Urban Folklore – The Gorbals Vampire

The Gorbals Vampire…

Within the Scottish city of Glasgow, on the south bank of the River Clyde, there can be found the Southern Necropolis, a sprawling Victorian cemetery, within a district called the Gorbals. It is thought the name Gorbals may come from the ecclesiastical Latin word garbale (“sheaf”) and relate to corn tithes that had to be paid to the Church, the Gorbals therefore meaning “the Sheaves.”

By the late 19th century, a mass migration from rural areas of Scotland and Ireland by people looking for work within the city saw it become a densely populated working-class area, with much poverty. But one particularly notorious resident, who stalked the area in the 1950s, has gone down in folklore. And this was a Vampire.

The Southern Necropolis is certainly a place with plenty of atmosphere - old, lichen-crusted graves and tombs huddle together, behind which could be seen a large factory: the Dixon Blazes steelworks, which vomited forth flames and black clouds of smoke into the sky both day and night. Just the sort of place any self-respecting vampire might choose to reside.

This Gorbals Vampire was described as a towering monster with red eyes and iron teeth. The local schoolchildren believed he prowled the graveyard at night, sometimes even wandering the streets in search of victims, it was even whispered that he was responsible for the deaths of two youngsters. Exactly who first started this rumour, history does not record, but it soon became the talk of the playground.

Most children, faced with such a terrible horror stalking the darkness, would lock themselves away of an evening, ensuring their parents bolted all doors and that the windows were tightly fastened.

But not the youth of the Gorbals.

These little nippers were made of sterner stuff; they were not content to cower away. One evening in September 1954, hundreds of children took to the streets armed with homemade stakes and knives, some accompanied by large, excitable dogs. These pint-sized monster hunters gathered in the cemetery, determined to put an end to the undead fiend who stalked their district. They ranged from teenagers to very young children - one four-year-old was reported among their number, though whether he was armed I cannot say! The crowd was so large that the police had to be called to break it up.

The monster hunt continued for several nights, despite the authorities’ best efforts, and some children even claimed to have seen the vampire, which they described as a dark figure lurking amongst the graves and shadowed stone angels, burning red eyes watching them with sinister intent.

Eventually, the panic ran its course and, over time, the excitement died down. But the story made national headlines, with newspapers describing it as “mass hysteria” or “moral panic.” People blamed American horror comics. In response to the uproar, the British government introduced the Children and Young Persons (Harmful Publications) Act of 1955, effectively banning violent comics that were seen as corrupting youth. This was one of the earliest instances of media-driven moral legislation in post-war Britain.

Today, there are many theories about the origin of the monster. Some suggest the “vampire with iron teeth” may have originated from biblical imagery - Daniel 7:7 speaks of a beast with “great iron teeth.”

Others think it was inspired by “Jenny wi’ the Airn (Iron) Teeth”. She was said to have been a hideous witch who prowled around Glasgow Green in the 1800s, with a reputation for devouring children who refused to go to sleep. A rhyme was written about her:

Jenny wi’ the Airn Teeth

Come an tak’ the bairn (child)

Tak’ him to your den

Where the bowgie bides (bogie lives)

But first put baith (both) your big teeth

In his wee plump sides.

Though no vampire has been reported in the Gorbals for many years now, and urban regeneration has greatly changed the area, you can still visit the Southern Necropolis- though I would only recommend doing so by the light of day.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. I hope this little piece of Halloween folklore has set you trembling with pleasurable fear. If you enjoy what I do, please consider picking up a copy of my new book, Threads of Shadow - link below.

Alternatively, there are plenty of free stories, written by yours truly, available in the download section of this website.

Until next week — stay spooky.

Sources:

glasgowworld.com

Wikipedia

spookyscotland.net

scotsman.com