The Ghost Club Founded 1862

Newsletter – Spring 2008 ISSUED TO MEMBERS ONLY Copyright: The Ghost Club. All rights reserved “Nasci, Laborare, Mori, Nasci” are now as follows: Single UK Membership £25.00 The Ghost Club Joint UK Membership £37.50 Overseas Single/Joint Membership NEWSLETTER Spring 2008 £15.00 Cover: The Viaduct Tavern (Joint membership is available to any two (Photo Paul Brown) persons and they do not necessarily have to reside at the same address. Only one Chairman’s Letter ...... 2 newsletter is provided however, and is sent Ghosts in the news ...... 8 to the address elected on application). County Ghosts...... 11 There are no longer any concessions. Where the soul goes ...... 14 Book Review ...... 19 A "Boring" road in East Sussex. Haunting Scotland ...... 24 I live on a seemingly normal, busy and My Story ...... 29 rather nondescript road. It forms part of the Investigation Viaduct ...... 31 main A259 coast road, which is the link Investigation Stirling...... 39 road travelling from Brighton all the way Members Announcements . . . . 48 to Dover. I live on the section between Bexhill and Hastings called the Bulverhythe. The road comprises of a mix- ture of bungalows and terraced and detached houses mainly dating back to between the 1920s and the 1940s. At the CHAIRMAN’S LETTER rear, our gardens are only protected from the sea by the Southern Railway line. Not Club Business. much in the way of interesting history you hope by now you have all visited the might think - until you delve a little deep- "Members Area" of our website. This er! will be continually updated with histo- Evidence shows that iguanodons roamed Iry, news, investigations and other impor- this land millions of years ago, possibly on tant club business, so do keep checking the very spot that our house was built. back. Furthermore, subscription fees can Footprints and fossilised remains have now be paid and merchandise purchased been found on the beach, many of which through the website via Paypal. This are now exhibited in the Bexhill Museum. means that there is a safe and immediate Smuggling was rife in this area. From the way of making payment using Credit Bulverhythe, right through to Pevensey, (to Cards or Debit Cards, via Paypal. Full our west), the beaches were popular land- instructions are available on the website. ing sites for smugglers and their contra- Thank you to our Webmaster, Philip Carr, band. The Groombridge Gang, (formed in who has worked very hard to make all this 1733) were the dominant gang in the area possible. and were known to work with the infamous Due to ever-rising costs, it is necessary to Hawkhurst Gang. The remains of smug- make some changes to annual subscrip- gling tunnels from the Bull Inn across the tions for the first time in some years. Fees road are still visible in the cliffs if you

2xxxThe Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008 The Bull Inn. The remains of tunnels used by smugglers and monks can still be found. know where to look. The Landlord plans figure of a man lurking near the main door to reopen the old tunnels under the pub by was caught on camera. (Unfortunately the removing a wall erected by a past owners of the site have ruled against fur- Landlord. It was originally built as his ther investigation). All involved were at a daughter used to play in the old tunnels, loss to explain why this would be happen- which was naturally considered dangerous ing in a relatively new building, and as far because of the risk of collapse. Behind the as anyone could tell, the building was the pub stand the ruins of the medieval church first structure to be built on this piece of of St Mary Bulverhythe. It is said that the land. There had been a Gas Works nearby, monks also used the tunnels when they fan- where an explosion was said to have taken cied a "tickle" (drink). place many years ago killing a couple of workers. The history is pretty sketchy; I did The Ghost of the Bowling Alley find evidence of a Gas Works but this Last year I read a very interesting story in would have been further away than origi- our local newspaper about a Bowling nally thought, and I could find no record of Alley, which has been built on a retail com- such an explosion. plex further down the road on the St I tried to find out a little more about the Leonards-On-Sea and Bexhill-On-Sea bor- local history and made a very interesting der. Naturally, I was keen to find out more. discovery! The eastern part of the Bull Inn I met with the Manager who told me that was once used as a Court House and in the dark figures have been spotted on many basement directly under the bar, prisoners occasions by staff and patrons alike. An were kept who would eventually be taken investigation was conducted by friends of up to Gally Hill where they were hung one of the employees and apparently, the (Gallows Hill). The route from the pub to

The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx3 the Gallows would have taken the grim It is thought that the crew had mutinied procession directly over the ground where at this time, as shooting had definitely the Bowling Alley now stands. occurred before they broke into the cargo and became drunk on the wine. Phantom Soldiers. The decision to beach the stricken vessel Naturally, being 1066 country, we have would not have been taken lightly but in had our fair share of battles too. A few hun- view of the damage already incurred which dred feet to the west of the pub lies Glyne paralysed the ship, the men dying at an Gap field; low-lying and marshy, the area alarming rate and with the storm still rag- is very atmospheric on a cold night with ing, it probably seemed the only course of mist hovering over the field, but not seem- action available to Captain Klump. The ingly the nearby houses. Occasionally ship’s bell tolled and cannons fired as the ghostly soldiers have been seen marching able-bodied struggled ashore with the through the field, which lies between dying sick and wounded, thus alerting the Hastings and Battle. smugglers and fishermen of Hastings who were intent on relieving the stricken ship of The Amsterdam her cargo of treasure. The local Customs On Sunday the 26th January 1749, a few Officer Thomas Smith and the mayor of hundred feet away from our house, disaster Hastings William Thorpe were quick to struck. The 54-gun merchantman arrive at the scene and at Klumps request, Amsterdam was run ashore in a severe gale. arrangements were made to get the chests Newspapers reported "as violent a storm of off the ship to a place of safety the next wind as has been known in the memory of day. In the meantime, troops would guard man". All along the coast the people the wreck overnight. Relieved of the prob- endured the "violent storm of wind" lem of the treasure, Klump could now con- together with thunder, lightning and hail. centrate on getting his sick crew members On board this large Dutch East Indiaman, attended to. fifty of her crew of 333, had already died When Klump arrived with Smith and of a plague (sometimes referred to as Thorpe in the morning, they found when Yellow Fever). Forty more were dying as entering the ships cabin, that even during she beached at high tide. The whole event the raging storm, the ship had been board- from beginning to end seems to have been ed and one of the chests containing fifty comprised of a catalogue of misjudgement, silver ingots had been stolen. It is thought disaster and misfortune. that the raid was carried out by a band of With the storm upon them, Captain Hastings smugglers during the confusion Klump had attempted to edge his vessel of the night before. Efforts were made to into Pevensey Bay, but unable to escape manhandle some of the vast amount of the winds, the Amsterdam settled in a treasure to the Hastings Customs House, trough between the waves. There was a but again Captain Klump’s efforts were tremendous bump followed by a terrifying thwarted; the ship had beached on quick- rending sound. Her rudder had been torn sand! The majority was saved but as the off after striking the seabed. Completely at bad weather continued the ship sank fur- the mercy of the elements, the ship began ther into the sand taking the remains of to drift north-east. treasure with her. 4 The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xx The Bull Inn was used to house survivors pub. More bodies were buried in St from the wreck many of whom died over Andrews Church in Hastings, where previ- the ensuing days. Many of the dead were ously only suicides were interred. buried in anonymity in the ruins of the The drama did not end there. Over the medieval church of St Marys behind the next few days, records show that at least

The Amsterdam The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx5 On certain days of the year the gnarled and blackened ribs of the wreck of the Amsterdam can be seen exposed in the sand and peaty clay. two men were shot dead at the site pre- bedroom window, so that he could see it sumably when fights broke out over the too. Unfortunately a large sycamore tree in cargo. our garden obstructed his view and he At certain days during the year, when the could not see anything. tide is exceptionally low, the gnarled and I watch transfixed for a good ten minutes. blackened ribs of the wreck of the It was truly an incredible sight and with Amsterdam can be seen exposed in the nothing else in view but for the sea and sand and peaty clay of the prehistoric for- sky, it was almost as if I had travelled back est. Every now and then, at the end of in time. I clearly remember at least one January, the ghostly tolling of the ship’s other person on the beach; a man sitting on bell is reportedly heard throughout the the rocks watching the ship with his bicy- area. Needless to say, with its rich history, cle beside him. the Bull Inn too occasionally experiences I was quite excited when I got home and what the Landlord describes as ghostly I was keen for my husband to see this activity. amazing ship on the local news. I assumed In the summer of 2004, I was walking my that the media would track this beautiful dog on the beach and was thrilled to see a replica vessel and that it was some sort of large ornate masted ship travelling from charity event or publicity stunt. I remem- west to east quite close to shore. I excited- ber being very disappointed that there was ly phoned my husband to look out of the no mention of it. 6 The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx I didn't really think anymore about this like this had occurred that summer. event until I started to write this article and Naturally, there have been some events obtained the picture of the Amsterdam - a over the last few years, all of which were reconstruction of the original ship in subject to media coverage, but not that Holland. I was astounded to see that this summer; and certainly not this type of ves- was the exact same type of vessel I had sel! seen a few years ago. On the day of the So, did I witness a magnificent replica ship sighting, I knew very little about the that sailed its way along the coast in obscu- Amsterdam, I knew the name of the ship rity unnoticed by the media and was the and that it had sunk nearby, but was not rest coincidence? Did I witness something

even aware of the exact location. (As it paranormal and totally misjudge the situa- turned out, I had been standing on the shin- tion until now? Sadly I will probably never gle just above where it had run ashore). Of know. course, I was aware that in all likelihood the ship I saw was completely unrelated to 260 Year Anniversary. the Amsterdam. I have however, been Monday, the 26th January 2009 is the assured by the Hastings Shipwreck Centre 260th anniversary of the Amsterdam ship- / Hastings Heritage Centre that no events wreck. I intend to spend some time on the The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx7 beach listening for that ghostly bell. Anybody who fancies a cold and windy outing is more than welcome to join me! Perhaps it would be fitting to follow the route of the survivors and finish of the evening with a meal in The Bull Inn. I can safely say that I will never consid- er my road boring again. I would urge all of you to try and find out a little more about your local area, because these more obscure and relatively unknown sites are just the sorts of places we should be docu- menting and with a little luck, investigating too. The following stories are all extracts of arti- Best wishes to you all, cles that have found their way into the news in recent months. If you come across any- thing that you think our readers will enjoy, then please send them to me at the Ghost Club PO Box address, or to editor@ghost- club.org.uk. Huge thanks for providing me If anybody would like to join me in with interesting articles this time around, go to Milton Edwards, Monica Tandy, Derek January, please e-mail me at Green and Rosie Murdie. [email protected] or telephone 01424 719924.

The ghostly face of a child or a case of pareidolia?

