On Episode 4 of The Horror Time Podcast we discuss the Classic Legend of the Lady in White. the story we discuss takes place in the State of New York.

Disclaimer: this article has mention of suicide, death during child labor, and other traumatic events.

The fascinating thing about this legend has appeared throughout the world for centuries. Most of these stories have one thing in common as to why the spirit inhabits these locations, tragedy, and very similar tragedies at that. The tragedies that surround these legends tend to be vents such as, murder, death by suicide, car accident, child labor, or missing children.

Here is a list of 5 “Lady in White” Legends from different corners of the World.

1. The White Lady of The White Lady of Kinsale, Ireland

An bean bán ( The White Woman) is the the spirit of a soldiers wife who died at Charlesfort

The story goes that one night a soldier who married a local girl, held their wedding at Charlesfort. Being that it was their wedding they all got a bit drunk, as some do when celebrating their wedding. The soldier however, had night duty that night ( really? Your going to make the guy work on his wedding night?! Different time I guess), and because he was still pretty drunk, he fell asleep at his post. The next day the other soldiers found him asleep, and well, shot him. And I thought I’ve had my share of bad managers.

His wife soon found out about this, and in her distress died by suicide after jumping from the fort wall.

To this day there have been many stories of her roaming the area often by children who claim to see her but the parents don’t. One nurse in the fort saw her looking over a child’s bed. Soldiers at one point claimed they were pushed down steps by her.

2. The Belle of Berks, Schuylkill Canal, Berks County Pennsylvania

Adaline Baver was murdered in 1845 and ever since her ghosts had been seen around the railroad, river, and Canal. There have Reports of a lady in white and floating orbs all the way back to 1878

3. The White Lady of the Philippines

What makes this legend all the more terrifying is that it’s not tied to any sort of location. She can show up anywhere. Often she is reported to be seen on the side of the road, and also inside of cars. She’s not as malevolent as the black lady of the Philippines, that’s a story for another day.

The lady in white is as classic of a ghost story as they come, there is something so alluring about the simplicity of the legends, it adds to its creepiness and allows for easy word of mouth to keep the legend alive. One things for sure, if you catch yourself in any of these corners of the world and you see a lady in white, I would advise to keep on walking.