Jenny Cockell: The True Story of a Woman Who Has Lived Before
Jenny Cockell was just an ordinary Northamptonshire housewife. She was also a mother of two children, but there was nothing ordinary about her. Beginning when she was only a young child, Jenny began to feel that she had lived before as an Irish woman called Mary Sutton who was born in 1897. Stranger yet, Mary later located Sutton's children still living in Ireland.
Is Jenny Cockell the Reincarnation of Mary Sutton?
Jenny's story starts just before her fourth birthday. She began to remember her past life in small snatches and pictures, and for a long time, she never mentioned it to anybody because she believed that everybody had the same feelings and experiences. The most vivid of her memories was a very disturbing one. She dreamt of her own death as Mary Sutton. She was also aware that she (as Mary) had been 35 years old and had just given birth to her eighth child when she died. She could "see" the hospital where it was happening, and she experienced very strong feelings of guilt and sorrow that she was leaving her children.
These feelings never left her, and after experiencing these memories for some time, she suddenly decided to draw a map of where she believed these strange things had happened. She just knew that it was in Ireland and was quoted as saying "I just felt so sad that I had left them, I realized then that I had to go back, so I got out a map, and I instinctively kept pointing to Ireland. After a while, I was drawn to a place called Malahide. I just knew this was my hometown."
Life got in the way, however, as she was still only a child. A number of years later, after Jenny married and had her own children, the feelings and memories surfaced again, only this time, they were stronger. This is when she started to think seriously about tracking down Mary's family in Ireland.
I remember the first time I read Jenny's book. I was blown away! Jenny went to Ireland, found her first family and brought them back together. I think her book is one of the most amazing reincarnation proof stories ever written.
Beginning to Believe
Jenny stated that if she were to trace the family, she wanted to make sure she did it right. She did not want to make mistakes or leave even the smallest doubt. It had to be the right house and the right family. Even more importantly, the names, dates and children's names had to be correct. So she consulted a hypnotist who dealt with regression therapy.
Funnily enough, Jenny was very much a skeptic, so she didn't really believe in reincarnation or psychic phenomena. That, I think, Is what makes this story so incredible. She felt uncomfortable with the whole situation and was afraid she was going to make a fool of herself. So after undergoing regression and realising that this was not going to go away, she decided to make the trip to Ireland.
Jenny compared the maps she had drawn to a real map of Ireland and studied in detail the town of Malahide. To her surprise, she realised that it was very similar to the one she had drawn from memory. This was the final push Jenny needed to undertake the journey to Ireland to see if she could find the home and family that she had "left" so many years before.
She arrived in Malahide, which is north of Dublin, and decided the best course of action would be to check out any church records she could find. The records showed that there had been a Mary Sutton who had lived and died in Malahide and that her eight children had been left to various relatives or placed in orphanages. She decided that if she was going to do this properly, she would need to get in touch with the local newspapers and write letters to all the churches to find out as much as she could.
The Moment of Truth
By this time, any trace of embarrassment or doubt was quickly beginning to disappear. Jenny knew in a way that nobody else could understand that this was real.
With the help of foster homes and historical societies she had written to, Jenny was able to locate the surviving children. Before she met them, however, she subjected herself to questioning from a BBC researcher to make sure that the dreams and memories that she had been having matched up with facts known about the surviving members of the Sutton family.
Jenny told the researcher various things she knew about the Sutton family, including what kind of sewing thread Mary had used. She also recounted a memory of a time the children had caught a live hare in a trap. Eventually, after her interview, she came face to face with Sonny, Mary's son, for the first time.
A Family Reunited
In 1990, Sonny Sutton picked up the phone and listened to the most amazing story he had ever heard. When he finally put the phone down, his wife said "You look like you have seen a ghost." Sonny turned to her, white as a sheet, and said, "I've been talking to my Mother."
