Harry Price (1881–1948) was Britain's most prominent paranormal investigator of the early 20th century. His decade-long investigation of Borley Rectory — dubbed "the most haunted house in England" — established the template for systematic paranormal field investigation and remains one of the most documented hauntings in history.
Price founded the National Laboratory of Psychical Research in 1923 as a rival to the Society for Psychical Research, which he considered too credulous. He was instrumental in exposing fraudulent mediums while simultaneously documenting cases he believed to be genuine. His investigation methods — sealed rooms, motion-sensitive equipment, witness sign-in logs — are direct precursors to modern paranormal investigation protocol.
Joins the Society for Psychical Research and begins systematic fraud investigations of prominent mediums
Founds the National Laboratory of Psychical Research in London
First visit to Borley Rectory; witnesses unexplained phenomena and begins formal investigation
Rents Borley Rectory for a full year; recruits 48 observers who collectively document over 2,000 incidents
Borley Rectory burns to the ground; witnesses report seeing apparitions in the flames
Publishes The Most Haunted House in England — becomes a bestseller
Dies of a heart attack aged 67; his archives donated to the University of London
Price is a foundational figure in scientific paranormal investigation but remains controversial — posthumous analyses of his Borley Rectory reports found evidence of staged phenomena. His methodology, however, was genuinely ahead of its time and influenced all modern ghost hunting practice.
Editorial note: All profiles are compiled from public record, testimony, and published sources. Unverified claims are noted. Project Strange does not assert the truth or falsity of any individual's claims.