Everyone Dies In Sunderland: A podcast about growing up terrified in the eighties and nineties - The Ferryhill Axe Murders: Demonic possession in Country Durham

The Ferryhill Axe Murders: Demonic possession in Country Durham

Explicit content warning

10/27/21 • 57 min

2 Listeners

Everyone Dies In Sunderland: A podcast about growing up terrified in the eighties and nineties

It’s spooky season, so the gang takes a trip back to 1683, when the devil arrived in Country Durham and commanded a farm hand named Andrew Mills to murder three children with an axe in a crime described as “the most horrid and barbarous murder that was ever heard in the North”.

And if you so wish, you can try and summon the killer at midnight on Halloween - although you will have to go to the fancy hotel built on the site of the murder these days.

Look, we never said we were growing up terrified in the nineteen eighties.

We also take a look at the poisoned baby food scare of 1988, when – without the excuse of demonic possession – Rodney Whitchelo put five babies in hospital by spiking their food with acid and razor blades in an attempt to blackmail Heinz.

John is “desperately trying to be Victoria Coren Mitchell”. Jane is “perfectly memorable”. Gareth makes the devil sound like Rylan standing in your kitchen trying to bully you into getting a vasectomy. Harry’s get some free advertising they could probably do without.

Along the way: The strange direction taken by the Air Bud franchise! Judith Kerr’s odder children’s books! Murderous Come Dine With Me!

And if you want to recreate the urban myth of the Ferryhill Demon even though the buildings aren’t there anymore the what three words is “sprinter.saloons.sulk”

You can reach us on email [email protected], on Twitter at @everyonediespod, on Facebook and Instagram.

Our theme music is the song “Steady Away” by Pete Dilley and can be found on his album Half-truths and Hearsay which you can/should buy/stream here:

https://petedilley.bandcamp.com/album/half-truths-and-hearsay

Some dogs are threatened with poisoned Pedigree Chum in this podcast.

“When you punish a person for dreaming his dream, don't expect him to thank you or forgive you, the Best Ever Death Metal Band out of Denton will in time both outpace and outlive you/ Hail Satan! Hail Satan! Hail Satan!”

And if you so wish, you can try and summon the killer at midnight on Halloween - although you will have to go to the fancy hotel built on the site of the murder these days.

Look, we never said we were growing up terrified in the nineteen eighties.

Along the way: The strange direction taken by the Air Bud franchise! Judith Kerr’s odder children’s books! Murderous Come Dine With Me!

And if you want to recreate the urban myth of the Ferryhill Demon even though the buildings aren’t there anymore the what three words is “sprinter.saloons.sulk”

You can reach us on email [email protected], on Twitter at @everyonediespod, on Facebook and Instagram.

Our theme music is the song “Steady Away” by Pete Dilley and can be found on his album Half-truths and Hearsay which you can/should buy/stream here:

https://petedilley.bandcamp.com/album/half-truths-and-hearsay

Some dogs are threatened with poisoned Pedigree Chum in this podcast.

Previous Episode

It’s 1988 and Britain has gone bezerk: The Funeral Murders

1 Recommendations

In March 1988 Britain experienced an odd couple of weeks of public executions, lynchings and even a gun attack at a funeral. You’d think you’d remember it.

In the concluding episode of our three episode series the bodies of the so-called Gibraltar Three – IRA members shot in the street by the SAS – are returned home for burial, but a mourner at their funeral has murder in mind. This in turn will lead to another funeral in which two more people will lose their lives in events described as “the most dramatic and harrowing of the entire Troubles”

The episode is literally called “The Funeral Murders”. Listener caution really is advised.

Claire also remembers the cinema of 1988, including nudity in Who Framed Rodger Rabbit, Alan Rickman “doing a German accent and being all sexy and that” in Die Hard and more child sexual exploitation in Big than we remembered.

Gareth also whets your Halloween whistle with some horror film recommendations – don’t say we don’t do nothing for you!

Along the way: Pornography at disused military bases! Pornography in children’s cartoons! The Lewis Hamilton of Pigeons! (He’s dating one of the Pussycat Dolls) Benny Hill rape jokes! “Iron Man, but if Tony Stark had a drill for a penis”!

Gareth calls William the Conqueror “a prick”, Claire clearly lies about having seen Rain Main, John mistakes budgie purchasing for an extra-marital affair! Ted Bundy somehow gets involved in all this!

And there shoutouts to friends of the show @The80sand90sCom @ladyjustice @fmwlpod and @drunktheory – hello!

If you want to know more about this story, Natasha Engel’s excellent documentary (also called The Funeral Murders) is on Youtube here https://youtu.be/n2AX4zm6R10 - although you should obviously look for it on BBC Streaming Platforms first as these won’t have any associated copyright issues.

Genuinely not making up that Benny Hill sketch you know https://youtu.be/MmbFdenAb7o

You can reach us on email [email protected], on Twitter at @everyonediespod, on Facebook and Instagram.

Our theme music is the song “Steady Away” by Pete Dilley and can be found on his album Half-truths and Hearsay which you can/should buy/stream here:

https://petedilley.bandcamp.com/album/half-truths-and-hearsay

One dog was harmed during this podcast. And a bear gets shot up the bum.

“Not *just* a manic depressive, toting around my own crown/I’ve got a positive message, sometimes I can’t get it out”

Next Episode

The unsolved murder of Julie Perigo: It’s 1986 and Berwick is at war with Russia

3 Recommendations

On May 23rd 1986 Julie Perigo told a friend that she was meeting a man named “Old Geoff”. A week later she was found murdered in her home. Police have never traced “Old Geoff” and 35 years on, her killing remains Sunderland’s longest unsolved murder – despite a list of 6000 suspects.

But could Margaret from the chip shop hold the key to solving this case?

1986 was also the year the bloody and brutal 300 year war between Britain and the Netherlands finally came to an end – we’re surprised you don’t remember it.

Along the way, a baby is stolen – but don’t worry, it’s just one of Janet and Allan Ahlberg’s odder children’s books.

Gareth explains were all the humans have gone in Pixar’s Cars. Claire’s Christmas present is decided. John is bewildered by aspects of his wife’s romantic past. Berwick declares war on Russia.

Everyone Dies in Sunderland explores some of the darkest moments of North East history, and includes jokes. These jokes will never be at the expense of victims or their families and will always be at the expense of people who deserve to be mocked, robbed of their power and shown up for the idiots they really are. If you’re easily offended or personally connected to the events we’re discussing though,you probably shouldn’t listen.

For all our snark, there could be someone still out there with a murderous hatred of women who has never been brought to justice. If anyone does have information that could help this or any other historic investigation then they can call police on 101 or report it anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Our theme music is the song “Steady Away” by Pete Dilley and can be found on his album Half-truths and Hearsay which you can/should buy/stream here:

https://petedilley.bandcamp.com/album/half-truths-and-hearsay

This is the inspiration for the Oh Hai, in case it made no sense at all https://youtu.be/pieK7b4KLL4

Genius steals https://youtu.be/4LOj0T0sm_0

“Sexting you at the mental health talk seems counterproductive”