The rest of Mary's family was not so easily convinced. Who was this Jenny? Why was she doing this to the family? They just couldn't believe such a thing could be possible. The family had been brought up as Catholics. In complete bewilderment, Phyllis Clinton, Mary's daughter, consulted her priest. He told her that, after hearing the evidence, the only thing he could think of was that somehow Mary was speaking through Jenny as a way to get the family back together. Christy, 72, Frank, 70, Phyllis, 71, Betty Keogh, 62 and their brother Jeffrey James (who died in 1992 at age 66) were very unsettled by all of this.
"She knew the pictures on the wall, what was in the house, how it was built, it is unbelievable," said Phyllis. "I still find it hard to believe, even though I know she is telling the truth. Mammy passed her soul over to this unborn person."
How Is This Possible?
There was a 21-year gap between the year Mary died and the year Jenny was born. Given that gap, it is lucky that Mary's children could be found to corroborate Jenny's story. Jenny is a member of Mensa, an organization for individuals with very high IQs, and a very down to earth person. She insisted that anything that she could not remember should not be added to the story. It had to consist only of the things she could prove.
This is a very fascinating story. An average, everyday woman born into a normal household grew up with memories of a past life. As a child, she thought this was common. Whether you believe Jenny or not, certain facts remain. After Mary's death, her children were separated and lost contact with each other for nearly 60 years. Jenny Cockell did a remarkable thing—she reunited a lost family. On that day, in a Dublin home belonging to Betty, they came together and shared tears and memories, vowing never to be apart again.
If there is anything that we can take from this story, it's that whether we believe in reincarnation or not, something extraordinary happened. So the next time you dream a dream or have a memory that is strange to you, maybe you should listen to your thoughts—there could be someone out there that remembers the old you.
Check out my article about children's past lives for more on the topic of reincarnation.
Questions & Answers
Those who recall a past life-do any of these individuals recall more than ONE previous life?
In most cases, yes. But some only have a slight memory of the past life, compared to the main one. If you would like to ask Jenny Cockell a question, she can be found on Facebook. I often speak to her to ask something.
Helpful 2
© 2010 Nell Rose
Comments
Is anyone expert of Edwardian postcards? And what is Mensa? Y
Thank your for sharing
I think this is Gods way of letting us know that there is life after death on earth or Heaven
I can remember as an infant really thinking as I lay in my bed how strange this all was and feeling this life a dream from which I shall awaken from after many years this finally faded away...my question isn't whether or not we come back but WHY and are we somehow trapped here in this cycle of life and death
Fascinating story, and hard to argue with facts like that. Would love to believe that we can come back again, and remain open minded about this.
My grandmother, Doris Lily Leece Ford of Liverpool (Leece Street), had a sixth sense, she knew the future of people upon touching their hand, I grew up with her and she was something else!
She saved her family's life during WWII - her husband came home from work & she told him that the house would be bombed that night - well he grabbed her and their 2 daughters - one of which was my mother - and ran out into the woods to sleep under some trees, about a mile away.
The next morning they returned, and whole blocks of homes were completely gone.
I myself see the Grim Reaper, have seen it many times, and within a few weeks, someone has passed on, sometimes a few people. I often tell my husband things that are going to happen that day, and they always come true.
So reincarnation? Absolutely, why not!
I went to a hypnotist to be regressed to see what my past lives are - she was not able to put me under, saying that strong-willed people are not good candidates for hypnosis, others will slip under almost immediately, but I am not one of them. The reason I went to her is that I had dreams for months, seeing myself walk into a neighborhood pub & then everything went black - well eventually I DID walk into that pub - the second I walked in and set eyes on one man there I told my friend "That's him, that's the man I've been looking for my whole life, I'm going to marry that man!"
And I did.
I feel that I recognized him from a previous life, and 30 years later we are still together.
So yes, I know I have lived before, and I'm positive many others have as well.
There is a good psychic living in my area who I intend to visit one day, just to see what / who she sees around me, my father's dead mother came to visit me when I was under anesthesia. She told me that she is my guardian and never leaves me, she died 11 years before I was born, that was a very strange experience.
I often feel that I live with one foot in this world, the other in the world beyond.
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Nell -
I believe it all, and I'll tell you why.
