On the night of 31st March 1848, in a small town called Hydesville, New York State, USA, two young girls called Kate and Margaretta Fox heard noises and knocks which became so loud that the family could not sleep.
After experiencing these noises for many days the two girls discovered something amazing. When they clapped their hands or called out to the noises they heard, their clapping was answered by the same number of knocking sounds. There ensued a lot of trial and error to discover a means of communication.
Soon, the whole of the Fox family, were joined in their new pass-time by neighbours, and the use of a code was soon established. The code was very simple, one knock for no and two for yes became the norm. The family soon used a table for the tappings.
Eventually, the sitters realised that the noises were created by spirit. They found that the spirit belonged to a man whose name was Charles B. Rosna. This spirit communicated that he had been murdered by a man named John C. Bell. He told the Foxes, that his body was buried in the cellar.
In 1904, the remains of Charles’ body were finally discovered along with his belongings and his tin box. Charles was finally laid to rest and became at peace at last.
Today the Fox sisters are remembered by Spiritualists throughout the world and their use of the table for tapping and tilting, is still copied by many.