The Pollock Twins – A Chilling Case of Reincarnation?

The Tragedy in Hexham

On May 7, 1957, sisters Joanna Pollock (11) and Jacqueline Pollock (6) were walking to church in Hexham, England, when a driver under the influence lost control of her vehicle and struck and killed both girls instantly.

Their parents, John and Florence Pollock, were devastated.

But John, a devout Catholic with unshakable spiritual beliefs, made a strange prediction: he was convinced that his daughters would return — not metaphorically, but literally. He even told Florence that they would come back as twins.

The Birth of the Twins

A year later, Florence became pregnant — unexpectedly. In 1958, she gave birth to twin girls, named Jennifer and Gillian.

Immediately, strange things began happening:

• Despite being identical twins, the girls had different birthmarks, something extremely rare. Jennifer had a birthmark on her waist similar to Jacqueline’s scar, and another on her forehead matching Jacqueline’s birth injury.
• The twins began asking for toys that had belonged to their deceased sisters — by name, even though the toys had been stored away and never shown to them.
• They identified landmarks from a town they had never been to, including their sisters’ old school and playground.

Memory or Something More?

At the age of 4, the twins began playing games involving car accidents, often reenacting the scene of being hit.

Once, their mother overheard Jennifer saying:

"The blood’s coming out of your eyes. That’s where the car hit you."

When they walked past the church where Joanna and Jacqueline were buried, both twins insisted they had been there before, even though they had never visited the cemetery as infants.

By age 5, the memories began to fade, and the girls grew up normally, with no further signs of “past lives.” They eventually moved on — but their parents never forgot what they had witnessed.

Investigated by Parapsychologists

The case caught the attention of Dr. Ian Stevenson, a psychiatrist from the University of Virginia, who spent decades studying children who claimed past lives.

He interviewed the Pollock family in depth and considered their case one of the strongest suggestive examples of reincarnation in the Western world.

Unlike most reincarnation cases — which tend to occur in cultures that believe in it — this took place in mid-century Catholic England, where reincarnation is not part of mainstream belief.

Explanations and Skepticism

Skeptics argue the memories and behaviors could have been subconsciously passed on from the parents. The twins may have overheard stories, picked up on their parents’ grief, or were influenced in subtle ways.

But believers argue that:

• The birthmarks are too specific.
• The toy preferences, down to hidden markings, were never shown.
• The girls were too young to fake or fabricate these memories.
• Their parents were cautious, even reluctant to speak about the deceased children in front of them.

Coincidence — or Something Else?

**Two daughters die tragically.
A year later, two new daughters arrive — carrying their memories, injuries, and names.
By age 5, the memories fade. But the question never does.**