I read Ms Cockell's book years ago, and I have had all kinds of strange experiences happen to me (seeing the Grim Reaper, having dreams that come true, etc.), so it seemed possible.
About 2 years ago a woman started to 'haunt' me, an old neighbor I had not seen since I was 7 years old, quite awhile back. My mother had kept her alive because for years whenever we went through her old photo box, she would come across photos of 'Anna', this neighbor, and told me that she had had an illegitimate baby while we were living there, but no one knew as she had strapped herself in to appear slimmer and then went away to have the baby, coming back 2 weeks later. Anna told me mother, but swore her to secrecy, no one else knew.
My mother always said that she hoped Anna had married and was happy and had more children.
Well after my mother passed on, this 'Anna' came after me, I can only say that she kept whispering to me, 'Find me, find me!' whenever I was on the computer, and I found myself searching for her whereabouts.
For a good year I searched for her, her sisters, and her one brother, but the family had scattered across the country.
At one point, my husband and I were very busy moving & I had no time to be looking for Anna and her relatives, and one morning I was looking into the bathroom mirror, fixing my hair to get ready for work. I stepped back and felt a person behind me, it was Anna. She grabbed my hand and implored me not to forget her.
Shortly after, I found her through her husband's obituary, then went on to find out that she had died 20 years after her husband, I was heartbroken.
Anyway, to make a long story short, I found a nephew of hers in the area and called him, he was stunned to hear the story and I don't think he believed me, until I gave him the address we were all living at, all those years ago.
Then the bombshell - he told me she had another baby, 12 years before the little boy, which was a girl and that he had been searching unsuccessfully for her.
This nephew emailed a photo of Anna at 18 years of age, a beautiful haunting face smiling at me.
Anyway, Anna left me after that - obviously, she was desperate to have someone find her children, I hope they are reunited with their family and happy.
Anyone who DOESN'T think that these things happen just does not realize the power of motherhood, and as I write these words it sounds incredible to me as well, but this is absolutely true, and I do believe that Anna came after me because I was the only person left alive who knew the story, and also because I am so receptive.
Thank you for listening!
No skeptics here?
Lovely story, glad it all worked out and everyone is happy, but these events can be explained much better by a variety of natural events not supernatural (reincarnation).
Great article, Nell! I have always been fascinated by these type of reincarnation stories! When you have this much evidence: Names, dates, places....etc., it has to be real and I view it that way! I was raised Methodist, but in my 57 years of living, I have been exposed to and learned about so many of these stories, that are from all types of people....from various religions...that it seems to me to be a common theme! Isn't it exciting to know that this life is not the end....and that we may be able to come back if we choose to! I find it amazing and will continue to read and learn all I can about this life....and possibly what lies beyond! Thanks again, Nell!
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A fascinating story. It proves that memories don't die with us when we die. Even the researches done by Dr Ian Stevenson point to the fact that memories don't die along with us. When we die our soul carries all the memories with it and transplants all the memories in the brain of the new born baby in which enters. But it is not known how at all the soul is able to preserve the memories intact for so long. Hopefully memories are not stored on any physical medium. So a question arises whether it is possible to store information on something that does not have a physical existence. If we have to believe in this story -of course we have to believe- we have to also believe that it is possible l to store memories on a medium that does not have physical existence.
Nell, I don't know how I missed this article. It is very fascinating, I don't believe nor disbelieve in reincarnation, but I think the idea is exciting and if I lived in a different time, I would like to know.
Blessings my friend
i did now that this is a real story of jenny cockel but yesterday i was read a story about her .
I have to tell you this is a fascinating story ...and yes I do believe this is possible. I have had strange things come to me when I needed them and it is so interesting how people meet too. Almost as though it was suppose to be ...my daughter and her husband met on a plane ...her original flight was canceled and he missed his flight (he lost his day planner putting them on the same flight) ...and here we are four children later. Beautiful story Nell Rose ....keep on hubbing
My daughter at 2 would point to the tv when wizard if oz was on or we would see pictures online and say thats me she would say she was judy garland so yes i do believe
Such a wonderful story. I enjoyed reading it, and I do believe that it is indeed true.
