Ghosts Stories

Submitted by Martin Heaps

For centuries people have questioned the validity of ghosts and other paranormal activity, with countless stories of tales of ghosts poltergeists and other strange unexplained phenomena.

But are they just stories or is their more to such claims, it is sometimes easy to dismiss ghosts as bizarre tales to scare ourselves with as fiction and enjoy them as such. Even with countless witness accounts of paranormal activity and with new modern technology, it is still unknown whether they actually exist or are just part of people's overactive imaginations.

It is not uncommon for people to create scares for themselves when entering a known haunted location, such a simple noise that you would take for granted in a normal situation can be perceived as ghostly phenomena. Although some ghostly visions or sounds could be accounted to this, some do have some truth behind them and are not as easily dismissed.

Even though countless number of tales have been told over the years there have only ever been a few actual ghosts caught on camera and the truth behind these pictures is sketchy at best, as its is easy to perceive a mist on a picture as a ghost even though a more rational explanation is more believable.

No concrete proof has ever been recorded and with things like this, it is up to you whether you believe or not in paranormal activity.

Embalmed in Tar - Hollinwood, Greater Manchester - 18th century

Submitted by Martin Heaps

In the eighteenth century a certain Miss Beswick lived in the Manor House at Birchen Bower, Hollinwood, now a part of Greater Manchester. At the time her house was surrounded by woods and fields, and her estates included Rose Hill and Cheetwood. Most of the Manor House was demolished after her death.

Miss Beswick was an eccentric character, and later in her life she recieved a shock which effected her greatly. She recieved news that here brother had died but that as his body was being layed in the coffin a slight movement was seen. This came as a shock to the doctor who certified hime dead. Her infact brother lay in a coma for a few more weeks but eventually came too and lived for many more years.

Fightened by this chain of events Miss Beswick later changed her will to leave everything to a Dr White in return for her not to be buried and that her body to be rought back to the manor every 21 years. She died in 1768 and Dr White carried out his agreement and embalmed Miss Beswick in tar.

She was then presented to the Natural History Museum in Manchester where she was on display for 100 years, until the commisioners decided that enough was enough, and they decided to bury her as she was becoming "undesirable". She was finally laid to rest in Harpurhey Cemetary.

After here death her ghost had been seen by many people who live in the manor now converted into seperate dwellings. Her appearence would be preceeded by the rustling of her silken dress; she would be seen in black gliding through the kitchen and disappearing on the same flag stone. The apparation was seen as late as 1920 at that time next to a well near the stone cottage in which she moved to when to she was too infirm to live in the manor.

The Phantom Violinist - Stainland, Nr Halifax, Yorkshire

Submitted by Martin Heaps

Mr Albert Paradise first moved to his cottage in about 1930, when he was still a child. The cottage is in Stainland near Halifax, Yorkshire. Because Mr Paradise father had a fear of gas and electricity, the house did not have anything other than a coal fire and oil lamps or candles until his death in th 1950's.

On New Years Eve 1956 Mr Paradise was in bed listening to music; he had not been drinking despite the festive season. Mr paradise had left the bedroom curtains open and was lying in bed. Above the fireplace was a victorian print and Mr Paradise apparently saw a face appear in the frame then watched in terror when a figure appeared to walk out of the fireplace and towards the bed. Mr Paradise described the apparition as having a white face, sunken eyes and long white hair.

Even more extraordinary the figure appeared to be playing a violin. Mr Paradise left the room in terror.

A few nights later Mr Paradise was in the kitchen when he felt someone was behind him and he was too afarid to turn around; he remained rigid in the kitchen.
No further reports where made after the fireplace was bricked up and the house fitted with electricity.

Wadsley White Lady - Wadsley Common, Sheffield, S Yorkshire

Submitted by Martin Heaps

Wadsley is in the northwest of Sheffield in South Yorkshire and in 1920 became momenteraly famous for its white-lady ghost.

She was seen in Worrall, Wadsley and Loxley but though to originate on Wadlsey common. She glided silently around, raising her arms in lament. According to the legend, the lady walks, if walks be the word, between nine and eleven at night.

As reported in the Sheffield Daily Independant of 5 February 1920, Clarence Swain was out walking with his sister when they saw the figure. Bothe he and his sister where alarmed at the sight and commented, "Me nervous! I was never feared before of man or spirit but if this wasn't a spirit I am beat".

A minor John Grayson also saw the ghost on the same spot again with its arms waiving in despair. Many others also claim to have seen the ghost.

Despite the very human like appearence of this white-lady local researchers are convinced that this particular report belongfs under the tag which-nun, whice is believed to appear when natural gases and energy emanate from the Earth.

These swirling elongated shapes can appear very human like and to someone alone in a desolate area it is all too easy to see faces and moving limbs.

Abbas Hall - Nr Great Cornard Suffolk

Submitted by Martin Heaps

Abbas Hall is located just a few miles from Borley Rectory. Events there were investigated by ghost hunter Philip Paul who worked with the occupant, Yvonne Spalding.

Her job was to look after the hall for the owner, a solicitor, in exchange for which she was allowed to live there rent free. She also tended a herd of Jersey cattle kept on the nearby esate of Lord Abinger.

Spailding reported hearing footsteps and heavy dragging noises in the bedroom in the bedrooms upstairs though she could find no explanation for these sounds. Lord Abinger apparantly told her he had seen the face of an old women looking through the window; when he and Yvonne went outside to investigate no one could be found outside.

On another occasion Yvonne was alone in the house in the evening, reading in the living room when the kitchen latch door made a sound.

Her cat and her dog then stared at the door and bothe moevd their heads in unison, appeared to be watching something move across the room where the latch on the other door also clicked. Some seconds later she heard dragging of feet in the upstairs bedroom.

Uncomfartable to say the least, she took her animals and spent the night at a friends.

The Millers House - Willington, Tyne and Wear

Submitted by Martin Heaps

In 1840 ghostlight phenomena were reported in a miller's house, owned by a quake, Mr Joseph Proctor, at Wellington, Newcastle. One particular room in the house was said to be haunted by disembodied human sounds and balls of lights, which would render it impossible to be occupied as a sleeping apartment. Various animal noises where also present.

In order to investigate the phenomenon Dr edward Drury visited the mil with a friend on 3rd July 1840. The house was secretly locked up and examined and Dr Drury sat on the third - story landing waiting for the phenomenon to mainfest itself.

At around ten minutes to midnight there was a noise which sounded like pattering of bare feet on the floor.They could hear waht sounded like coughing in the haunted room although it was empty and they heard a rustling sound coming up the stairs.

At a quarter to one Dr Drury saw a figure of a women dressed in grey clothing. Here head was slightly bowed and one hand was pressed against her chest as if she was in pain.

The apparition approached cautiously and pointed towards his friend who was sleeping nearby. drury then rushed towards the apparition, giving an almost awful yell bu found nothing of substance and he ended up collapsing on his friend; for the next three hours he could recall nothing.

During this peroid he was carried downstairs in a state of fear and terror Dr Drury later said he was suprised at how innafected he had been.