Vampire Research Society
International Society For The
Advancement Of Irrefutable Vampirological And Lycanthropic Research
The Vampire Research Society originated in 1967 as a specialist unit within the
much older British Occult Society ~ an organisation for
paranormal and occult investigation that was eventually dissolved on 8 August
1988. Seán Manchester was responsible for the vampire research unit becoming a
self-governing body on 2 February 1970 by which time he had initiated in 1969,
as president of the British Occult Society, a full-time investigation into the
Highgate Vampire case. It would last thirteen years. The first published
account of the case (including the initial discovery of the suspect tomb and a
spoken exorcism) was given in The Vampire’s Bedside Companion (Leslie
Frewin, 1975; Coronet Books, 1976). The first complete account was published in
the best-selling The Highgate Vampire (British Occult
Society, 1985; Gothic Press, 1991). The current Gothic Press edition is
completely revised and updated with hitherto unreleased illustrations. Final
comment on the Highgate Vampire case in print appeared in The Vampire Hunter’s Handbook (Gothic
Press, 1997) while Carmel ~ A Vampire Tale (Gothic
Press, 2000) draws on real experience that is based on the mysterious
happenings in and around Highgate Cemetery. These works contain photographs and
graphics from the VRS case files. Click on each book title to view individual
details, reviews and book ordering information. With the exception of The
Vampire’s Bedside Companion, all these books remain in print are are available
direct from Gothic Press (click on each title to access more information).
It should be stressed that the Vampire
Research Society owes no connection to any other group with a similar
name. Furthermore, the Vampire Research Society does not countenance the
activities of lone, amateur “vampire hunters”.
W
Lone Vampire Hunter caught on the
moonlight trail of Highgate Vampire
The Sun, 19
August 1970
A man armed with a wooden stake and a
cross went on a vampire hunt in a cemetery. But all he found were police. And
they arrested him. [NAME DELETED], aged 24, told magistrates at
Clerkenwell, London, yesterday: “My intention was to search out the
supernatural being and destroy it by plunging the stake in its heart.” [NAME DELETED], unemployed
and of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to entering enclosed premises ~ Highgate
Cemetery ~ for unlawful purposes. Detective-Sergeant Neville Brown ~ who showed
the court a large wooden crucifix attached to a piece of rope and a wooden
stake ~ said [NAME DELETED] had heard talk of the vampire of Highgate Cemetery. He heard
that it rose from a grave and wandered the cemetery “on the lookout
for human beings on whose blood it thrives.” [NAME DELETED] was remanded
in custody for reports until September 8.
Seán Manchester, leader of the British Occult Society, said: “I am convinced
a vampire exists in Highgate Cemetery. Local
residents and passers-by have reported seeing a ghost-like figure of massive
proportions near the North Gate.” Mr Manchester added: “A group of
Satanists meet in the cemetery and the evidence points to them being
responsible for the damage to corpses and vaults recently. They use limbs for
their ceremonies. I have seen the burned remains of a young girl’s body on
footpaths there.”
But the cemetery’s gate-keeper said: “Of course
there’s no vampire. It’s absolute tommy-rot.”
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The
above report appeared in The Sun. Similar reports appeared in the
Evening Standard, 18 August 1970, and the Evening News,
18 August 1970.
A
photograph of the lone, amateur vampire hunter with stake, wearing a rosary and
crucifix, was published in the Evening News, 29 September 1970.