Where l come from, we mostly believe in reincarnation. In fact it is believed in my family that I am a reincarnation of my paternal grandmother.
Reason why my name, translated into English means . . . "My mother returns".
@Nell Rose this was a fascinating article. I was blown away by this story. I love that she was able to bring the children back together. Awesome.
Love that you've highlighted these articles telling of this very common phenomenon. I will be reading these in the coming days. Thank you
Do you think Jenny Cockell looks like Nicola Sturgeon?
A really good story, and one that we are not suppose to know the answers. I had an uncle on his death bed that told us he hopes he does not come back again. He believed we need to get it right in the way we are living our life, so we do not come back. Great story.
Such a beautiful story. Whatever may the explanation be for this phenomenon, the outcome is worth it. A mother would do everything to keep her kids together.
Truly fascinating, Nell. It's hard to argue with a child's innocent memories that turn out to be correct. We all shall see at some point. Thanks for sharing this and making it so interesting.
What an incredible story, Nell, and what an exceptional job you did relating it to us in a very easy-to-understand fashion. A large Up plus on this one, m'dear.
Don't know how I missed this one...... but I've been doing some reading recently on reincarnation and near death experiences with an emphasis on personal accounts and am finding the whole subject absolutely fascinating. Totally absorbed by your excellent hub and loved the video too. This all makes perfect sense to me... a lot more than fire and brimstone and St. Peter at the pearly gates. voted up and awesome. Thanks for a great read, as always Nell
Absolutely fascinating a very interesting story! Great hub and well written....thanks for sharing! I watch a TV program that has reincarnation in children and adults.
Loved reading this! I don't believe in reincarnation, but one has to admit that instances like this cannot be explained away. What a delightful end to the true story, and how excited Jenny must have been, when she found out that all of the strange things she "knew", were true!
This is an another amazing hub Nell, whether it was reincarnation or just Mary's spirit trying to reunite her children it doesn't matter. very interesting. Voted up.
We live steeped in mystery and see only a little that we call our reality. I don't believe in much besides Christianity but don't disbelieve necessarily. Maybe there is knowledge of past times and lives just floating about in the ethereal soup waiting for someone to come along whose brain is properly configured to receiving that information. Maybe one day we will learn to tap into it like the ultimate internet. I don't think there is reason to fear what we don't understand- then most of us would be afraid of everything. I love that Jenny was brave enough to investigate and see it through to a satisfactory conclusion for her and the family. I love your hubs!
Okay i understand i am good with a few scattered showers "body pains" u know when one is getting old things like these sets in.
Nell i cannot see your reply keeps showing four years ago replies. I am going to practice violin now ;)
Very interesting and of course, as always, very well written!
Amazing story Nell. I don't know if I believe in such things but this certainly sounded "sane"...lol.
A fascinating story, I love reading stories like these. Thanks for sharing.
This is a very interesting story. Maybe Mary had this "unfinished business" that's why she came back as Jenny to reunite her children. It shows that a mother's love stays forever even though she's no longer physically present. I love stories like this. Very inspiring. I've never heard this story before and this is something I can share with my friends too. :)
Interesting. Despite being a Buddhist myself, I admit to being a skeptic. And for heaven's sake! If reincarnation is true...I'd feel awful guilty about some of the memories I'm burdening the next poor devil with!
This is such an interesting topic, and you've done a wonderful job with your posts on reincarnation/memories of past lives. Thank you.
What an amazing story of which cannot be lightly dismissed! Too much evidence. Thanks.
What a brave woman. I can just imagine how daunting it must have been tracking down the grown children, just getting anyone to listen to her story much less believe. Fascinating!
Nell these re-incarnation stories are just getting freakier and freakier . Huh, where do you knock these up from lol. Interesting but for people who do not believe in re-incarnation its a bit weird lol . But there's got to be something going on there for these people to know these things. Better Jenny and Barbro than me yes. Don't wanna relive anyone's live.
Wow! That is amazing.
Once again, great, readable reporting. I'm becoming a big fan of your work.