8 The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xx Ghostly Guest Caught on Pic is no ghost in this picture, just the coinci- n 25th January, The Sun dental effect of pixelation and darkness and Newspaper ran a story about an light which combine together." image captured on the mobile The full story can be found at: Ophone of a teenager. The photo, allegedly http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/new showing the ghostly face of a child, was s/article726271.ece taken by 17- Council year-old pays psy- Matthew chic Summers for exor- whilst snap- ping a group cism of friends in Psychic, his sisters sit- Suzanne ting room in Hadwin was Billingham, paid £60 by Teeside, Easington before they Council to rid embarked on a County a night out. Durham home Matthew, of a "polter- who claims geist" after he was cyni- Sabrina Fallon; “Banging” from the attic tenant Sabrina Fallon report- cal about terrified her children. ghosts before ed paranormal he took this photo and was shocked to see a activity, including moving objects. small face peeping out between the knees When Miss Fallon heard bangs coming of two of his friends. from the attic which terrified her children He is reported as saying: "I zoomed in to Shannon, nine, and Amie, one, she under- my sister's mate's little sister who was cry- standably called the police. The officers ing and I saw a face. You can see all the found no sign of a break in and even joked facial expressions and everything. I was that it could have been a ghost! really shocked because I don't believe in Unfortunately Miss Fallon did not see the that stuff." funny side. She said: "It all started before However, parapsychologist Dr Ciarán Christmas. We were away and my sister's O'Keeffe gave the newspaper a more down- husband had the keys. He let himself in one to-earth explanation for the ghostly image night and heard whispering and banging in Matthew's photograph. Dr O'Keeffe said: from upstairs. He shouted out: 'You better "As human beings we're very good at find- get out or I'm calling the police.' He said ing a pattern in randomness and related to my dressing gown then came floating down that we're good at finding faces in random- the stairs and landed at his feet. He ran out ness. The term for this is pareidolia. First it and rang me crying like a girl saying some- was ink blots, then things like clouds in the thing awful had happened - I thought he sky and now mobile phone pictures. There was drunk, but when we came back we heard the bangs and whispering." The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx9 Council spokesman Andrew Burnip said at an asking price of £400,000. The council it paid half the psychic's fee as it was the withdrew them when the only offer most cost-effective solution. He added that received was about half the amount. The the family had been left traumatized by the new price has not been stated, but five strange goings on and had wanted to leave years ago the council decided it could no the house. Re-homing the family in tempo- longer afford to maintain the rapidly rary accommodation was considered but decaying buildings. Both houses, dating would have cost up to £40 per night. back to around 1680, are important Miss Fallon said the spirit had now gone Jacobean building and were originally and the house had a "lovely atmosphere". commissioned by the then Mayor and Mr Burnip said: "This family was absolute- Mayoress William and Susan Boyes. ly distraught and believed what was hap- East Lodge is said to be haunted by a pening - that is not to say that the council Grey Lady who roams around the corridors believed. What we saw was a relatively at night and a cleaner was petrified at see- small amount to pay for an outcome which ing the figure in old-fashioned clothes, in effect saved the taxpayer many hun- gliding across normally creaky floorboards dreds, if not thousands of pounds." without making a sound. The Grey Lady Medium Ms Hadwin said she used her has not been seen for some years, but as "gift" to isolate the spirit in one room and Knight Developments aim to restore the then exorcise it from the house. "I went buildings as houses, it is always possible into the house and there was a horrible that she may decide to take up residence atmosphere," she said. "I could feel the again and live in comfort. entity around all the time. He was bom- Article published by the Psychic News. barding the house and the whole family - they were terrified. I put down a circle of salt, asked the family to be present and I Kenyans hand back 'cursed' loot have now sent him on his way." The threat of witchcraft has scared loot- The full article can be found at: ers into returning goods they stole during http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/eng- unrest which followed December's disput- land/7240405.stm ed Kenyan elections. TV stations broadcast pictures of people returning to places Essex property sale they'd robbed in the coastal city of includes ghost. Mombasa carrying beds, sofas and other Colchester Council is about to sell off items. two of the town's most historic buildings, The widespread looting followed a break- both Grade One listed and said to come down in law and order after President with a ghost. Mwai Kibaki was sworn in after being According to Colchester Gazette, the declared the winner of the disputed poll, council was expected to clinch a deal for but word soon spread around Mombasa the two properties with Knight that a timber merchant had brought in a Developments. community elder to place a curse on the It is twenty years since the two buildings, thieves. East Lodge and the Gate House, next to "He gave us 10 days to return the timber. Colchester Castle, first went on the market I will return them at night because people 10xxxThe Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008 really laugh at us when we do so during the day," an unidentified man told the TV station. John Joash con- fessed to stealing a bed during the mayhem. "I am fearful for my life because of the ghosts, that is why I decided to return the proper- ty," the AFP news agency quotes him as saying. A police com- mander con- firmed the reports Gary Newman: “I saw a real ghost as clear as day”. and said the Apology to 'ghost' scares patient. rumours of witchcraft had made his job A hospital has apologised to a patient easy. "Whether ghosts exist or not, our after a nurse claiming to be a medium said work has been made easy. I wish there she had seen a ghost on a ward. were ghosts all over the country," he said. Gillian Davies, 48, of Flintshire, who was The full story can be found at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/717 recovering from surgery, complained about 6673.stm the incident and the level of care she received at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Singer sees ghost in Denbighshire. Tube Station! Mrs Davies said she was still suffering the effects of anaesthetic and thought it Musician Gary Numan confessed to The was a sign she was going to die. She added: Independent that he can't watch supernat- "I know it sounds silly now but I thought ural films as it unsettles him, especially as the ghost had come to get me. I was very he has moved to an old house surrounded vulnerable at the time." Mrs Davies said by woods in Tunbridge Wells. she told another nurse in the morning what "I have a strong belief in ghosts, and I had happened and was told to ignore her. don't want those fears encouraged", says However, she made a formal complaint Gary. "I saw a real ghost as clear as day at against Conwy and Denbighshire NHS Piccadilly Circus Underground Station trust about the ghost allegation incident when I was 17. I'm fascinated by haunted and other issues concerning her treatment. stuff, but not in my own house." An independent review ruled that the hos- pital "skirted over" the ghost incident and The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx11 the nursing care given to Mrs Davies fell occupied as a public house, but the most below standard. The review, conducted by incredulous teetotaller may well believe it a senior clinical advisor from another to be a rendezvous of evil spirits. health authority said "There is very little A lady whom I knew, lived there for some doubt that the nursing care experienced by time and she and all her family used to see Mrs Davies fell well below an acceptable and hear strange things in it. Dreadful standard". The case of a nurse being a deeds must have been perpetrated some medium and seeing a ghost on the ward time or other in its spacious and once was "a rather strange issue", but it had been splendid but now ghostly rooms. On one of "completely skirted over" by the trust, the the grand mantlepieces, she tells me, are advisor said. the marks of two bloody fingers and a The report recommends the trust hold a thumb, which no chemical art known to her meeting with Mrs Davies, chaired indepen- mother, who was a notable housewife, up dently, to discuss the issues and give her a to all points of domestic economy, could "fulsome apology". Jill Galvani, director of efface. Scrubbing and scouring had no nursing, said: "We can confirm that a com- effect and even through successive coats of plaint made by Mrs Davies was referred for paint the marks reappeared. So is it true an independent review and this was that the stains of murder are indelible and referred back to the trust with a number of that when everything else is silent the very recommendations." walls cry out. The finger-marks are doubt- The hospital said the nurse at the centre less those of some female victim of lawless of the ghost allegation had been spoken to. brutality, for the shade of she who impressed them is sometimes seen. The full article can be found at: One night Mrs C----- could not sleep, so http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_east was sat up in bed reading. At about mid- /7317190.stm night she saw, to her astonishment, a tall handsome lady dressed in white with a COUNTY GHOSTS scarlet waistband, glide across the room, from a door which was always shut, by towards one of the windows on the oppo- KEITH MORBEY site side, where she disappeared. She made no sign, however, nor intimated any wish A to disclose her secret. But the spot where she disappeared might have afforded some South Shields clue had it been searched; for beneath the sill of that window - a huge old-fashioned Ghost Story affair - there was a recess that nobody ne of the most famous haunted thought of prying into. Through a knot hav- mansions is "Old Hall", in West ing dropped out of the wood there was a Holborne, South Shields, formerly hole in this place, down which small arti- Othe residence of some rich shipowner, cles, such as thimbles, cotton-balls, etc, who’s name at present is forgotten. It has were constantly falling. Though often long lost its aristocratic standing and been stuffed up in various ways, it always got let out in tenements, part of it being now open again. One of the family undertook

12xxxThe Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008 one day to fish the things up with a hooked wire. In this way he drew up lots of beetles DATES FOR and other vermin, such as those that infest graves; an indication, one would think, of YOUR DIARY what was below. Mrs C----- regrets to this All meetings are held at the day that she did not cause the sill to be Victory Services Club, raised. 63, Seymour St London, W2, However it was not that room alone that commencing at 2pm. gave the house a bad name. My informant (Nearest tube, Marble Arch). once saw what she fancied to be the appari- tion of a soldier standing on the landing at the head of the stair and other members of MAY 17th the family at different times saw him like- wise. There was one apartment in the house Committee Room which no soul ever entered, barring, of course, disembodied souls, for of such it Mike Hallowell was deemed to be the favourite haunt. No The South Shields earthly tenant would have it for nothing, let alone payment for it; so it remained shut up poltergeist from year end to year end. What was in it besides the ghosts nobody ever knew, or dared investigate; for even to peep into it through a keyhole would have needed JUNE 7th more courage than most people possess. Strange noises were heard in it occasional- Committee Room ly, as if the ghosts were kicking up a rack- TBA et amongst themselves. Perhaps a hidden treasure lay under the floor, with the moul- dering bones of murdered men. The ele- ments had free entrance into it, for not a JULY 12th pane of glass was left in the window, the door was nailed up fast and the window so Committee Room situated that it would have been difficult to get a glimpse through it into the interior. Martin Wood Haunted Shrewsbury

