A very singular but very mischievous system of annoyance has been carried on for the last day or two, by a person or persons not yet known, who have been amusing themselves by breaking the windows of a house in Lemon Row, Truro. The circumstance has in a considerable degree excited the surprise of the inhabitants, and as usual there are several versions of the story.
In the day time as well as at night stones of no common size have been thrown at the windows and panes of glass broken, and although many persons have been present, the place from whence these missiles were thrown has not yet been discovered. Various conjectures are afloat on the subject, not altogether unmixed with idle superstitious notions.
The windows of the house are boarded up, but even this we understand has not had the desired effect, some glass having been since broken. Hand bills have been [?]ed, and a reward offered for the apprehension of the mysterious offenders, and we heartily hope they will be discovered and punished.
Royal Cornwall Gazette, 14 April 1821.
A Cornish Ghost.
During the last week the inhabitants of Truro have been amused, astonished, or alarmed, according to the different degrees of nerve and judgment possessed by each, by the mischievous freaks of a Ghost, whose pranks have excited no small degree of interest; and who has hitherto eluded every attempt to discover its retreat or detect it in the exercise of its vagaries, though numbers of persons have been on the watch for that purpose.
Near Carclew-street, a part of the town lately built, a house has been hired as a depot, in which the arms of the militia regiment of Royal Miners are deposited. On the evening of Wednesday se’nnight, the person who resides in a part of this house, and takes care of the arms, was alarmed by the breaking of his windows; he ran to the door, but could not discover the spot from whence the stones proceeded. Still the missiles continued to fly at intervals, and several panes of glass were demolished, not only in the depot, but in the adjoining house, which is inhabited by the serjeant-major of the regiment, named Candy.
This continued for some time, and the affrighted armourer and serjeant-major applied to the Officers resident in the town, who repaired to the spot; but though they saw the stones strike the houses, and break the windows, and were occasionally struck themselves, every attempt to discover the person who threw them, or the precise spot from whence they came was unavailing. This continued through the night, and the people in the neighbourhood insisted that the stones were directed by no mortal hand.
At length the Mayor was applied to, who, with the active constables of the parish of Kenwyn, Messrs. Clemence and Brown, hastened to the place, accompanied by numbers, eager to witness the proceedings. The scene of attack was now changed from the front to the rear of the house; and though the stones continued to fly, and the Civil Power was on the alert, and scouts were sent out in all directions, no discovery was made.
The ghost appeared to enjoy the confusion it had excited, for both his Worship and his assistants were struck with stones whilst endeavouring to unravel the mystery. After the activity of the scouts and the ingenuity of the constables were exhausted, sentinels were placed at various points: some of the cavalry in the barracks which adjoin the spot were engaged to assist, and the Magistrate and constables withdrew. Still no detection took place, though the stones continued to be thrown occasionally; and, in utter hopelessness of wearying out the invisible assailant, the windows of both the houses were barricadoed on the outside with boards. The attack has been continued up to the present moment, and in the presence of hundreds of persons of all descriptions, who have gone in crowds to view the premises which are subject to the most persevering and extraordinary annoyance.
The lower classes, who have always a taste for the marvellous, are fully persuaded that this is a supernatural visitation by some troubled spirit, and numberless tales of the most extravagant nature have been circulated. Some assert that the stones smell of brimstone; others, that they are quite warm; and one person gravely assured us that the stones continued to enter the rooms and break cups, plates, &c. though the windows were barricadoed and the doors shut; and that a few minutes before we arrived, he had heard two fall inside.
As the sport has been so long continued, we should think it very probable that the ghost will overact its part, so as finally to lead to detection. At all events, it appears to be susceptible of fatigue, for its attacks are only returned at intervals, and but one stone is flung at a time. – West Briton.
Westmorland Gazette, 5th May 1821.
The Cornish ghost, whose vagaries we noticed in our last, continues at intervals to annoy the inhabitants of the house in Carclew-street, used as a depot for the arms of the Cornwall miners, by throwing stones which have broken the few panes of glass in the only window that was not barricadoed, and damaged the things in the room; – the adjoining house to the right, occupied by the serjeant-major has likewise been attacked, while the hand that directs these missiles continues invisible, nor has the precise spot from whence they come been ascertained. – It appears to be the object of this persevering assailant to compel the occupiers of these two houses to quit them. The windows of the house on the left of the depot have wholly escaped. The people in the neighbourhood declare their perfect conviction that the stones are directed by supernatural agency, as it is impossible that any human being could elude the vigilance which has been exerted to unravel the mystery. – How long this hoax will continue it is impossible to conjecture.
Exeter Flying Post, 3rd May 1821.
The Ghost.
The truly ridiculous story with which the town has lately been amused respecting supernatural agency in the wanton destruction of the rooms in Carclew street, inhabited by the armourer of the Royal Miners, will soon we trust by the over-acting of the principal performer, be cleared up to the satisfaction of the public. The whole of the mischief has no doubt been done by a very wicked person or persons, by some under the influence of superstition, and by others unable to fathom the real motive of action, supposed to be a Ghost!!
– But why, as many well informed persons now believe to be the case, this malicious spirit should follow the armourer’s wife, and even in the day time continue to play his pranks in her presence, is a problem we think cannot long remain unresolved, if an enquiry be but instituted by the police for the detection of so scandalous a hoax.
For the last eight or ten days all disturbance has ceased in the house [?] attacked, the armourer having removed his wife and son to a house in Charles-street. The Ghost, it would appear has been a long time in discovering their retreat, or could not find a convenient opportunity to play off a new trick, or it was not until Thursday last, between [?] and five o’clock in the afternoon, that he renewed his freaks in Charles street, when plates, glasses, &c. were dashed in pieces, a watch which hung within reach, was much bruised, and all at a single blow!!
