In this episode, the Wyrdo's investigate the chilling true story of the Premonitions Bureau, a real-life experiment set up to prove if people can truly foretell disaster. We delve into the controversial mind of its founder, British psychiatrist John Barker, and the horrifying tragedies that inspired his work.
In this episode:
- The Aberfan Disaster: We recount the horrifying events of October 21st, 1966, where a Welsh coal tip collapsed, killing 116 children, and the chilling premonitions that preceded the tragedy.
- The Birth of the Bureau: The Wyrdo's explore how the Aberfan disaster convinced Barker that precognition was real, leading him to set up the Premonitions Bureau with the Evening Standard.
- The Jonah's Quandary: We discuss the philosophical paradox at the heart of the Bureau: if you prevent a disaster, was the premonition ever real in the first place?
- A Run of Horrifying Hits: We detail a series of shocking predictions that came true, including the Nicosia plane crash, the Torry Canyon oil spill, the Hither Green train crash, and the assassination of Robert Kennedy.
- The Human Cost: We look at the emotional toll the premonitions take on the "star percipients," Alan Hencher and Miss Middleton, and their growing frustrations with the Bureau.
- A Tragic End: We discuss Miss Middleton's final premonition about the death of someone close to her and the chilling circumstances surrounding the death of John Barker himself.
- The Legacy: We explore the eventual fate of the Bureau and its founder, and the people whose lives it forever changed.
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Written by Craig Brooks and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy Stevens
Edited by Craig Brooks
Intro music by Leonell Cassio - The Paranormal Is Real (ft. Carrie)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