JULY 26th Barbeque, TBA

The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx13 earthly memories and go peacefully to an Where the Soul even "higher" level of bardo or pure realm of light. The greater part of the work I do as a Goes After therapist working with past lives naturally concerns the first two of these categories. Death this is simply because it is the traumatic and tragic stories, with their fears, failures by and stuckness that most clearly show us exactly where and how deep karmic pat- ROGER J. WOOLGER terns were established and how they are PH.D troubling us still today as unconscious pat- terns or complexes. We certainly meet many moving cases of transition in the For in that sleep of third category of Completed or death Enlightened Spirits but as a rule they tend to emerge only after much preliminary what dreams may come work has been done in clearing the more When we have shuffled difficult past lives, after working, as the off shamans would say, with the lost parts of the soul. Examples of the third type of tran- this mortal coil sition will be given in the next chapter. Must give us pause. Shakespeare Hamlet. Earthbound Spirits Earthbound spirits account for roughly a hat I have observed after con- third of the past life death scenarios I and ducting or observing many, my colleagues have encountered. Here the many regressions is that there spirit leaves the body at death, but does not Ware roughly three places that the departing leave the earth at all. It may literally hang spirit or soul will go as it leaves the body. around the dead body, cling to it, some- There are therefore, broadly speaking, times try to get back into it. This is fre- three states of evolution or devolution for quently encountered in regressions with the departing spirit : people who have past life memories of -Earthbound spirits: the departing spirit being killed suddenly or violently, the may stay on the earth, either fixed or wan- worst cases being bombing attacks or being dering; killed from behind or in one's sleep. When -Unfinished or Troubled spirits: the spirit a death is either extremely sudden or may go to a higher realm or “bardo”* but unperceived like this, the person dying in a state of confusion still obsessed with does not realise that they are in fact dead. the life just departed; in most cases this The confused departing spirit is left run- confusion does not clear and is re-cycled ning whatever predominant mental tape into a subsequent re-birth; was operating at the moment of death; not -Completed or Enlightened spirits: the spir- surprisingly such spirits will continue to it may be fully freed from the dross of reiterate the same thoughts after death as if 14xxxThe Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008 it still had a body. "I've got to find my From the perspective of working in the buddy," says the soldier on the battle field bardo it is actually very easy to see how who is blown up with a bomb. "I've got to ghosts "haunt" people on earth. It is not find my child, "says the mother who is that they necessarily have any malevolent killed when separated from her child in the intent; some do, but usually it will be for confusion of an attack on her village. "I'll someone also long dead - but more com- get him for killing me" says the spirit of the monly it is the case that in their confusion woman murdered by her jealous husband. they are continuing to do the things most And so her spirit clings to the house she strongly on their minds just before they had lived in, an angry, restless presence died. Unfortunately since there is no body unaware that she is dead. to carry out the task they are caught in a Many spirits like this literally wander. kind of endless repeating psychic tape They may be looking for someone on the loop. When we encounter a part of the soul earth that they were previously deeply or that is lost like this during regression work passionately attached to. This is why in we can usually see very precisely how the some traditions they are called wandering person died and quickly ascertain what it is or hungry ghosts. Indeed there are also they're still looking for. We can even talk to thirsty ghosts, those spirits whose attach- the spirit and say, "are you aware that this ment to the earth is the result of heavy body is dead and you can't get back into alcohol or drug consumption which leaves it?" Or, to the spirit of a soldier still wan- that same craving for the substance that the dering a battlefield: "your body is dead person enjoyed so much when in body. So now and so are your comrades' bodies. It's there are spirits of addicted beings that no use looking for your comrades here. hover around the earth, sometimes around They've moved on". Often the departing restaurants or bars! consciousness is immediately enlightened

The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx15 by such a question. "Oh, it's no use for me lar disasters, they most frequently don't trying to get back into this body. There's know where their mother is so they look nothing I can do with it." At that point the for their mother on the earth plane. Often soldier's spirit might start to journey the spirit of such a child will cling to a per- upwards and leave this lower realm. Or son who looks friendly or motherly. It may else we may help the spirit of a bereaved go inside or attach to their energy field. mother see that the spirits of her children Many people walking around today on this are now in a higher realm and have actual- earth, do not know that they have spirits ly fully recovered from the trauma of sud- attached to them that they picked up either den death - children actually die much in hospitals, or in cemeteries and some- more easily than adults in most cases, times from touristic visits to battlefields or because there is less mental or ego attach- old castles! The lost spirits see us as a sym- ment (or what Freud would call "reality pathetic kind of energy which they can eas- sense"). ily hook into. If we become aware of them there are easy ways to release them, in very Attached Spirits. much the same way that we help a soul Another reason why a spirit remains fragment in regression move on to a higher attached to the earth, is that it may come awareness. In fact, the strategy that works from a traditional or tribal culture, where best in helping any spirit or soul fragment there are extremely important and revered that is in any way earthbound is simply to rituals for burial or cremation that actually talk him or her and quietly remind them are designed to allow the soul to complete that their life is over and that they don't and separate from its earthly experiences. need to stay on the earth any longer. Thus if a certain person dies prematurely or Where there has been mass killing on bat- in situations where there is no proper bur- tlefields, or by bombings or earthquakes, ial given to his or her body - after a battle, there will also be masses of spirits that are say, their spirit may hang around the place still confusedly attached to the earth. A per- of death wanting something done, waiting son in regression may find he or she was for the funeral to happen and unhappy that one of many who died together. A striking it never happens. Like the others we have aspect of this work is that as well as releas- described, this kind of spirit also becomes ing the soul fragment of the person being what we call a ghost, a fragment of the total regressed we can also release whole groups soul that hasn't been able to ascend yet of earthbound spirits who are similarly either to the realms of the ancestors or to stuck. For instance, we may begin to higher realms of spirit where it may ulti- release a soldier who was unable to leave mately be reintegrated with its totality. his post during a battle and who is still mis- Often a newly dead spirit stays attached erable because he let down his buddies. In to a place like a temple or a forest or some- releasing him we ask him to talk to his bud- times it attaches to a person that it knew on dies and tell them too that it is all over. In the earth as a friend or helper. Sometimes a doing so there is a mass lifting off from this spirit simply wants solace, to be taken care particular battlefield followed often by a of. This is the case of the spirits of young joyful reunion in the higher planes. children. When young children die panic This then is the first bardo level. It has stricken in bombings, massacres and simi- elements of a hell, though it's not hellish in

16xxxThe Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008 the traditional sense of a place of punish- tionally disturbed in any way before they ment; it is more correctly seen as a state died - resentful, vengeful, guilty, lonely, or where the soul is lost or out of place and fearful, for instance, it is the intensity of thus needs conscious intervention to help those emotions and corresponding him or her move on, either towards reinte- thoughts that will go with them, obscuring gration or rebirth. the potentially uplifting and reassuring aspects of the transition. In his well known Unfinished or Troubled Spirits commentary and translation of the Tibetan My soul, Book of the Dead W. Y. Evans-Wentz, tells us that "Buddhists and Hindus alike there is a country believe that the last thought at the moment far beyond the stars of death determines the character of the Henry Vaughan next incarnation". The great spiritualist and visionary Emmanuel Swedenborg, who The most common regression experience visited the bardo realms many times in his of dying in a past life is where a person visionary journeys, declared something finds themselves leaving their body and very similar in his treatise on The World of simply floating upwards. This is true of Spirits: “After death, a person is engaged both peaceful and violent deaths. in every sense, memory, thought and affec- Sometimes the departed spirit hovers over tion he was engaged in, in the world: he their body taking in that they have died and leaves nothing behind that it is all over; some- except his earthly body.” times they may stay This principle is of looking down over their paramount importance body until it is buried or for our understanding of cremated then leave. the death transition as it What distinguishes this occurs in not only our from the first category of past lives but also as it is spirits I called "earth- anticipated in our present bound" is that here there lives. It lies at the very is conscious awareness heart of what we have that one is dead. This discovered from regres- clearly frees the soul to sion work about "unfin- travel "upwards" in to ished business"; any psy- the higher dimensions of chological state or com- the bardo. This transition plex that is unresolved in can actually be quite beautiful; one sees the one lifetime will simply continue in the earth from above, is shown a panoramic bardo and be reprogrammed into the visionary overview of one's life and is unconscious mind in a future incarnation sometimes shown the progress of those until it is brought to conscious awareness loved ones left on earth. Eventually there is and altered. Once we understand this prin- a feeling of having arrived in another ciple, however, we are in a strong position dimension, another realm. to consciously break the recycling of nega- But if the circumstances of death have tive and debilitating psychological pat- been at all difficult or the person was emo- The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx17 terns. And in fact, nowhere are these old repetitive scripts to be found so clearly run- ning as old repetitive scripts as in the NEW MEMBERS bardo. Working in the bardo state is there- fore a particularly direct and effective way to clear these patterns or samskaras. A warm welcome to But this is not always so easy. Contrary to the rather simplistic pictures of the after- these members who death state derived from popular Near have recently joined us. Death Experience (NDE) literature and superficial regression experiences, it is simply not true that there is an automatic "life review" after death when the Higher Self explains the "meaning" of that life and Lorraine Holt helps us correct our mistakes. This only Mrs Mary Gallagher occurs in relatively peaceful deaths where the person is not mentally or emotionally Jonty Stern obsessed by some unfinished issue. Ms Amy Barker *Bardo. The word Bardo comes from Tibetan Buddhism. It is found in the Kevin Martin Tibetan Book of the Dead and refers to Jakob Kaye those states between death and rebirth. Jamie Hill ROGER J. WOOLGER, PH.D, is a Marcia Petterson Jungian analyst, regression therapist and professional lecturer with degrees James Thurgill in psychology, religion and philosophy Gary Britten from Oxford and London Universities. He trained as an analyst at the C.G. Demian Allan Jung Institute, Zurich. The article here is reproduced with his kind permission. Craig McDonald For the full text and much more visit David Slesoritis http://www.rogerwoolger.com Ian Porter Sally Eyden Matthew Franks

18xxxThe Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008 BOOK REVIEW

Philip Paul looks at a new book on the work of his friend Andrew Green: Andrew Green Updated mannered man. His lean and hungry, vary- Antipodean Writer ingly bearded look resembled the persona of a Shakespearean actor. There was cer- Cases the Cases tainly something of the thespian about him and, in common with professional per- ost writings describing allegedly formers, he preferred some roles to others. paranormal happenings are soon He told me he disliked his two years of forgotten and fade into oblivion. conscripted soldiering. But a photograph MFew achieve reincarnation in updated taken some time later shows him as a form. But now, exceptionally, the perspi- happy, handsome figure, uniformed as a cacity of an Australian-born writer has won captain and acting as commanding officer that distinction for some of the work of a local unit of army cadets - small boys penned by the late "ghost hunter" Andrew with military inclinations. Although it was Green. a "fun-time" function, he bore no resem- The pace of modern life being what it is, blance to the comically ferocious Captain there will be some, perhaps young people Mainwaring of Dad's Army fame. Indeed, newly interested in the subject who know he must have been one of the least mili- nothing of Andrew or his accomplish- taristic captains ever. Loud, declamatory ments. It may, therefore, be apposite to speeches were not his style. In more than describe the individual and the circum- three decades of friendship I never heard stances that surrounded and followed him him shout. His expressions of irritation or before commenting on the new work that is annoyance came couched in sardonic based on his endeavours. phrases, uttered sotto voce. Andrew Malcolm Green was a gentle- Sadly his natural quietness was The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx19 inescapably exacerbated in the closing certainly not publicity-seekers. In fact, years of his life. He was stricken by because of their fear of ridicule, it took emphysema, an appalling malady of the much pleading to get them to appear in the lungs. In the years before medical science television programme or agree to be named had learned enough to warrant the issuing in print. So, if Andrew did make the pro- of anti-smoking advice, Andrew had habit- nouncement that is attributed to him, I ually "rolled his own." Unhappily, his must at once declare "Sorry, old friend, but physical illness was accompanied by I feel sure that you were wrong about another affliction - acute nervousness Borley!" about modes of travel, which confined him Andrew's primary interest was the written within severely restrictive parameters. recording of reported paranormality, espe- Nevertheless, he welcomed visitors with a cially the reputed "haunting" of buildings. cheerful grin and never refused to aid any- This occupied him part-time during his one he was in a position to help. working years (having gained a BSc degree Deplorably his kindness was misused by an at the London Scool of Economics, he outrageous deceiver who treated him (and held, successively, a range of creative, others) shamefully. But there was no evi- administrative and other appointments) dent "eye for an eye" about Andrew; "turn- and more so after retirement. Inevitably, ing the other cheek" seemed to be part of this activity brought him into contact with his philosophy. Spiritualism. His reactions to those encounters were encapsulated by his oft- When he was wrong. repeated statement that, in his opinion, I can recall no disagreement arising dur- death is finality - that the spirit and/or soul ing our numerous discussions, but was sur- perish with the body. prised to learn, recently, that he is said to Spiritualism retains a place in the com- have declared that the world famous (or munity because its exponents ("mediums") infamous) Borley "wasn't haunted." Had he claim to have the ability to effect commu- made that remark in my presence I would nication between living mortals and their have challenged it instantly. As a trained loved ones who have died. Bereavement is investigative journalist who spent much a woeful experience that befalls most peo- time conducting inquiries (and excavations ple during the journey through life. Some extending over two springs, summers and seem to endure that trauma with little dis- autumns) in that unique place, I staked my turbance of their cerebral equilibrium. professional reputation, in print and in Others are reduced to the depths of distress BBC TV's Panorama programme, on a cat- and despair. It follows, logically, that the egorical assertion that Borley was visited more profound the emotional attachment by inexplicable occurrences. The witnesses that exists between closely-linked people I interviewed whose accounts I unreserved- the more grievous will be the hurt of the ly believed, included an alert and intelli- final parting. "The Great Reaper" often gent lady who was one of the three sisters inflicts crippling mental anguish in addi- who first saw the "nun" apparition; the rec- tion to imposing biological termination. tor (a devoutly truthful "man of God") and a local medical practitioner. All were Norah's Heartache responsible, sensible people. They were Nowhere can there have been more inten-

