Strange “Ghost” Story.
Mysterious rappings cause alarm.
Family desert their home.
A whole neighbourhood in one of the poorer parts of Cambridge, comprised within the parish of St. Andrew-the-Less, is in a state of alarm because of a supposed supernatural visitation. The inhabitants of the district regard the visitation very seriously, and beg that a determined and systematic effort should be made to clear up the mystery. At first sight stories of the supernatural or the mysterious are invariably received with the smile of unbelief; so was this by some of the neighbours, who have by actual experience been since convinced that an investigation is required. Matters have gone so far that the family living in the cottage distinguished by the phenomenon have fled from it and are now sleeping in a relative’s house near at hand.
At different times mysterious knockings – one – two – three – and then a pause, have been heard, proceeding, with one exception, from the same spot, in the ceiling of the downstairs room about a foot from the front door, and in the corresponding spot of the floor of the upstairs room. The cottage comprises but two rooms, one up and one down, and the street door communicates immediately with the living room below.
A girl of eight years, named Rose, appears, according to the accounts furnished to one of our representatives, inseparably connected with the knockings, which are described as being of a sound similar to that which woud be produced by a person striking a hollow spot with a muffled instrument. Upon no occasion has the sound, though loud enough to attract the attention of and cause fright to the neighbours, been clear and resonant. It has always been a muffled sound.
Another circumstance is worth bearing in mind. Over the spot where the knockings apparently occur, the child Rosie sleeps with another child five years of age in a little truckle bed. Independent persons have tried to reproduce the noises by shaking the bed, stamping the floor, striking the wall, and other devices, but all have failed. Further, the boards of the floor have been taken up without yielding any result.
A suggestion that the child or children may during sleep have caused the noises is held to be out of place, though no systematic watching of the children at the time when the knockings occur has been undertaken. Rosie, who appears to be a child out of the common, would be called a sensitive medium by a spiritualist who heard the stories of the mother and neighbours, because it is only when she is in bed and asleep that the knockings are heard. Rosie shares the terror which the mystery has created in the minds of some of her elders.
About six weeks ago the noises commenced. Mrs —, the mother, distinctly heard three thumps, apparently in the ceiling. These thumps were repeated at intervals nine times that particular evening, commencing between eight o’clock and half-past. Nothing more was heard until last Thursday night, when seven times the three muffled thumps were heard, in the same place and about the same time, both children being in bed and asleep at the time. The experience was repeated on Friday evening. By this time the matter became common talk in the neighbourhood.
Neighbours had heard the noises, had sought in vain for an explanation, and agreeing that a supernatural agency was at work, became frightened. Hard-headed men pooh-poohed the story as one of the feminine imagination, but when on Saturday the thumps again commenced, several of the sceptical ones were brought to the house, and waiting outside, they distinctly heard the noises. That, at any rate, is the information volunteered to our representative, and the names of two of the men who are positive they heard the knockings can be given. Affrighted, most of the people in the vicinity remained where they were, but two of the bolder spirits ran upstairs, only to find nothing to account for the noises.
Upon one occasion the children were carried downstairs and laid down to sleep upon a sofa. The mother says that while they were peacefully sleeping, she heard three raps underneath the sofa. At the time an uncle – George – was watching the child Rosie, who was sleeping with her hands folded across the breast, and the uncle, who had his arms across the child, declares that he distinctly felt the sofa moving.
After that experience, Mrs — determined to sleep at her mother’s house with her children. There no noises were heard, nor were any heard proceeding from the forsaken home, and somewhat reassured, she went back to her own home later in the week, when her nerves were still further tried by a repetition. She has returned to her mother’s, determined not to sleep again in the house where the strange rappings are heard. The first night she was absent from her own house, her husband and the uncle slept there, and George was awakened in the morning by what he describes as “a smothery feeling,” as if some intangible substance has passed across his face.
Children and some of the adults have had their nerves severely shaken, and the neighbourhood is in a state of such unrest that an independent investigation is asked for. The neighbours called a policeman one evening when the noises had been heard, but the policeman, like most other people to whom an extraordinary story is first related, was sceptical, and gave a materialistic opinion as to the cause of the disturbance.
We merely give the plain facts as they have been related by several persons of the neighbourhood. A suggestion that a cruel hoax is in progress is not entertained by people of the locality.
Cambridge Daily News, 5th September 1907.
The Cambridge “Ghost” Story.
Disappointed Investigators.
No further manifestations.
Like Brer Rabbit, the Cambridge “ghost” seems determined to “lay low and say nuffin’.” He, she, or it declines further manifestations for the benefit of amateur investigators who have patiently waited for hours in the house, or for the delectation of hundreds of equally curious persons who, having discovered the situation of the house, throng the narrow thoroughfare at all hours up to midnight. According to accepted tradition, ghosts are of a shy and retiring disposition. They prefer a quiet secluded spot for their pranks, and the firmest believer in the supernatural could scarcely expect a self-respecting spook to give a demonstration in the midst of the clamour which now marks the evening hours in this particular thoroughfare. Since the affrighted family left the house for the temporary accommodation of the abode of a relative, no more muffled thumpings have been heard.
