Ghost Walk of Old Wilmington

09/07/2026

Eric and his wife joined Chloe on a ghost walk and this is the picture they captured. Once again, the old graveyard does not let us down. The potential apparition Eric captured seems to like checking out our ghost walk groups. Several of our lucky guests have captured a pic. Is it Samuel Jocelyn or another soul who is buried in the sacred ancient burial grounds? We don't know but say hi to the spirit when you join us and see what you capture! www.hauntedwilmington.com. Thanks for sharing the picture Eric!

09/06/2026

So for our last entry on Wilmington's possible connection comes a ticking confession hidden in a watch. The identity of the victims of the Whitechapel killer remains swallowed by history however perhaps time itself left a clue. The James Maybrick watch.

This ordinary gold pocket watch hides a chilling secret beneath its casing. Scratched crudely into the metal are words that will make your blood run cold: “I am Jack, J. Maybrick.” But it doesn't stop there. Beside his own name, the cotton merchant allegedly carved the initials of the Canonical Five—the very women whose lives were brutally stolen in the dark. Is it the ultimate, arrogant confession of Jack the Ripper, ticking away against the heartbeat of a madman? Or is it a cursed hoax meant to lead us astray by perhaps Maybrick himself?

Experts determined that the markings were of the time and likely made by Maybrick. Of course there are those who have reasons not to believe it, but the markings have been shown to be of the time period and the watch is very likely the real deal.

And it isn't lost on anyone that James Maybrick's choice for his family motto was “Tempus Omnia Revelat”, which translates from Latin to English as “Time Reveals All”, as his timepiece very well might.

09/04/2026

James Maybrick and his connection to Wilmington are compelling, especially in light of items that came to light in the last 30 years. Maybrick's diary was said to be discovered by someone working on a restoration project at Maybrick's former home. The diary which never mentions Maybrick's name, gives enough details of his life, the nickname of his home, and his worsening arsenic addiction to indicate that it was indeed Maybrick's. It records the Whitechapel crimes with some unique details said to only have been known by Scotland Yard detectives. Despite the compelling nature of the entries, the diary itself is controversial and thought by some to be a fraud. While the paper was tested and proved to be from the period, the ink itself has been tested multiple times with results that could both prove or disprove the validity depending on the expert questioned. This does not end the possibility of Maybrick being the Ripper. There is the undisputed pocket watch that contains secret inscriptions that all point to Maybrick being the notorious killer. We will take a closer look at the pocket watch and what its secrets reveal tomorrow as we conclude our look at the Wilmington connection to Jack the Ripper.

09/03/2026

James Maybrick contracted Malaria while living along the Southeastern coast of the United States far from him his home in Liverpool. This occurred in the 1870s while working as a cotton merchant in Norfolk, Virginia. He was prescribed a mix of arsenic and strychnine and became addicted to the substance. Now know as an "Arsenic Eater" among those who knew him, he began exhibiting paranoia and periods of rage. This rage was violent in nature and was known to be focused on women. These violent outbursts, followed by countless hours of disappearing into the dark streets and alleyways in the port cities far into the night caused concern. Some unexplained crimes seemed to be left behind in his wake after visits to places like Charleston, Wilmington and Norfolk. His madness becoming more prevalent and his business colleagues insisted he return to England to seek treatment.

Maybrick eventually died of Arsenic poisoning a short time after the Ripper killings. His wife, a young American woman he had met on his voyage home, was charged and imprisoned for the crime but later released.

Around a 100 years after his death, a diary that was found in his home by workman during a restoration, written in Maybrick's hand confessed to the crimes with chilling detail. We will next look at the controversial diary and also a small glimpse to the thought that Maybrick may have begun testing out his murderous rage on this side of the pond, perhaps right here in the alleys of Wilmington.

09/02/2026

So what do we know about James Maybrick, suspect of the Jack the Ripper murder, and his connection to Wilmington? Maybrick was cotton merchant from England who made his home for four years in Norfolk to purchase and ship cotton back to England. As a purchaser of cotton, Maybrick would travel along the coast to ports in the South with thriving cotton markets. At the time he was in the United States, Maybrick was said to have traveled for extended visits in Wilmington to negotiate and purchase large amounts of cotton at the port. He was a Free Mason and would stay in a lodge downtown where a traveling Mason could board during visits. During his travels he contracted Malaria and became incredibly ill and was treated for the disease with a prescription for Arsenic, causing him to begin to plummet into madness. Tomorrow we will talk about that madness and what led to the suspicions of him being the Ripper.

08/31/2026

On August 31st, 1888, the first victim of Jack the Ripper was found at 3.45 a.m.. The body of Mary Nichols was found lying next to a gateway in Buck's Row, just off Whitechapel Road.

This week we will look at the Wilmington connection to Jack the Ripper. James Maybrick was a cotton merchant who frequently visited the Wilmington port from his office in Norfolk VA. Maybrick returned to England due to mental illness caused by an addiction to arsenic used to treat Malaria. He arrived prior to the Whitechapel killings and was killed by his wife not long after the final victim was found. There are several reasons to consider him a suspect in the killings. Some are controversial. Some are compelling.

08/30/2026

This week we will look at the Autumn of Terror, the name given by some at the time to the notorious Jack the Ripper case. Late in the evening on this date in 1888 is when the first person fell victim to this madman. This week we will explore the interesting connections to this case right here in Wilmington. We look forward to sharing with you some recent research and getting your thoughts on this fascinating unsolved crime.

1888. Tonight the Autumn of Terror begins. As I look up from the cellar at the Ten Bells pub where the Ripper victims drank, I can’t help but think, did he visit here on that fateful night that had echoed through history?!?

08/28/2026

Throwback Thursday. Seven years ago one our guests, Elizabeth, while taking pictures in one of the alleyways downtown. Out of the darkness a face quickly appeared out of an alcove and disappeared. Her phone suddenly lost power. We can't be sure what she captured but it is pretty spooky looking! Come check it out for yourself as we take you to the spookiest parts of Wilmington. Get your tickets at www.hauntedwilmington.com.

08/27/2026

Did you ever have a chance to share ghosts stories around a campfire? As the air gets cooler you can capture that feeling again on a ghost walk with us. www.hauntedwilmington.com

08/20/2026

Throwback Thursday! The Latimer House is a great place to capture a photo that makes you say "hmmm, what is that?". Get your tickets at www.hauntedwilmington.com