20xxxThe Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008 sive love between husband and wife than that which prevailed between Andrew and his wife, Norah. It would be no exaggera- tion to say that her adoration of him and his works bordered on worship. Consequently, his death devastated her. For more than two years she pined unremittingly, expressing over and over again her yearning for some sign that he was still with her in spirit. Trying to ameliorate her desperate longing, I reminded her of what Andrew had said about his belief in the totality of death. But still her life was blighted by her over- whelming mourning. In unoccupied min- utes one afternoon I scribbled a few lines of simple verse, clumsily expressing what I felt sure Andrew would have wished her Andrew Green; an able thinker, to do. Somehow they appeared to sooth her grief, released her pent-up tears and writer, lecturer... relieved at least some of her pain. She has but because some thirty or forty years have told me she still cries when she re-reads my elapsed since the works were originally anxious words. published, often only a sentence or two of This seemed to contribute towards a Andrew's original remains. Some ninety turning-point for the lonely lady. Among percent is entirely new material, researched other things it encouraged her to set about and written in the two years preceding pub- the task of assembling documents and pho- lication." tographs for a book on Andrew's activities Covering a total of 67 cases of alleged that was being planned by a friend, free- haunting, in Scotland, Northern Ireland, 32 lance writer Bowen Pearse. English counties and the isles of Man and It is unlikely that the project could have Wight, the chronicles include 47 where succeeded without her active co-operation claims of ghostly phenomena could bring and copyright generosity. Published in financial benefit to the owners or occupiers March this year (2008) the end product - - 19 "open to the public" stately homes, entitled Ghost Hunter's Casebook - is being castles and museums; 13 hotels, eight pubs, marketed by its producers, Tempus seven ecclesiastical properties and four Publishing, at £12.99 but is available theatres - all places that a seriously selec- online from Amazon at £8.57. tive investigator would promptly earmark When I asked the author what percentage as "suspect." But fairness necessitates of the contents were Andrew's work and recognition that the publication does not what proportion his, he told me "It's 90 per profess to be an opus for the scientifically cent mine." A notice to that effect is includ- preoccupied inquirer. Its makeup - details ed in the book. It states "All entries have of location, telephone number(s) and been newly researched and brought up to (where appropriate) hours of opening are date. The nucleus of each entry remains, appended to each account and a display

The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx21 resembling an advertisement occupies half (essential before information about an indi- of page 50 - indicates that, fundamentally, vidual's illness and/or the remedial treat- its aim is simply to a) tell entertaining ghost ment being applied, may be disclosed) stories and/or b) act as a gazetteer for thrill- apparently came from people said to seekers with a taste for "creepy" tales and have been "hearing voices" and experi- willingness to travel to satisfy it. As a rele- encing "hallucinations and hysteria," it vant side-issue it may be pertinent to would seem that Andrew must have observe that, if advertising sponsorship employed some remarkably persuasive were allowed to become a routine accom- technique to have gained such ready paniment of ghost-hunters' treatises it medical co-operation. I make this com- would add no gloss to their intellectual ment only because there can be little doubt credibility. Surprisingly, the Principality of that, had either affair subsequently "turned Wales, that evocative, legendary Celtic nasty" (ie, led to a formal complaint being place of "mystical" events and beliefs, made to the General Medical Council, a receives no mention in this territorial mag- claim for damages or other legal action) num opus. It is important to realize that the the practitioner concerned could have been book is an update of Andrew's case histo- placed in peril of losing his/her livelihood. ries, not a biography. Perhaps, for the information of anyone who is unacquainted with the regulations gov- Medical Ethics erning medical practice in Britain, I should An honest review demands honesty. The explain. material is nicely written and interestingly The terms of the Hippocratic Oath (which presented. In view of the widespread distri- every doctor working in the UK and most bution of the places covered and the civilized countries has to sign before they amount of new material said to have been are permitted to practice) and the strin- contributed, it is understandable that the gent regulations rigorously enforced by the research and writing occupied two years of General Medical Council (with which effort. every medical practitioner in the UK has to There is, however, a point worth making be registered) demand that all details of for the guidance of any up-coming ghost- patients' conditions and any treatment they hunter who might, like Andrew, wish to aid are receiving must at all times be dealt with a person suffering from delusion or halluci- on a strictly confidential basis. Any proven nation. Having long-standing connections breach of these rules, particularly improper with medical journalism and being a disclosure to a medically unqualified per- Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine, I son, would automatically put the guilty was intrigued to read that, twice during doctor at risk of being "struck off" the med- efforts to alleviate the effects on individu- ical register, with consequential loss of the als of supposedly paranormal intrusions, right to practice. Clearly, it was fortunate Andrew is reported to have approached the for the medical folk (and Andrew!) that family doctors concerned and asked for and matters didn't "go awry." been supplied with details of the disorders The book contains 190 pages, printed being experienced by, and treatment being (unfortunately in the indistinct grey that given to, the sufferers. seems to have become fashionable among As the necessary "patient's consent" publishers) on good quality paper. In con-

22 The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx trast, the cover has been designed to resem- Ghost Hunter's Casebook will revive mem- ble that of a well-worn old tome. The con- ories of a man who is being profoundly tents include a perceptive three-page fore- missed. word by barrister and former Ghost Club chairman Alan Murdie, a detailed 11-page introduction by the author, a basic three- This is an except from the new book, page index and 75 monochrome illustra- 'Ghost-Hunters Casebook - the investiga- tions in sundry shapes and sizes. tions of Andrew Green revisited', written by his friend Bowen Pearse and reproduced here with his kind permission.

THE GHOST OF ANDREW GREEN

This story really begins in Andrew Green's garden, shortly before his 1971 divorce. He became obsessed with the potential of his one-acre gar- den and had decided to make a large rockery. Every spare moment went into its creation and he wondered in later years if paying more attention to his rockery rather than to his wife might well have hastened the divorce. Hazel never liked gardening. After Hazel left him, Andrew sold the house to an engineer and his family Norah Green with the author from Harrow. They had a twelve-year- Bowen Pearse old daughter whom Andrew had never met. Some months later, the engineer If, contrary to his conviction, Andrew is and his family came round to visit surviving in spirit and able to continue Andrew in his new house at Iden. They observing the ways of this world, I believe were not prepared for what happened he would be amused to note, from the sub- next. Nobody was. As they gathered title of this book - The Investigations of around the door, the daughter stood at Andrew Green Revisited - that anyone mis- the back and had not yet seen Andrew. chievously choosing to take a pedantic But, as it turned out, she had seen him view might ask whether it was Andrew - many times. More often than she who'd been investigated - the biter bit, the realised. More often than she would hunter hunted! Andrew enjoyed jokes of have liked. that kind. After her parents had made their Andrew Green was intelligent, an able introductions, it was her turn and she thinker, writer, lecturer and public speaker, came forward. One look at Andrew and a devoted husband and a loyal friend. she fainted. Clean out. Andrew was The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx23 much puzzled. "I've seen you many times Mr Green", she said on recover- ing. "On the rockery in the garden - your rockery that you sold us". It was Andrew's ghost she had seen - a live ghost. And she had not been ready to greet him in the flesh. She fainted a second time and when she came round, she pinched Andrew's arm to make sure 'this one' this time was real. Andrew's comment was that the incident confirmed his theory that a mental image of a ghost can be creat- ed by someone's strong desire to be in another location. He dearly missed SPECTRAL working in his rockery. HIGHWAYS OF SCOTLAND by Derek Green or a number of years now there have been numerous reports from drivers of ghostly apparitions which have Fbeen witnessed on many of the UK's road networks. Many of these sightings result in very bemused and frightened drivers enter- ing a local Police Station to make state- You can order a copy direct from the ments. Some examples of these have author. included the famous road sightings in the Send a cheque made out to village of Pluckley, Bluebell Hill and the 'Bowen Pearse' well documented Phantom of the at Steddenden Cottage, Hazelden Farm Stocksbridge Bypass. Scotland can also Lane, Cranbrook TN17 2LP. claim a fair number of well documented The cost is £15.49 (£12.99 + £2.50 p&p) cases which have attracted great interest from Scotland's Ghost Hunting Drivers. Published by Tempus Publishing in soft- Some of these stories are well documented back, 192 pages, but others not so well known. ISBN:978-07524-4500-7 The first case has been covered in many of Scotland's ghostly publications although 24 The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xx there is no great evidence for the first part large cats, wild looking dogs, hens, geese of the story but ask any Paranormal and strange sightings which included a man Investigator in Scotland about the A75 and with long hair who appeared to be scream- they should be able to relate the story in ing. Derek and Norman now very very some form. One night in April 1962 two scared, swerved to avoid the oncoming and brothers called Derek and Norman had a frightening apparitions and brought their very strange experience which left them car to a halt. It was at this point that they very scared and bemused whilst travelling became aware of the temperature in the car on a stretch of the A75 between Dumfries drop quite significantly. and Annan near the Scottish Borders. The brothers, now very frightened by Earlier in the evening the brothers filled their experience, realised they had both their car with petrol and laughed and joked witnessed the same apparitions and decided about all different things as close brothers to flee the area and head for Annan as do. The night was clear and calm and quickly as possible. However before Derek Derek and Norman left Dumfries and could drive away they became aware of joined the A75 to Annan, a simple 15 mile high pitched laughter and cackling coming journey - a journey they would never for- from somewhere inside the car. Thinking get. As the brothers travelled along the for a split second that this was a nightmare road, they both remarked on how calm, Derek and Norman tried to compose them- quiet and peaceful the journey was and as selves when suddenly a powerful force they enjoyed this very pleasurable drive, seemed to attack the car. In their testimony they were both very surprised to see what the two brothers described the car bonnet resembled a large hen fly towards the car being banged violently and the car being only to simply disappear when it seemed rocked by some force. Derek, feeling very likely that it was about to hit the wind- sick forced the car door open and leapt out screen. The vision shocked the two lads but of the car while his brother cowered in ter- having gathered themselves together and ror in the passenger seat terrified as to the agreeing that the hen must have flown over consequences that might follow. Once out the roof of the car, they continued their of the car, Derek immediately realised that journey to Annan. Further on only a short everything outside was calm and peaceful distance had been travelled when they wit- and still. Confused but feeling better, he got nessed through their car headlights what back into the car and closed the door, only resembled the figure of an elderly woman to discover to his horror that after closing walking towards the car with her arms out- the door the violent bangs on the bonnet stretched. Derek and Norman, agitated by and the car being rocked with force started the sight of a lonely lady on the road quick- again. The whole experience was repeated ly approaching them, swerved the car to with evil cackling and high pitched laugh- avoid hitting her but as this was done they ter from the interior of the car. realised to their horror that the woman had Very frightened by their experiences, disappeared into thin air. What then fol- Derek and Norman, now at the end of their lowed was described by the brothers as tether, decided they must flee the area. being completely bizarre, frightening and Derek started the car engine again and confusing as streams of figures formed while continuing to drive, both brothers from nowhere. These apparitions included testified that as they travelled along they

