Harry Price and Borley Rectory

Among notable cases he has since been associated with are the Borley Rectory haunting where he spent many years investigating and tracing and personally interviewing practically every living person who had anything to do with the 'most haunted house in England' including a wealth of correspondence with Harry Price; after Price's death he became literary executor of the Harry Price Estate.

Greenwich Ghost Photograph

He spent 12 years, on and off, exploring the remarkable Langenhoe case of haunting that extended to the manor house, the Church and surrounding area; and he thoroughly examined and explored the Queen's House, Greenwich, haunting and researched the unique Greenwich ghost photograph - probably the best known genuine ghost photograph ever obtained.

Other cases

Then there was Bramshill, the Hampshire police college with its nine authoritatively authenticated ghosts; Newark Park the National Trust property where ghostly visitors have been heard, seen, felt, recorded on tape and film and reported by scores of independent witnesses - including animals! These are just a few examples of exceptional hauntings encountered in a lifetime of ghost hunting or at any rate something like 70 years!

Broadcasting and Lecturing

Peter broadcast extensively on TV and radio, especially 1948-1988, including writing and personally presenting a series of ten programs under the general title, The Ghost Man; he was subject of an hour-long radio profile; took part in one episode of TV's Strange But True, hosted by Michael Aspel, devoted to the Borley hauntings and appeared in the TV film The Ghost Hunters that was repeated annually for several years.

In October 2007 Peter gave two illustrated lectures at Bydgoszcz University, Poland, accompanied and assisted by Marlena Sypniewska: 'Queen Victoria and Her World' and 'A Short History of English Literature'.  They (Peter and Marlena) have accepted an invitation to return in May 2008 and this time the lectures will probably be on 'The Paranormal - Does it Exist?' and 'One English Writer and His Books' (Peter Underwood is the author of over 40 books on various subjects). 

Previously his lecture venues have included Grayshot Hall, monthly for seven years, and Oxford and Cambridge and other English Universities.  He also introduced a season of horror films at The National Film Theatre on London's South Bank.  In 1987 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.  He has been a member of the London Savage Club sicne 1966.

Later life

For some years he was Hon. Librarian of the Constitutional Club and at the Savage Club where he is a former Member of the Qualifications Committee.  In 1976 his head was sculpted by Patricia Finch, winner of the Gold Medal for Sculpture in Venice.  Married in 1944 his wife Joyce died in 2003 after suffering with Parkinson's disease for 14 years.  Recently his life has been immeasurably enriched, enhanced and brightened by his friendship with Polish Marlena Sypniewska.

Patronage

To the Patronage of The Ghost Research Foundation (founded in Oxford in 1992) who term him King of Ghost Hunters, he has recently accepted an invitation to be Patron of Paranormal Site Investigators (Swindon) an admirable organisation whose scientific enthusiasm, investigating procedures and overall aims and approach to these difficult problems he much admires.

Current News - January 2008

Presently Peter is co-authoring two new books, has written a Foreword to PSI's Haunted Swindon and to Damien O'Dell's "Ghostly Hertfordshire" - his home county.  Peter is also expecting an invitation, in 2007, to lecture "A Short History of English Literature" at Bydgoszcz University in Poland.

Peter is tremendously busy at present helping with the final stages of The Borley Rectory Companion - The Complete History of the 'most haunted house in England' together with his co-authors Paul Adams and Eddie Brazil.  This comprehensive, detailed and exhaustively illustrated volume is due from Sutton Publishing in a few months time.

Peter is currently featured in Jason Karl's beautiful and authoritative Illustrated History of the Haunted World (New Holland, 2007) and he gets honourable mentions in Darren Ritson's In Search of Ghosts - Real Hauntings from Around Britain (Grosvenor House Publishing, 2007)and in Jason Karl's 21st Century Ghosts (New Holland, 2007)

Current News - June 2008

The exciting new Borley Rectory Companion which Peter has been writing with Paul Adams and Eddie Brazil is now being published in September.  It contains a wealth of new information and about 100 photographs, many previously unpublished.

In May 2008 Peter, accompanied by Marlena, visited Paris - a place they always enjoy and this time apart from the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Champs Elysees, the Arc-de-Triumphe and Notre-Dame, they visited the Latin Quarter, the Conclergeric - a grisly ante-chamber to the guillotine much used in the revolution, the Place de la Concorder, Jardin des Tuileries, Church of Madeleine, the impressive statues of de Gaulle and Churchill, the Musee d'Orsay, the British Embassy and the enormous and truly wonderful Palace and Gardens at Versailles - scene of one of the most famous ghost stories of all time.

Peter is now working on a contribution to a new biography of Boris Karloff; more than 35 years ago, in 1972, he was author of the first biography of the greatest of all horror actors.

Peter's portrait has recently been painted b y renowned artist Derek Wheeler.

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