Hi,I know without doubt that I lived as a girl only to my late teens in USA,the high school sweater I wore was bright red with a large 52 on the right hand side,would love to know which high school I attended,the name Redfern High is always in the back of my mind,though I have never been able to find out anymore info.I am certain something sinister happened to me as a teenage girl which ended in my passing.My father took me to a big side show at about age 4-5 years ,a clown was headed our way and I became hysterical ,screaming,my dad picked me up and placed me above his shoulders, I still did not feel safe until he took me away from there.I often wonder if a clown had something to do with my life ending previously.
Really great story Nell, and well told. Fascinating concept. One day we will all understand this and other strange and mysterious stuff.
I always love such kind of stories/ facts. I do believe in reincarnation and rebirth, though in some religions this is absolutely unacceptable.
This post is incredible! You obviously know how to keep a reader amused. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost..haha) Excellent job. I really enjoyed what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool! Stellar Phoenix
It is a really marvellous story.
Voted up and well done.
Hi Nell,
A very interesting story very well-written Nell. Here in India this phenomenon is not uncommon. Memories of a past life have made even little children including a little girl whose age I don't remember, go in search of their children from their previous life. This was a few years ago and I haven't seen or heard of any such thing recently.
Well if it has happened then it must be true. We have to believe certain things even though we have been taught to rationalize everything and perceive them with a more common sense approach.
Great hub Nell. Cheers, Rema.
Its probably reincarnation, it sure sounds like it. Thanks, too.
A fascinating true story. Reincarnation sounds like a great idea. It is nice that the family was able to get back together again. Wonderful!
Oh, my: What a compelling story! Who knows??? I have a tendency to believe in reincarnation myself.
This is "spooky" but a good read, Mary
Wonderful hub Nell, and my opinion is that reincarnation could very realistically exist, but that we are not yet scientifically advanced enough to understand it or how it works yet (in much the same way as 50 years ago we would not have understood Sky TV or Mobile Phones, but they exist now!)
Nell I fell upon this hub of yours and am truly amazed, yet not surprised. Like Green Lotus I am a believer in reincarnation. I know I am from another time, feel it deeply at times, have dreams of past lives. I am often stirred to write the way I do, prompted by an unknown force I call my Muse.
You see Nell, a father and mentor I never had came into my life and changed it when I was but 15 yrs old. He had a huge impact on my future, he passed over in 1992. I always felt his presence and had a graveyard experience with him once visiting his marker, I would never forget.
I truly believe he stands by me as my Muse today and gives me the words I lay down in here. I also had an apparition experience a few years back when I was an over the road highway driver. I write about The Lady in White in a poem I wrote about her. I called it "Graveyard of Lost Souls."
So yes my friend, I am a believer and this fascinating story hits home to me. Simply incredible and rare indeed, but so accurate. Voted UP awesome, interesting and useful...
What an amazing story! I believe there is more out there that we cannot understand. I believe it was reincarnation and there was a purpose with this family. I am in awe with this, thank so much for sharing. :) Thumbs up!
I love this article Nell and have no doubt that we have been here many times before. It is not just because I am from Ireland that the story attracted me but the subject matter is always captivating. I have also tweeted it and will get Xavier add it to our Hypnotherapy daily Newspaper.
Great piece of writing as always.
Just found this article by accident, and wow, what a strange story! I 'think' I believe in reincarnation; not sure. When she was 3 years old, my 13-year-old granddaughter told me matter-of-factly what her name was in her last life. I was mixing up a batch of cookies at the time and almost dropped the bowl. To the best of my knowledge, she had never heard the theory of reincarnation mentioned. Nell, I have always wanted to go to a hypnotist and have a past-life regression, and I never did. Starting today I am going to put a secret envelope in a hiding place and start putting money in it, a little here and a little there, and save up for a visit to the hypnotist. I will certainly write a hubpage article about it afterwards. Thanks, Nell, well written, voted Up and interesting!
Nell, this is a very interesting hub. I'm not sure I believe in reincarnation but I still found this story fascinating, I wondered if Jenny experienced anything like this again or was her connection only with the Sutton family? Voted up.
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