The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx25 The A75, the scenne of a terrifying ordeal for two men in 1962 were still witnessing apparitions and phan- saw the lights of a nearby petrol station toms which kept emerging from nowhere come into view on the outskirts of Annan. but clearly stood in the path of the oncom- Their terrifying journey had lasted thirty ing car and as Derek was about to hit each minutes and indeed it was a journey they one they simply disappeared. would never forget. In later years Derek Eventually, this journey which seemed to spoke to a friend who had been stationed last for an eternity finally looked as though near Annan while doing Military Service. it was coming to an end, as the brothers Derek learned that many of the men had viewed what looked like help ahead. They heard stories of witchcraft being practised could see in front of them red tail lights in the area and there had also been sight- drawing closer and to their great relief they ings of a ghostly furniture van trundling saw a furniture van trundle along the road along the road. ahead. Things were not what they appeared Initially, the story of Derek and Norman's to be however and their joy soon turned to experiences seem quite far fetched and terror as they realised that they were similar to an episode from the Hammer approaching the rear of the van far too House of Horror Mysteries! It is however quickly. Derek slammed on his brakes only possible that their final sighting of the fur- to discover to his horror that the car would niture van could have been possible confir- not slow down. The brothers quickly pre- mation of other reported sightings over the pared themselves for impact but as they years from other drivers. were about to hit the van, it completely dis- Scotland is host to many allegedly haunt- appeared in front of them. ed road stories and some of these include The men were now so scared and disori- the A832 between Muir of Ord and Gorston entated that it was to their joy that they now in Ross-shire. Centered in the middle is the 26 The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx small village of Garve where there has scared when they both clearly witnessed been numerous alleged sightings of the fig- the apparition vanish in front of their eyes. ure of a woman in Victorian costume, In the Summer of 1995, one gentleman walking in the middle of the road. She is claimed to have experienced two very described as wearing a black uniform, a scarey encounters near the Aberdeen to white cap, matching cuffs and a white Stonehaven dual carriageway. The first waistband. She appears to have her head encounter came when he “knocked down” bowed and her hands clasped. a white apparition which stepped out onto A stretch of road near Cairnpapple near the road. He reported that on impact he felt Bathgate in West Lothian is said to harbour the thud, stopped his car in panic and got a curious phantom figure which has been out to check the area, only to find nothing. called "The Silver Man." The first sighting A few months later he again “knocked” the of this figure was documented in the same apparition down, only this time on Summer of 1988, when a family of five impact, he noted an icy cold chill envelop passed through Ravencraig Wood, which his car and he felt an eerie presence with was less than one mile from Bathgate. As him which vanished after a few minutes. the driver, named David was motoring Interestingly enough, the same gentleman's along the road, he became aware of a glow- mother had run into the same figure a few ing figure which seemed to be running weeks previously. She reported that on this beside him. It seemed strange that the run- occasion, on impact, the figure came ning figure appeared to be keeping up with through the car windscreen before vanish- the car which was travelling at 60mph. The ing. That must have been a really scarey entity was described as being bulky in happening! weight and over six feet tall. By now the In 1995, a motorist, whilst passing whole family could see this apparition. It through Stonehaven, “knocked down” a was later documented by the family that the figure in a red cloak and in the 1960's a figure ran ahead of the car and disappeared couple “knocked down” the apparition of into the woods and was not sighted again. an elderly gentleman on the Cupar Road David and his wife were quite scared by near St Andrews. In both accounts, after this but his three children found it exciting collision the drivers stopped and checked and they are said to have christened the the road to find no trace of anyone around. apparition "The Silver Man". In January 1997 a driver passing through In the Summer of 1973, Scots showbiz Fife had a collision with a figure garbed in personality Philip Differ and a friend wit- black who staggered drunkenly into the nessed an apparition in the full headlights path of his car and again, very similar to of his car as they travelled between previous accounts, the figure vanished. Banknock and Kilsyth on the A803. Phil According to local history there was a pit in and his colleague saw the figure of an the nearby vicinity and it is thought that the elderly woman walking with her back to apparition could have been a miner. the car and described her as wearing In February 1997 a woman, whilst sitting clothes of a blue-grey colour and cloth at traffic lights, watched an elderly, stooped wrapped around her feet instead of shoes. gentleman with a walking stick, glide She also appeared to be carrying a large straight through a boarded up shop door in bundle. Phil and his friend became quite Montrose Main Street.

The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx27 A recent sighting in the outskirts of died a few months earlier. Jedburgh baffled one couple completely as A few weeks after the strange encounter, they drove along the road during a very Nell was starting her shift at the tram depot windy night. The beam of their headlights and was waiting on George to join her as caught a man about to cross the road. The they were once again scheduled together dress of the gentleman confused the couple for that day’s route. Sadly Nell was as he appeared to be wearing a long coat, informed that George had died that morn- top hat and swinging a cane. They ing. Had Nell witnessed the apparition of described the figure crossing the road and George's Mother all dressed in black as the driver slammed on the brakes, it van- appearing as a warning of his coming death ished before their eyes. Intriguingly, the although Nell was not consciously aware of couple noted as very it? An interesting tale. strange the fact that the There are many sight- coat and hat worn by The man and his son ings of apparitions on the gentleman was not Scotland's roads and far blowing about in the were then chased by the too many to mention high wind. leaping figure of the them all. Among some The last tale involves Death Bogle and at some others are the Death the Aberdeen tramcar point the man was Bogle of the old cross- and its phantom pas- touched by the Bogle's roads in Pitlochry - a senger. During WWII a story related to Elliot tram heading for long fingers. A week later O'Donnell many years Scatterburn stopped to the man was dead. ago. The Death Bogle pick up one lonely pas- was described as being senger. The conduc- roughly eight feet tall tress, being aware that the lady was elderly with long arms and surrounded by a myste- and quite thin and frail, helped her onto the rious glow. It appeared to a man and his tram and into a seat on the lower deck. The young son who were approaching the conductress, called Nell, described the lady crossroads in a horse and cart. The driver as all dressed in black and noted that she realised what the apparition was and at the could not see her face due to the hat that her same time the horse took fright and started passenger was wearing. Nell then returned to bolt in fear. The man and his son were to take the lady's fare only to discover to then chased by the leaping figure of the her horror that her passenger had vanished Death Bogle and at some point the man on the still moving tramcar. Quickly Nell was touched by the Bogle's long fingers. A reported her missing passenger to George week later the man was dead. the tram driver who immediately stopped There is also the phantom cyclist of the the car. George and Nell then searched the Tak-me-doon Road in the Campsie Hills tram and the short section of track along near Lennoxtown and the phantom truck which they had just travelled and could which is driven through a section of find no trace of the elderly lady. After con- Edinburgh by an evil looking man. sidering the incident, Nell thought that it In Portree on the Isle of Skye there are was possible that she had witnessed the reports of a removal van which travels apparition of George's mother who had along the road with no driver and near the

28 The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx village of Croy, phantom headlights have been seen by drivers on a single track road. One thing is for sure, when you travel the roads in Scotland be extra vigilant, because our spectral friends will not follow the Green Cross Code and may walk out in front of you! Maybe it is time that the road sign manufacturers made us aware of this by introducing a new sign stating "BEWARE! SLOW MOVING GHOSTS AHEAD!!!” Johnny Morris: A friendship surviving death? with Johnny right from first meeting him, and his incredible sense of humour, hospi- My Story tality, need for companionship and help Personal Experiences with the "little everyday problems" in his from Ghost Club Members life meant that we were very soon either seeing him or talking on the telephone almost every day. For five years everything Johnny Morris was fine, surreal but exhilarating, as told us when he died although Johnny was in his late seventies when we first met him, he was incredibly by active and mentally alert for his age. We Angela Morris and John Keene became heavily involved in his hectic diary of appearances, orchestral concerts, broad- e have both been "sensitive" for casts etc that was Johnny's "raison d'etre" as long as we can remember; on and his staple diet to continue to make life the whole I tend to see or sense interesting and worth living. Wthings and my partner Angela hears things. Occasionally our conversations would She often gets an inner voice speak to her touch on the supernatural as he knew that giving her advice on whether or not to go we both had an interest and personal expe- ahead with a particular project or to pro- riences in that field and although an atheist ceed with something she is considering like ourselves, he very much kept an open undertaking. Always but always, to her mind on the subject and was always inter- own considerable annoyance, she ignores ested to hear of any new phenomena that the advice the voice gives her, and always, happened to us. He was particularly inter- without fail, the voice is right! ested to know if I could see Eileen, his wife Back in the 1990's we had become close who had died some ten years before and friends with the late great Johnny Morris of was buried in a private grave in the garden. BBC Animal Magic fame. The relationship I always denied that I had seen her for fear had started off on a business footing but of upsetting or frightening him but in actu- very quickly developed into one of those al fact, in the latter years when there was special friendships that come along but some turmoil in his life, I often did see her once in a lifetime. We just seemed to click standing in the doorway to the kitchen The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx29 where we always settled for a chat at his he must be dead. "Are you alright Johnny?" home. Her appearance was in no way wor- she cautiously asked into the thin air. "Oh rying; almost as if she knew there were yes dear!" the voice replied and in its tone problems and that she was just keeping a she instantly knew that not only had protective eye on him and happy that he Johnny just passed on and had come back had friends to help him through. to let her know but also, that wherever he Johnny had his own taste of the paranor- was, it was suddenly so much better than mal in the form of an out of the body expe- the life he had left and that all his aches and rience late in life when he fell down a flight pains and cares had gone for good. of stairs whilst staying with Terry Nutkins A short time after she got home she in Scotland. He related to us how he felt received a telephone call from Johnny's himself starting to fall then suddenly housekeeper to advise her that indeed became aware that he was detached from Johnny had died earlier that day. It was a his body and watching himself tumble comfort to know that although Johnny died down the stairs. The experience was only alone he was able to get through to let us momentary but appears to have been suffi- know he'd passed and that by the sound of ciently strong that his body was totally his voice, he'd gone to an infinitely better relaxed during the fall so that, even at the place! age of 81, he was uninjured when, by all If you would like to read further Angela accounts, the nature and severity of his and John have written a book on their time descent down the staircase could well have killed him. Towards the end of his life, Johnny became very ill and started slipping in and out of lucidity. Much to the concern of all his family and friends, when he was admit- ted to hospital he was effectively cut off form contact with all of us by a person claiming to be next of kin. Try as we might, none of us could obtain any information on his health and indeed whereabouts and this sad state of affairs lasted for some seven weeks. Some time earlier we had bought Johnny's car off him when he changed it for a new model. One day Angela was out dri- ving in this car when a voice came through to her which she instantly recognised as Johnny's. "I've done it, dear, I'm here." She with Johnny Morris. Published by heard in her head. Instinctively she Paardeberg Books, Hardcover, 320 pages. answered out loud, "Is that you Johnny?" ISBN-10: 0955768306 "Yes dear" came the instant reply. She sud- ISBN-13: 978-0955768309 denly realised what she was hearing and a shiver went down her spine as she guessed that if Johnny was talking to her now then