The first investigators were two members of the staff of the “Cambridge Daily News,” who, while not being prepared to admit the supernatural explanation, went to the house with open minds, in the hope of being able to furnish a reasonable explanation of the mysterious thumpings. Alas! they found nothing to explain. Hour after hour they waited with all the paraphernalia for bogus spook-laying near at hand, but the spook was taking a holiday, and refused to thump.
It is only fair to state that the prevalent conditions were far from normal. In the first place, the family had fled, though the husband found sufficient courage to sit out part of the time with the investigators. The little girl Rosie, with whom the manifestations seem inseparably connected, was absent, and those who have heard the rappings are positive nothing more will be heard until the child again sleeps in the house under conditions similar to those when the noises disturbed the neighbourhood.
Again, news of the attempted investigation had by some means leaked out. Arrangements to take possession of the house had been made, it was fondly thought, with secrecy, a caution having been administered to those intimately concerned not to breathe a word of the projected visit, but the neighbours discuss little else than the supposed ghost, and by the time the investigators had comfortably settled down to their protracted vigil, their presence was very well known. That gave a fillip to the already considerable curiosity the extraordinary story had excited, and the street was filled with men, women, and children, who regarded the affair with very mixed feelings.
It is impossible to doubt the sincerity of the belief of the neighbours that the visitation is unearthly, and a very extraordinary theory propounded by a hard-headed man of business living near at hand has been secretly accepted by many as reasonable. Rosie, the eight-year-old child, it should be explained, is the offspring of a former marriage, her mother having been married a second time. The theory is that the spirit of her deceased father is endeavouring to communicate with her, supposedly for her monetary advantage. This belief in the supernatural accounted for many of the amusing remarks the investigators seated behind the drawn blinds were forced to overhear. Modesty forbids a reproduction of many of the highly-coloured comments. By some it was agreed that the pair were foolhardy in thus tempting fate, while one man to whom Dutch courage apparently seems the best, was very positive that a bottle of brandy was a necessary item in the preparations for ghost-laying. He was quite wrong. A spook-hunter is a teetotaler if he is wise.
Fabulous sums were mentioned as being necessary to induce certain spectators outside to enter the supposedly haunted house, much less pass a night there. All this while the next door neighbour was adding to the din by removing his furniture, and in the midst of so much clamour practically all hope was abandoned of obtaining the favour of a visit from the ghost, the hoaxer, or whatever the cause of the noises may be.
Later in the evening, however, the noise abated. As the hours progressed the crowd outside melted before the persuasions of the police and the discouragement afforded by the neighbours, and the person intent upon moving his furniture had just completed his task. A comparatively quiet period was broken by – Thump – Thump – Thump – repeated twice. Had the spook obliged?
Not a bit of it. The noises were too clear and distinct to be produced by any but earthly means, and what is more, they could be definitely located. They came from next door. Either the neighbour about to vacate found a spot which required hammering, or he thought he would reward the investigators with something to investigate. There was nothing to do but to stick to the weary task, until all hope had to be abandoned. No noises have ever been after eleven o’clock, and after giving the spook an hour’s grace, the pair packed up their paraphernalia and left without having heard anything more ghostly than the scratching of mice and rats. Though the hour was past midnight, a lady resident a few houses away was accompanied by her family, anxiously awaiting the result of the visit, while a little further down the lane was a group of persons whose patience had not yet been exhausted or curiosity quelled.
“Have you found anything, sir?” they asked eagerly. Regretfully it was admitted that nothing unusual had occurred. “Ah!” said one good lady, “you’ll never hear anything until they bring that little gal back again.”
The next evening “the little gal” Rosie was persuaded to enter the house and compose herself for sleep. She only stayed, however, about half an hour. Two other investigators, this time not connected with this paper, were present. They also had no experience to record. Outside the house the excitement was as great as ever.
Cambridge Daily News, 7th September 1907.
A Cambridge Mystery.
Attributed to supernatural agency.
A scare has been created in one of the poorer parts of Cambridge by a supposed supernatural visitation, which has caused a family to hastily vacate the house in which they lived. Night after night mysterious muffled knockings have been heard proceeding apparently from a certain spot in the ceiling of the living room, and all efforts to account for the noises have failed.
Neighbours, who have become almost as frightened as the occupants of the house, have been called in in a vain endeavour to elucidate the mystery, and boards of the floor in the bedroom have been raised above the spot whence the noises proceed, but nothing has been found.
Three of the four nights in succession the knockings were heard at regular intervals, and the family vacated the house for a few nights. On their return the sounds were again heard, and they once more left their home, declaring that nothing would induce them to return until the mystery was solved. Neighbours declare that they have distinctly heard the hammering, and some are in a state of panic, alleging that a supernatural agency is at work.
Leicester Daily Post, 7th September 1907.
A Haunted Child.
The muffled rappings heard in a cottage at Cambridge are still unexplained. Neighbours noticed that as soon as the family deserted the house the mysterious knockings ceased, and they are firmly of opinion that while a pale-faced girl named Rosie is kept away their sleep will not be disturbed.
