The Ghastly Ghosts on Gibson Street Glasgow -

Ghosts & Hauntings

The Ghastly Ghosts on Gibson Street Glasgow

Need More Time?

Don’t have time to read this now? Download the pdf and read it at your leisure…

Luibeilt & the Ghosts on Gibson Street Meet

Since we covered Luibeilt, here on the blog, it would be remiss of us to not also talk about the ghosts on Gibson Street in Glasgow. If you haven’t read the Luibeilt blog, I would recommend starting with that one. You can read the blog here…

The two ghost stories are intrinsically linked. The haunted bothy and at least one of the houses on Gibson Street have a strange, intertwining history. And if you thought the Luibeilt poltergeist story was bone chilling enough, wait until we tell you about what happened to climber, Phil McNeil, next.

Reported Sightings of Ghosts on Gibson Street

But first, a quick look at the tales surrounding the ghosts of Gibson Street. Gibson Street is a wide sweeping road in Glasgow that houses imposing buildings with large windows and high ceilings. It’s actually very striking. A busy, bustling street with bars and restaurants and student accommodation. There’s even a church. It looks like the last place that would be haunted.

The Case of the Dancing Eggs

But in 1958, two American students became increasingly uncomfortable when they started to hear disembodied voices around their accommodation on Gibson Street. Although they couldn’t make out individual words, they reported hearing two distinct voices that would talk as if in a call and answer pattern. The voices would start talking in the wee hours of the morning and go on for several hours before ending with a bang that sounded like a door being slammed.

The Glasgow Herald reported this story on the 14th July 1958. Albeit with a somewhat flippant tone. They suggested that, as the tenants were not from Scotland, they wouldn’t be able to appreciate the acoustics of an old building, such as those on Gibson Street. Their opinion was that sound carries right along the terraces, often from several houses down, which would explain the fuzzy nature of the voices.

There was more, though. The American Students also reported that on turning off their radio, it would immediately be turned back on again. Spooked as they were, they remained in the house until objects started moving on their own. They described eggs dancing along the worktops and a breadboard being thrown across the kitchen. This was the final straw for them and they moved out, seeking accommodation much further away from Glasgow University.

Electrical Currents or Poltergeist Activity?

After Phil McNeil’s story was released on the Uncanny podcast, a listener contacted him to share yet another tale about 39 Gibson Street.

Hugh said that he had also lived in the tenement in the same flat as Phil. While some smaller mysteries were written off as nothing to be concerned about, there was an incident involving Hugh’s flatmate. He said this flatmate’s boyfriend had been thrown out of bed in the middle of the night.

At the time, he had written this off as a combination of bad wiring and rising damp. He had said that the boyfriend must have rolled against the damp wall and created an earth, which had allowed electricity to flow through him, propelling him across the room. But he’d never really believed that. And on listening to Uncanny, realised that strange happenings had been occurring in that flat for many years.

A Ghostly Gibson Street Seed is Planted

While the case with the American students was the highest profile, having been reported by the newspaper, there had been rumours of hauntings in the student buildings for years and years.

Phil McNeil had heard the stories about the ghosts on Gibson Street even before he moved into his University accommodation. Whether he believed them then, or just dismissed them as student pranks, they were already in the back of his mind.

Life After the Haunting of Luibeilt Bothy

After escaping the hostile poltergeist at Luibeilt, Phil McNeil returned to the comfort of civilisation unscathed. At least physically. Mentally, he was a bit of a wreck. But Scots are made of stout stuff, and mental health wasn’t what it is now back in 1973, so he carried on as usual. However, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was a dark cloud following him around. Had something malevolent followed him back from Luibeilt?

It’s fair to say that this line of thought became an obsession for Phil and he started searching for clues. He felt like there was something under the floor in the living room and rolled up the carpet. He was shocked to see what looked like blood stains on the floorboards. Even more shocking, he saw a trapdoor that he hadn’t known was there.

Pulling the trapdoor open, he saw a cross fashioned out of old newspaper, and yet more blood. At this very moment, a lightbulb fell from its fitting and smashed on the floor.

Phil, unable to cope with the pressure anymore, fled his tenement, leaving the door open. He ran to the station, caught a train and went home to his father, with whom he had a very tumultuous relationship. For the first time in his life, he wanted his dad.

Luibeilt and Its Affiliation with the Ghosts on Gibson Street

On hearing this terrifying tale, Uncanny podcast listeners decided to do some sleuthing. And they did not disappoint. Here is what they found…

In 1851, there was a child living at 39 Gibson Street. That child would have been 40 in 1890. That child also went on to commit suicide. A coincidence, you might think. Except you’ll never guess what that child’s name was! Yep – John McAlpine. The very same man that had committed suicide at Luibeilt.

Scaredy Cat Skeptic Take

Ghost stories plant seeds, beget interpretations of every day annoyances as ghosts and become stories that plant more seeds that beget interpretations… you get my meaning. Once you’ve decided that something is paranormal activity, everything that happens after that is also attributed to the occult and the whole thing snowballs.

The coincidence of John McAlpine’s residence stumps me a bit. I haven’t done any digging so I don’t know the exact documentation suggesting that John McAlpine ever lived at Gibson Street. It could have been a really common name. I highly doubt it’s the same John McAlpine, but admit it’s spooky.

What Do You Think About the Ghosts on Gibson Street?

What do you make of the connection between the Luibeilt poltergeist and the ghosts on Gibson Street?

Have you ever lived in Glasgow and seen spookiness?

Get in touch. We’d love to hear all about it.

Just as a reminder, I may be scpetical, but not all of us at Scaredy Cat Skeptic have the same beliefs. We have the highest respect for the opinions of others (as long as they are also respectful), so don’t worry that our take will skew our judgement.

LISTEN TO THE LATEST EPISODE

VISIT THE SHOP FOR PODCAST MERCH

Follow Us On Social Media

Scaredy Cat