30 The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx sent Old Bailey, which is built on the site of Investigation the old Newgate Prison. The exact spot where many executions were held from the The Viaduct Tavern old Newgate Prison, now marked with a n 2nd February 2008, sixteen small fountain, is visible from every win- members of The Ghost Club met at dow in the property. Some reports say the the Viaduct Tavern to conduct an pub is also built on the site of Newgate Oinvestigation into this atmospheric public Prison and/or the old Giltspur Street house in central London. Comptoire, a debtors prison in use between The viaduct Tavern was opened in 1869 1700 and 1853, but evidence has come to and was named after the Holborn Viaduct, light that this claim is doubtful. Although which was opened the same year. It is the the pub boasts original prison cells in its last remaining example of a 19th century cellars, during one of the vigils, we care- Gin Palace left in the city and has been fully examined the areas of the cellers thor- oughly and found no evidence that prison-

The Viaduct. Photo: Paul Brown beautifully decorated, in keeping with its ers were ever incarcerated there. The history. The original toll booth is still in absence of graffiti carved into the brick, the situ. Apparently the pub was so rough, the size and locations of the “cells” and the landlord had to sell beer tokens to the cus- location of the pub itself makes this very tomers from the booth to keep money away unlikely to be the case. from his bar staff! However, the Viaduct Tavern does have a The immediate location surrounding the great atmosphere, and has had much histo- Viaduct Tavern is steeped in history. It is ry in its own right as a former gin palace, situated just across the street from the pre- with an opium den located on the first

The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx31 floor. One of the large paintings in the bar and had no electricity. On the 3rd floor, we has a hole in it - this was done by the bay- were all told to beware of the hole in the onet of a soldier during World War One floorboards and on the upper floors, the during a scuffle! Many other things have wallpaper was peeling off and the stairs happened here and it is certainly worthy of were narrow, steep and littered with debris. investigation by the club. Towards the end of this tour, Lisa Bowell noted the following which I have quoted Ghost Club Members present: using Lisa's exact words: John Barrett, Lisa Bowell, Paul Brown, "During the tour of the pub on the 1st Philip Carr, Paul Foulsham, Sarah Darnell, floor landing, I picked up a woman aged in Paula Eason, Naomi Firth, Lorraine Holt, her 30's. She was dressed in a black Gianna De Salvo, Justin Cooper, Emily Victorian dress with a bustle and a small Manns, Monica Tandy, Sue Matthews black bonnet on the top of her head. She Philip Hutchinson, and Joanne Edwards. was a very large woman, more like a man dressed as a woman. She wasn't fat, just Familiarisation Tour big. She had unkempt 'straw like' blonde We started a tour of the property (which hair, probably tied back in a bun with lots is sizeable, 6 floors in total), starting in the of strands coming out. I picked up the cellar, then to the upper floors, some of name Kate and the murder of a prostitute which are derelict. The 1st floor is present- connected with her. She was quite red- ly used as a stock room, 2nd floor is used faced, like a heavy drinker." as a staff area/training area but the floors Baseline Tests above this are in a state of general disrepair The Baseline tests were taken before the

Members in the bar preparing for the nights vigils.

32 The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx vigils began. first, proper vigil at 20:30. Group 3 stayed Cellar in the bar, Group 2 were upstairs on the 3rd EMF: None floor and Group 1 went down to the cellar. Air Temp: Between 5.5°c (storage cellar The Bar and Toilets with open grills to pavement) and 11°c The temperature was constant at 15°c, the (inside wall). lights were on to start with, then we asked Lighting Conditions: Pitch black with the barman to turn them off. However there lights off and door closed. was a lot of light pollution and traffic noise Noise Pollution: Refrigeration unit, small pollution from outside, due to the large fan. Some outside traffic noise from stor- windows. Monica set her camcorder up age cellar with open grills. downstairs in the Ladies toilets. No EMF Bar Area was detected. EMF: None Those present were Paul Brown, Monica Air Temp: Between 15.5°c (outside wall) Tandy, Naomi Firth and Sarah Darnell. and 18.4°c (interior). Some loud bangs were heard at around Lighting Conditions:When inside light 21:00. One of the bangs can be explained off, light pollution from outside street by a man hole cover being driven over by a lights due to large windows. bus. The others we could not quite so eas- Noise Pollution: Outside Traffic. ily explain and seemed to come from the 3rd Floor main door area. EMF: None. During a question and answer session Air Temp: 11°c using dowsing rods, we appeared to make Lighting Conditions: No electricity but contact with a man and a lady. Strangely, light pollution from adjacent offices and the right hand rod seemed to cross when street lighting. the man answered a question, the left one Noise Pollution: Some traffic noise. when the lady answered. We ascertained the man had been a patron and the lady had The Vigils been a barmaid, possibly a prostitute. The After familiarising ourselves with our date of 1902 was significant and Queen surroundings and separating into two Victoria was the reigning monarch groups of five people and one group of six, (although Queen Victoria died in 1901!). we decided that, on this occasion, the During this session, both Monica and groups would investigate the following Sarah came up with the same name inde- locations. pendantly. A full transcript of the session 1. The Cellar with the dowsing rods is available on 2. The Bar and toilets (located downstairs) request. 3. Floors 3, 4 and 5, concentrating mainly The bar area was separated into booths or on floor 3. seating areas near the windows. At 21:20, The following report has been constructed in the booth next to where we were sitting using the records of the groups, written at (two booths to the left hand side of the the time of the vigils on 02/02/08 in the main door if looking at the pub from the named locations. front), we heard a weighty bag, or some- Vigil 1 thing similar slip off the table onto the Once everyone was settled we started the floor. On closer inspection almost immedi-

The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx33 ately, nothing had appeared to move. No At 21:11, the temperature appeared to drop. bags were on chairs or the floor; all were on Measurements confirmed the temperature the table where they had been previously. had gone down to 10°c. Jo felt the floor One minute later at 21:21, a loud bang was was moving/ room was rocking. heard again from near the door. At 21:14 the temperature appeared to get a The 3rd Floor little warmer. Measurements confirmed The temperature was constant at 11°c. 12°c. No EMF was detected and there was light The Cellar pollution from the street lighting, traffic No temperature or EMF readings were and nearby offices. There was also some taken and lighting conditions were noise pollution from the traffic outside. described as low. We asked for the noisy air Those present were Lorraine Holt, Jo conditioning unit to be turned off but the Edwards, Paula Eason, Emily Manns and refrigeration unit had to stay on. There was Sue added Matthews. noise pol- The lution of planchette traffic was set up coming in the small from the room off road the kitchen above, area. There noisier in was a fair some bit of areas of movement the cellar from the than oth- planchette ers. in response Those to ques- present tions asked were Lisa at 20:50 The plastic drainpipe in the cellar that all thought Bowell, onwards. A had not been there during the vigil. Paul female spir- it appeared to make contact. From a series of questions Foulsham, Gianna De Salvo, Philip Carr, asked and responses given they ascertained Justin Cooper and John Barrett. the following: She worked at the tavern in At 20:50, three knocks were heard, 1878 as a prostitute and was murdered. described as a 'metal cup sound'. This was The dates 1870 to 1880 were significant, as heard twice. was 1875. The full details are on record. At 20:55, Lisa sensed a 12 year old boy in At 21:00, Jo felt a draft from the kitchen one of the 'cell' areas. She said there was a area. feeling of hopelessness. A physical descrip- At 21:05, Sue complained of a headache tion of the boy was given and I shall keep but said it had gone by 21:17. that on record for future reference.

34 The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xx At 20:57 Paul heard a buzzing noise, like a darkness/torchlight, although there was fly. severe light pollution from street lights and At 21:00, Lisa felt there was a general feel- office buildings outside. No EMF was ing in the atmosphere that punishment was detected. temporary. Members present for this vigil were At 21:05, Lisa saw a brown figure rush past Monica, Paul, Naomi, Sarah and Philip her in the second part of the cells. Hutchinson. At 21:24, during a question and answer ses- At 21:55, Paul felt unusually short of sion, when John asked "Are any spirits pre- breath. Monica joined him in the same area sent?" the rods crossed and Lisa saw a a few minutes later and reported the same white flash in front of her eyes. symptoms. The planchette was set up in the Justin reported hearing 3 knocks. same area as the previous group - the small At 21:25, the session was ended and the room off the kitchen. Again, some group moved away from the furthest cell, planchette movement was noted at 22:00. en-mass. As they all moved away, a thud At 22:10, the sound of shuffling footsteps was heard from behind them. When they in the kitchen area, were heard by both went back in to investigate, they found a Monica and Sarah. large plastic pipe resting on its end, on a At 22:12, Sarah heard what sounded like a drain cover and propped up against the breath out, followed by a sharp intake of wall. They all said it hadn't been there only breath, coming from the kitchen area. moments before, as various members of the The Cellar group had been standing on the drain cover The temperature during the vigil was to make sure it didn't rock and make a recorded at a constant 12°c. The lighting noise. It didn't look like there was any conditions were dark. No EMF readings where for it to have come from. were recorded. Those present were Lorraine, Paula, Jo, Vigil 2 Emily and Sue. The second vigil started at 21:50 and last- Between 21:58 - 22:08 in the 'cells' area of ed approximately 50 minutes. This time, the cellar, Jo and Emily reported feeling Group 1 were in the Bar, Group 2 in the uncomfortable, Jo said it was like she had Cellar and Group 3 went upstairs. knots in her stomach. The Bar and Toilets At 22:04 Sue reported feeling cold down Members present during this vigil were her right hand side. She was seated with her Lisa, Paul, Gia, Justin, Philip and John. back to the wall. No activity was noted during this vigil. A At 22:11, the group heard a noise from the table tipping experiment was attempted but furthest 'cell' area, described as a tapping. without success. However Lisa said she felt At 22:13, they heard a noise like furniture there was a weight on her shoulders and was being scraped across the floor above Justin reported feeling that something was them - which was probably another group banging on his head, resulting in him hav- moving around in the bar area. ing a headache. No times were given. Between 22:21 and 22:29, Jo reports hear- The 3rdFloor ing someone whispering. The voice The temperature was measured at a con- appeared to be coming from the barrel lift stant 11°c. The vigil was carried out in area.

