A Mysterious Sighting on the Thames Path
Submitted anonymously to olddeptfordhistory.com
We recently received the following account from an individual who wished to remain anonymous. It describes a deeply unsettling encounter along the Thames Path, near an area long associated with the maritime industry and the working history of the river.
The location—close to O'Sheas Marine Services—sits within a stretch of riverbank that has changed little in character over the decades. Boat yards, fenced enclosures, and the quiet presence of the Thames itself make it a place where past and present often feel uncomfortably close.
The Account
On Thursday, 19th March 2026, I was walking along the Thames Path with my dog.
Ahead of me, I noticed a woman standing still, looking out across the river. She had long hair and was wearing a long coat—something about it immediately struck me as unusual. It looked like a coat from the 1920s, not something you would expect to see today.
As I got closer, my dog began to growl. This is completely out of character for him. He refused to walk any further and became visibly uneasy.
I continued forward slowly, closing the distance to around 30 feet.
Then, without warning, the woman disappeared.
There was no movement—no turning, no walking away. One moment she was there, the next she was gone.
I went to the fence to check if she had somehow gone down toward the river, but she was not in the Thames. Behind the spot where she had been standing is a boat repair yard, enclosed by a fence approximately 10 feet high, with no visible doors or exits.
There was nowhere she could have gone.
She had not passed me, and she had not moved ahead of me.
Even after she vanished, my dog remained on edge.
I cannot explain what I saw.
The Scene
Deptford and the surrounding Thames-side areas have a long and layered history. From shipbuilding to trade, and from wartime industry to modern redevelopment, countless lives have passed along this river.
It is not uncommon for local folklore to speak of apparitions tied to the water—figures seen briefly, often near the river’s edge, and just as quickly gone.
Could this sighting be a trick of light and shadow? A misinterpretation of distance and movement?
Or could it be something else—an echo from another time, briefly crossing into the present?
Have You Seen Her?
We invite readers of olddeptfordhistory.com to share their thoughts.
Can the anonymous person who submitted this encounter please contact me? Please get in touch.