Rosie herself is terrified at her past experiences, and begs that she may not sleep in the house again.
Several nights in succession, about half an hour after Rosie had fallen asleep, the muffled thump, thump, thump was heard, coming apparently from the neighbourhood of the child’s bed. Sometimes, it is stated, the girl was in such a dead sleep that she was roused with difficulty.
Upon other occasions, after the noises had been heard, she was found sitting up in bed screaming piteously.
Upon one occasiont she was laid to rest upon the sofa in the living room, and watched by an uncle, who, having his arms around the child, declares that he felt the sofa distinctly heave when the raps were heard. Meanwhile the child was fast asleep.
Many independent witnesses in the neighbourhood vouch for having heard the noises, and although Rosie has been taken away, crowds await patiently for hours outside the house expecting the return of the at present unexplained noises.
North Down Herald and County Down Independent, 13th September 1907.
Anything that smacks of the mysterious or supernatural has a strange fascination for some people, and there has been quite a stir in the Barnwell district of Cambridge over a ghost story which has now found its way into the London papers. It is declared that in a little two-roomed cottage at frequent intervals during the night mysterious noises have been heard in the ceiling of the living room and the floor of the bedroom above, and the tenants were so alarmed that they hastily left the premises and refused to sleep there again.
The noises, it is alleged, were only noticed near the bed of a child eight years of age. They are said to be persistent raps – one, two, three, and then a long pause; and they only go on when the children are in bed. The mother brought the children downstairs and let them sleep on the sofa, but this “ghost” was up to that sort of move and in a little while the knockings went on again, this time underneath the sofa, and an uncle who had come in to watch the child as it slept, declares that he distinctly felt the sofa heaving! The sofa must have had what is known as “a fit of the nerves” at the strange presence – or was it the uncle who was affected?
We are not told how these weird rappings and bed rockings are produced, but it is declared on the word of some of the neighbours, who have been called in for whispered consultations in the dead of the night, that they are real. It seems to be of no use talking about natural causes here, because the neighbours are convinced.
People have tried to reproduce the noises by shaking the bed, stamping on the floor, striking the wall, and other devices, but all have failed. They have even taken the floor boards up, and found nothing! But the “ghost” goes merrily on with his thumping. Whether he is using a hammer to deliver his message or is playfully snapping his fingers, is of no consequence – there are the proper number of knocks – the one! two! three! which any brother would give if he wished to gain admittance to his Lodge.
As I understand two local journalists have made an effort to get on business terms with the “ghost” with a view to publishing an interview. They spent half the night in th ehouse, but had to come away with non satisfactory result. The spook was taking a holiday and refused to thump. That is as far as the affair has got at present, but it has provided a rare sensation for Barnwell.
Cambridge Independent Press, 13th September 1907.
“Ghost” With A Hammer.
Weird Rappings and Bed-rocking in Cambridge.
A supposed “ghost” is troubling the peace of mind of the residents in a poor district in Cambridge, and the nocturnal doings have so alarmed the occupants of the cottage to which the ghost has shown attachment that they have taken their departure in alarm. The cottage is a two-room structure, and the “ghost” is declared to display its presence by persistent raps on the ceiling of the lower room – one! two! three! and then a long pause.
The most curious – and from a sceptic’s point of view perhaps the most significant – fact is that the knocking always takes place at the same spot – near the bed of a child eight years of age. One of the child’s relatives, who with neighbours has been playing the part of ghost-layer – declares that he has distinctly felt the bed rock simultaneously with the rappings.
One watcher states that the raps resemble a sound such as would be produced by a muffled instrument striking a hollow spot. And who knows but that in this description lies the true explanation of the mystery? At any rate, the neighbours profess themselves to be completely baffled, and the occupants of the cottage have been so unnerved that they have vacated the premises.
Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser, 14th September 1907.
Table Talk.
Even now the sensation created by the ghost story of Barnwell has not quite subsided. Folk are still busy propounding plausible theories. The latest is almost too absurd to bear repetition. It is supposed by some credulous people that a vagrant by some means was concealed in the chimney, from which spot he caused the knockings. How on earth an adult could conceal himself in the small chimney of one of the tiniest of cottages is a question which does not seem to rise upon this particular theory – but the supposition is not worth discussion.
Another theory is that the disturbance was the work of a hoaxer, who having since removed there are no more disturbing phenomena.
This Barnwell story recalls the mysterious knockings at Barton years ago. Many an old inhabitant recalls the “Barton Knocking Ghost,” as it was known at the time. Frequently during the night, and the day too, a succession of thumps were heard in a particular farmhouse, and many skilled ghost-layers were at their wits’ end for an explanation. All the known devices were tried in vain, and affairs wore a serious face until the real reason was hit upon by accident.
Near at hand was a stable, and beneath the floor of the stable a disused iron pipe, which, though unconnected with the drainage of the buildings, ran under the farmhouse. When the horse kicked upon the floor, as even the best-behaved horse will, teh sound was communicated to the house, but so muffled and mysterious that no other cause than the supernatural was supposed. The Barton Knocking Ghost had a good run before being run to earth.
Cambridge Daily News, 30th September 1907.