The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx35 At 22:29, Emily felt as though someone and it was pitch black when the doors were was watching her from the left hand side shut and the lights were turned off. We all (through the doors to her left) which would had torches and much of the vigil was be from the barrel lift area. done, mostly in darkness, with a torch on. Members present were Paul, Monica, Vigil 3 Naomi, Sarah and Philip. The Bar and Toilets At 23:15, Philip's camera batteries drained. Members present were Paula, Jo, They were not brand new batteries but he Lorraine, Emily and Sue. had expected them to last longer than they At 23:15, Sue saw a shadow move across had. the floor in front of the bar. At 23:30, whilst sitting in the large 'cell' After not much activity was sensed in the area, we all heard what could have been bar area, the group decided to move down- shuffling footsteps from the main area. stairs to investigate the toilet area. Whilst sitting in this area, we had a close At 23:20, the hand drier in the ladies toilets inspection of the cells and were trying to turned on when no-one was near it. find evidence that these had actually once At 23:25, the dowsing rods were used in a been prison cells, as the venue had claimed. question and answer session. Contact We looked for graffiti carved into the appears to have been made with the sprit of bricks all over the cells (which is a com- a child, a boy, approximately 5 - 10 years of mon feature in any location which has been age who assumed responsibility for making formally used as a prison), we looked for the hand dryer start up. When asked where fixtures, or remnants of fixtures which he was standing, the rods pointed towards could have held bunks etc. None were the ladies toilets. He said he wanted the found. group to go back upstairs to the bar! Several of us felt uneasy whilst walking At 23:36 a knock was heard. past the barrel lift area and into the further At 23:43 Lorraine saw a small shadow flit cells, although the atmosphere did seem to across the wall at the bottom of the stairs be changeable. I felt uneasy in the further outside the toilet doors, to the right of the 'cells' earlier on, but felt fine in there when door marked private. It went in a left to re-visiting them about 10 minutes later. right direction. Vigil 4 The 3rd Floor This, we decided to make a 20 minute Present for this vigil were Paul, Gia, 'free session' where people could go where Philip Carr, Justin, John and Lisa. they wanted in the building, as long as they The planchette was used, again in the stayed in pairs or more, for safely and for same area as the previous two vigils. co-oberation if something out of the ordi- During a question and answer session, it nary were to happen. Nothing was reported seemed to be vigorously drawing a series during this time. of circles and triangles. On inspection in Vigil 5 the light, it looks remarkably like a penta- We made the final session of the evening gram. a group session, in which ever location we The Cellar all felt had been the most productive The temperature during this vigil was throughout the evening. We decided on the noted at 11.5°c. No EMF was picked up third floor, because we had all experienced

36 The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx good planchette movement and felt this especially as on inspection only moments area was also big enough to hold us all later, nothing was seen to have fallen or had comfortably! All members were present even moved. There was nothing on the apart from Sue, who had to leave to catch floor near the table at all. One member the last tube home. We decided to try some reported seeing a moving shadow in the bar table tipping, area. again unsuc- More than one cessfully. We member, myself then decided to included, felt try and use the the toilet area planchette had an atmos- again, as we phere. The had all had fair- hand dryer start- ly good results ed up but this with it during could be the evening. It explained by was quite slow faulty or old to start, but electrics. A once if got more unlikely going, it again explanation for made large this would be an swooping cir- insect flying too cles. Although close to the sen- not responding Marks drawn by the planchette looked sor on the dryer. to questions, remarkably like a pentagram. More investiga- there were nine tion needs to be of us with our fingers contacting the board done here. and we were all talking quietly amongst The 3rd Floor was felt by many to be the ourselves. When we asked Philip to most atmospheric, although the general describe the executions which happened state of the rooms and the fact there was no outside Newgate Prison, the board felt electricity could have added to the feel of energised and was moving vigorously the place. Various noises were heard, drafts around the table. On inspection of the paper were felt and there was some very interest- afterwards, it again, looked very similar to ing patterns drawn by the planchette or a pentagram. automatic writing device. Many members Summary reported psychic impressions here, which The Bar area had a comfortable ambience are on record to compare with later visits to and the light and noise pollution from the this site. Some members felt physically street outside gave the area a generally un- unwell or breathless in this area. spooky feeling. However, this being the The Cellar was incredibly dark when the case, still bangs and noises were heard, doors were closed and the lights were most notably during the first vigil, the turned off. It would be very easy to be sound of a sizeable bag or object falling spooked in such a location. Many members (slumping) onto the floor was significant, noted changes in the atmosphere, especial-

The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx37 The “cells”:We felt, on inspection, that it was unlikely people had been incarcerated here. ly in the far 'cell' or area of the cellar past bers. It is a remarkable location which def- the barrel lift. Many felt the area near the initely warrants further investigation by the barrel lift itself had a strange feeling about Ghost Club. it, with one member hearing whispered I would like to extend the team’s grateful voices coming from that area. Although we thanks to Emmanuelle from the Viaduct had asked for the air conditioning unit to be Tavern who looked after us on the night, turned off, the refrigeration unit had to stay also to the management of the venue for on. Could it be possible that the refrigera- providing us with such an interesting loca- tion unit was causing some sort of infra- tion. I would also like to thank Paul Brown sound effect, making people feel uneasy or for providing many of the photographs that they were being watched? The same used in this report and Philip Carr for find- effect can cause people to feel like they've ing us such a remarkable location to inves- been touched or they can see movement in tigate! Finally I would personally like to their peripheral vision, all of which has thank everyone who attended for keeping been reported in this location at some time. such detailed notes, without which, writing All in all, it was a very interesting this report would not have been possible. evening which was enjoyed by all mem- Sarah Darnell. 38 The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx restored to its medieval glory. It was for- Investigation mally opened by the Queen on St Andrews Day, 1999. Built by James IV in 1503, it Stirling Castle was converted to a four storey military bar- Sunday 2 March 2008 racks in the 19th Century. The Hall has been restored to its original appearance and

Stirling Castle: A favourite Royal residence of many Stuart

History it is now widely admired for its magnifi- tirling Castle is by far the grandest of cence on the Stirling skyline. all Scotland's castles and one of the The first fortification on the site dates to most popular visitor attractions in the 11th century. Much of the castle which Sthe country. Located 250 feet above the exists today, including the Palace and plateaux on an extinct volcano, Stirling Chapel Royal is magnificent Renaissance became the strategic military key to the architecture with a strong French influ- kingdom during the 13th and 14th century ence. The Royal Palace, 1540-42, is the wars of Independence and was the finest Renaissance building in Scotland. A favourite royal residence of many of the three-storey building with an ornate facade Stuart Monarchs. of tall windows and niches which contain a Many important events from Scotland's selection of grotesque carved figures and past took place at Stirling Castle, including Renaissance sculptures. Over the the murder of the eighth Earl of Douglas by Centuries, the Palace Block was stripped James II in 1452. It played an important for military use and the Royal Chambers role in the life of Mary Queen of Scots. Her converted to mess rooms and officers' childhood was spent in the castle and quarters. Mary's coronation took place in the Chapel The King's Presence Chamber originally Royal in 1543. The Great Hall dates from included an ornate ceiling of over 100 the end of the Middle Ages and has been carved oak heads (the Stirling Heads). The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx39 Many of the heads have been lost or been recorded in Elphinstone Tower. Apart destroyed but some survive to let us imag- from the Highland soldier, Stirling Castle ine how the original ceiling would have is reputed to be haunted by several ghosts. looked. Work is now in progress to restore One is a 'Pink Lady'; the apparition of a the rich Renaissance decoration of the beautiful woman in a pink silk gown. She Kings' and Queens' apartments. has been identified as a phantom of Mary, The King's Old Buildings house the reg- Queen of Scots, or the ghost of a woman imental Museum of the Argyll and searching for her husband. The ghost has Sutherland Highlanders. In the Crimea in been reported at the Church of the 1854, the Sutherland Highlanders earned Holyrood but her apparition is most fre- the nickname of the 'Thin Red Line', when quently seen on Ladies Rock, situated they repelled repeated attacks from the between the Castle and the Church. Russian Cavalry Another spectre that has been sighted is the 'Green Lady', thought to be often associat- Alleged Activity ed with fire. She may have been a lady in There have been numerous reports of a waiting to Mary, Queen of Scots and she is soldier in full Highland dress standing in believed to have saved Mary when her bed- the Main Square and when approached by clothes caught fire. There is historical Tourists he simply fades away in front of record of Mary having been rescued from a their very eyes. His apparition has also fire in the Castle.

