. Some girls only claimed that he “hit” them. Men claimed to have seen him too. Mass hysteria formed throughout England, and most were certain that Spring Heeled jack was an incarnation of the Devil, if not the Devil himself.

In 1870, he was spotted by a group of soldiers. They shot at him, but he “disappeared” for a second and then zoomed right in front of one of the soldiers, whom he then slapped. He then bounced off and was not seen again until later in the year when a mob spotted him and shot him. Apparently, the bullets only “bounced off” of him, and he leapt away once again.

In 1953, 120 years after he was first spotted in London, he somehow managed to make it to Texas. If not him, it was at least another creature resembling him. Three witnesses near an apartment complex described seeing a creature wearing “a long black cape,” “tight pants,” and “boots.” Could he have “leapt” all the way to Texas? Or were there more Spring Heeled Jacks out there?

The last known Spring Heeled Jack sighting was back in England 31 years later. In 1985, a salesman in England claimed to have seen him leaping around as usual, while wearing his tight clothing. The creature, of course, stopped and slapped the man, as it was his custom.

Spring Heeled Jack has not been seen since, and if he has, witnesses are probably too weirded out to say anything. Whoever he was/is, he’s one truly odd creature. Some say he could’ve been a crazy, but otherwise ordinary, human man. Perhaps mass hyseteria caused witnesses to see things that didn’t really happen (such as his unnatural leaping).

Discuss this topic in the