Who (or what) was Spring Heeled Jack?

Good job, Cathy! Not only did he accost young women, he also tore at their clothes and lacerated them with his steel claws--a thoroughly nasty character! There are some interesting theories surrounding SHJ as to his identity. Even into the mid-20th century, there were reported sightings of SHJ from time to time, not just in London, but in other parts of the UK! The current foremost authority on this criminal is Mike Dash, who will be publishing Spring-heeled Jack: Sources and Interpretations later this year. Mike and I have corresponded from time to time regarding SHJ, and I sent him a paper that I delivered at the International Conference for the Fantastic in the Arts a few years ago about the fiend's portrayal in contemporary newspaper articles (mainly the Times), sensational literature like the "penny dreadfuls" and other media.