The magnificent Great Hall

40xxxThe Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008 a white dress was witnessed by a mem- ber of the Castle Staff in the Unicorn Cafe. The apparition made an appearance one morning before the cafe opened up to the public. Initially, the member of staff became concerned as he thought the girl had been locked in the Cafe all night, only to then see her vanish into thin air. View from the Elphinstone Tower The Investigation In the Inner Close of the Castle stands the Investigators King's Old Building, which is also known Team 1 as The Governor's Block. It is in this build- Derek Green (organiser), Joan Green (first ing that footsteps echo across the ceiling of aider) and Dave Alderton and Mark Ord a room at the top of a flight of stairs and yet (technical). there is nothing above that room except for Team 1: Derek Green , Bill Green, a roof on which nobody could walk. In the Stephanie MacDonald ,Lynn 1820's there was a "sentry beat" along the Robertson, Kay Robertson, Carolanne battlements that existed over the Douglas, Nicola Bassett, Colin Governor's Block. One night a sentry, tak- MacDonald, Karen Donaldson, Monica ing over guard duty, found the previous Tandy, and Chris De Rosa. guard dead at his post, mouth wide open, a Team 2 look of utter terror on his face. No expla- Joan Green, Lisa Bowell, Rhoda Carr, nation was ever made for this incident Frank Carr, Colin Flynn, Soraya Badar, although it is known that after this, several Andy Glanville, Tony Martin, Jonty Stern, other guards reported strange and terrifying and Marco Piva. incidents on the beat. The sentry duty Castle Staff in Attendance: Brian Gibson, above the Governor's Block was discontin- Frank Shields and Castle Supervisor, Ross ued during early Victorian times. Blevins. Recent activity in the form of a strange Areas covered: white mist has been reported in the Castle * The Castle Kitchens Kitchens which have been restored and * Elphinstone Tower opened to the public. The Great Hall also * The Great Hall has reports of phantom music being heard * The Royal Apartments seemingly coming from the Minstrel's Gallery. Prior to the investigation, the following The ghostly figure of a little girl wearing The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx41 observations/feelings were recorded by and down. He was wearing a kilt which various members of the team between Lisa described to Frank Shields who con- 17:30 and 18:30 hrs: firmed that the kilt was from the Argyll and Rhoda Carr: In the Unicorn cafe, while Sutherland Highlanders. She noted that he tidying up coffee cups and plates, I started moved within the group. pushing chairs back under the table where In the King's Guard Hall, Lisa noted see- Frank and I were sitting. I pushed one of ing two points of light in the far left hand the chairs back into position and it pushed side of the Fireplace. back out. I looked under the table to see if Chris De Rosa: During the tour, Chris it was hitting off someone's bag but it was- noted feeling a presence in the King's n't. I then pushed the chair back under the Guard Hall. As he looked around, he table and it pushed back out again. For a reported that he could see a figure in the third time I pushed the chair back under the open double doorway into the King's table and it pushed back out again. The Guard Hall from beside the entrance out feeling I was now having was one of slight into the Inner Close. He proceeded to take aggression, we hadn't even started the a photograph and caught an orb and a dark- tour/investigation and here I was fighting ish colour in the photograph. with a chair! I left the chair. Marco Piva: At 18:10, Marco heard feet Lisa Bowell: While standing on the Anne shuffling behind the open gate at bottom of Battery, Lisa described seeing the figure of stairs at Princes Walk. It was very clear that a man in Highland Dress (soldier?) He was no one was there. about 5ft 8, very chunky, suntanned and Dave Alderton: During the tour, Dave with sandy/light brown hair cut straight up reports that his camera batteries have failed

The Kitchen

42xxxThe Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008 and he has lost power in his camera. They could feel hot and cold spots which she were brand new. later described to Derek as inconsistent The Castle Kitchen and with the draughts of cold coming from the Bake House door and window. Group 1 At 1900 hrs, Derek started to conduct a Time: 1840hrs knock/response experiment. Derek con- The outside weather conditions are dry ducted this on the front bench of seating but cloudy. Derek Green opened the vigil facing the video screen in the corridor lead- by asking out and Dave Alderton took ing into the kitchens. Monica sat nearby EMF, temperature and thermal readings and switched her dictaphone on. On the

The stairs in the Elphinstone Tower. throughout the vigil. After Derek asked third set of knocks, Monica reported that out, Lynn Robertson personally noted a her recorder had stopped. This had not hap- feeling of giddiness. Lynn was standing pened before. beside the long table in front of the main Elphinstone Tower entrance into the kitchen. Stephanie Group 2 MacDonald then asked out. Immediately Time: 1840hrs after this, Colin MacDonald said he could Group 2 split into two teams to watch the hear leaves moving or trees rustling outside top and lower floors. the window. On investigation it was noted On the top floor at 18:50 hrs, Marco noted that there are steep slopes on the other side seeing what looked like a black spot mov- of the kitchen wall but no trees. During the ing fast. This spot was about 2 metres vigil Carolanne Douglas noted feeling a above the ground and moved near the cen- pain in her nose and forehead. Carolanne tre of the room. Marco also felt very drawn then started to walk round the kitchen and to the area which resembled an oven and he The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx43 also felt very cold. Joan Green felt drawn the presence of a male energy. Lisa added to the bottom look out post in a smaller that she sensed a doorway in the wall fac- room area through stone doorway. She ing the lower stair. However the noted that the lookout area was very dark stonework did not reflect this. in the corner and she felt a presence was The group then moved back upstairs and Rhoda was drawn to the area of the corner where Joan, Marco and Lisa had sensed an energy. Team 2 started a vigil in the lower floor and reported a quiet vigil. Mark Ord record- ed the temperature at a con- stant 4°c throughout the vigil and no EMF was recorded, until 19:05 hrs, when Sorya asked out for communication and a reading of 0.6mG was recorded on the EMF meter. The group moved to the top room and did not report any anomalies.

Elphinstone Tower Group 1 Time:1910 hrs Once again the group split into two teams. Lower floor of the Elphinstone Tower. At 19:26hrs, Monica record- ed a three second blip on her Trifield Natural EMF meter. there. Lisa Bowell came to the same area, Monica also noticed the area had got cold- stood in the corner and noted that she was er as this happened. Dave tested the area sensing an energy. Marco stood in the same with his EMF meter but could not record area during the vigil and later reported that any anomalies. The natural EMF (set to he had sensed a male energy in the same “magnetic”) would only pick up natural area as Joan. (Joan did not explain to Lisa magnetic fields - unlike the Gauss Meter. and Marco about what she had sensed in Before the team moved to the lower floor, the area.) Dave reported catching an anomaly on his As team 1 entered the bottom room Marco thermal imager. It seemed as though Dave became aware of a man standing in front of was catching a round object moving along the wall opposite the door. Marco later the wall. No explanation has been found noted that he had sensed the man come out for this. of the wall. Joan asked out and Lisa sensed On the lower floor Dave Alderton stated

44 The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xx to scan the area with the Thermal Imager and he noted what appreared to be a band The Great Hall of heat at the bottom of the stairs against Group 1 the wall with the handrail. Dave focussed Time: 2000 hrs on this and explained to Derek that the Derek asked some of the team members imager was picking up on a heat source on to sit in circle. Again, the full scribed the stone. Unusual as it seemed, Dave sug- account is available on request, or available gested that it could have been the sun from on-line. Just as the Circle was closed, Colin earlier on, shining on the wall and resulting and Kay heard what sounded like a flute in the wall retaining some heat. Derek then faintly being played. Carolanne Douglas started asking out and also for spirit to try also noted that during the circle she could and come down the stair. No activity was see orbs of light and at 20:25hrs she heard reported. voices coming from outside the building. On the lower floor Stephanie called out and Carolanne also noted cold spots in the mid- after doing this both she and Chris noted dle of the hall. what sounded like footsteps towards the No EMF was recorded during the vigil. window. Stephanie then asked out again and both Colin and Chris heard the same King’s Presence Chamber sound. Group 2 Carolanne Douglas had difficulty breath- Time: 2000hrs ing at the foot of the stairs. While this was The group was again split into two. happening she became aware of a presence Standing inside the fireplace, Soraya start- coming down the stair. Carolanne shone ed using her EMF meter for communica- her torch a few times but could not see any- tion as she sensed an energy present. thing or anyone. Soraya asked for spirit to push the dial on Up on the top floor Stephanie asked out her meter into the red section. Within min- after a period of time had elapsed but no utes this seemed to have been achieved, as activity was reported. Before the group left, Soraya was receiving very high EMF fluc- Carolanne was standing at the entrance to tuations which had not been there previ- Elphinstone Tower and it was here that she ously. As this was happening, Soraya felt thought she saw a figure in black walk tingles and shivers and Rhoda reported an towards her. This made Carolanne jump uncomfortable feeling in her stomach. and it gave her what she described as the Soraya pinpointed this reading to the interi- "heebie jeebies!" or of the fireplace. The group then checked around the area in question to see if they The Castle Kitchen could find any natural explanation for such Group 2 a high reading. No explanation could be Time: 1910hrs found. Rhoda again noted an uncomfort- Joan opened the vigil with a circle. Lisa able feeling in her stomach and Colin and said that she was sensing an energy, how- Soraya started using both their meters at ever the level of the energy was not strong. the fireplace. Mark Ord then joined them The full scribed account of the circle in the but it then appeared that only Soraya's Castle Kitchens is available on request in meter seemed to be active. the full investigation report. The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx45 King’s Guard Hall groups. Some gathered in the King's Lisa, Andy, Tony and Marco sat in a circle. Guard Hall and some in the King's Details of this are again, available on Presence Chamber. Before the vigil com- request. menced Marco took some photographs in the Guard Hall and again his camera The Great Hall switched itself off and then back on again. Full Team The following sitters formed a circle: Time:20:40hrs Andy Glanville, Tony Martin, Stephanie Derek called the full team of investiga- MacDonald, Nicola Bassett, Lynn tors into the Great Hall for vigil number 4 Robertson, Derek Green, Rhoda Carr, Joan and asked for a circle to be conducted with Green, and Jonty Stern. Bill Green scribed some of the members. A full scribed the circle and Frank Carr watched the time account is available on request, or online. span of the circle. (The full scribed Stephanie MacDonald noted that during account, again, is available on request.) the circle, the Hall appeared to get colder and colder. At the end of the vigil, Marco Summing Up Piva approached Derek and explained that This was The Ghost Club's first investi- while he was taking pictures in the Great gation of the Castle and possibly the first Hall, his camera turned itself off and back paranormal investigation to be granted in on again. He could not understand why it the Castle and its grounds. Due to this did this as it had never happened before. being our first, The Ghost Club and the The King’s Guard Hall castle management agreed a time scale for Full Team a tour and an investigation. Time: 2110hrs It was felt by many that Stirling Castle The full investigation split into two retains a lot of energy from its vibrant past.

The newly restored Great Hall.

46 The Ghost Club Newsletter Spring 2008xxx Therefore it could be possible that the cas- kindness in making this investigation pos- tle will from time to time, go through peri- sible for members of the Ghost Club. ods where there is paranormal activity and Derek Green then periods of time where it may be quiet. There are numerous reports from the castle Area Investigation Co-ordinator of various sightings and these have been (Scotland) recorded over a number of years. Some of Please note: this is an abridged version of the the testimonies are very similar and come original report which can be supplied on from a variety of sources. At present it request. would appear that the most active spirit in the castle is the Highland soldier. A recent account involved a tourist who whilst visit- ing Elphinstone Tower experienced what appeared to be a powercut. The lady explained that all the lights went out and as Members she panicked a man in Highland dress Announcements appeared in the lower level of the tower and helped her back out into the open air. Congratulations to Zoe and Tim Once out in the sunshine, she noticed the Mitchell on the birth of their man had gone. The tourist decided to daughter, Evie Mae on 9th January speak to one of the guides and make sure 2008. Some of you may remember that her thanks were passed on. The Castle that although heavily pregnant, Guide thanked her for the information and Zoe still managed to make it to the assured her it would be passed on. Later in Christmas Dinner at the George conversation with fellow colleagues it was last year! We wish all three of agreed that no members of staff were in the them the best of luck for the building wearing Highland Dress. That tes- future. timony is like many other accounts which have been handed down over the years at Stirling. I feel that Stirling Castle does warrant further investigation as there are a few areas in which I would like to see the teams spending more time. In all the investiga- tion of Stirling Castle was a very enjoyable night with a few interesting points. A night which I know the Ghost Club would very much like to repeat. Finally on behalf of the Ghost Club Council, I would like to offer my sincere thanks to William McEwan, Ross Blevins, Brian Gibson, Frank Shields, the manage- ment and staff of Stirling Castle and Historic Scotland for all their help and

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