There were present on this occasion the armourer’s wife and son, and the mistress of the house, who was thrown into a state of the greatest agitation; she however exonerated her lodger from any participation in this affair, saying she believed something followed her, – which indeed appears to be the general opinion of all the inhabitants in the immediate neighbourhood!!
If this barefaced imposition be witchery, as some foolish people are apt to believe, we should be inclined to think, as was said in the crowd in Charles street, that the mischief was done by a broomstick, a weapon fabled to belong to these kind of gentry!!!
At seven o’clock in the evening the armourer’s wife was sent back to her old quarters in Carclew-street. The Ghost however had either preceded or gone with her to the old theatre of his exploits, and here he seemed to be perfectly at home. Its gambols for the evening were soon renewed by a milk jug starting from the window bench into the middle of the room, a tea-pot splitting to pieces on the table, a tea-caddy flying about and depositing its contents upon the floor, and a candle-stick jumping from the chimney-piece, &c. &c. and there was some further disturbance yesterday morning.
We understand however that some constables are now upon the premises, who have determined to remain there the whole day, and from the well known activity of one of them, who has pledged himself that nothing shall happen in his presence without detection, we hope an end will be put to the most gross delusion ever practised upon the credulity of mankind.
Royal Cornwall Gazette, 5th May 1821.
A Cornish Paper says – “A reward has been offered for the discovery of the ghost that has annoyed the houses in Carlew-street, in this town, (Truro) by throwing stones for the last three weeks; and the armourer’s family having left the depot, which is now entirely shut up, the invisible assailant has shifted the scene of attack, and yesterday (Thursday) commenced an assault on the house to which this family has removed, in Charles-street, to the great alarm of the neighbourhood. It is a disgrace to our Police that this miserable hoax is allowed to be continued to be played off so long.”
Oxford University and City Herald, 12th May 1821.
Discovery of the Truro Ghost.
To the Editor of the Cornwall Gazette. Truro, May 10th.
Sir, I have been induced by the dreadful effects produced on the mind of a valuable individual, by the late mischievous tricks played at the depot of the arms of the Royal Miners’ Militia, to take considerable trouble in gaining possession of facts relating to the impositions practiced.
Serjeant Thomas Ashburn, formerly a non-commissioned officer in the 6th Regiment of foot, has been for 11 years armourer to our Regiment, and no man has deserved or enjoyed greater confidence and respect both from men and officers than he has. He is married, and has by his present and only wife six children alive: Edward the eldest, is in his 17th year, Thomas in his 16th, Jane in her 6th, Peggy in her 5th, John in his third, and Henry a fine infant of 7 weeks. The two eldest boys have been brought up by their maternal Grandmother, who lived at Preston, in Lancashire, and were daily sent by her to a cotton factory, where they worked 15 hours a-day, viz. from 6 to 9, with the intervals only of 20 minutes allowed for breakfast, and 30 for dinner. In this hotbed of immorality and hardihood they continued till the summer of 1819, when, in consequence of my repeated remonstrances, the Armourer insisted upon their being sent to him. They came by sea from Liverpool in a very sad plight, both small of their age, and the elder particularly thin.
The coercion and discipline which the parents used to reform their manners were so unpleasant to them, that the elder boy once, and the younger repeatedly, ran away, but returned again. The elder boy has been about a year apprenticed to Mr Guthrie, currier, in Kenwyn-street; his master gives him a good character, and says he has been constant at his work, and seemed to keep out of the way of the disturbances at the depot. The other boy has been principally employed in domestic offices by his mother, who has been observed to keep a tight hand over him – the boy is strong and clever.
On the 18th or 19th of April last, Captain Forster, the Paymaster, and myself, finding that Ashburn was ill and very miserable, and the breakage continuing, recommended the family to leave the Stores, and I took the Armourer to my house. He having been severely wounded in the head in Portugal, and having a depression of part of the cranium, is subject to attacks of Paralysis; but in a few days, having been kept quiet, and persuaded out of the invisibility of the window-breakers, he was sufficiently recovered to be able to resume his work.
On Friday morning, May 4, I was sent for in great haste to see him at the Stores; those about him fearing he was dying. I found him insensible, the pupils of his eyes fully dilated, and his body strongly convulsed; he at last burst into a violent flood of tears and becoming sensible said he thought he was dying, and wished he might die.
I got him to my house with some difficulty – he had several fits, with permanent dilation of the pupil, and during the intervals talked wildly and did not know those about him; pulse under 60, little convulsion and no stertorous breathing. The temporal artery had been opened, and a blister applied over the whole crown of his head; when it began to act, he became much better. He has since been carefully attended by my people, and by some of the non-commissioned officers of our regiment who do not believe in witchcraft and an evil eye.
On the evening of Friday the 14th, I was sent for to see the boy Tom Ashburn, who was at Trebilcock’s, the baker’s, in a fit. I found him in bed, his eyes shut, his limbs moveable, his pulse natural; on throwing water in his face he started, and on raising his eyelid with my finger, he withdrew the pupil, rolling the eye upwards; on fixing the eye-ball, so that he could not play this trick, the pupil contracted naturally on the approach of the candle. I told him to get up, that he was in no fit, but trying to impose on me, and asked for a horsewhip, on which he lay quiet, but his pulse rose considerably.
Sergeant Sampson brought me a small cane, which I applied to his sides and shoulders with great success, he jumping up crying and exclaiming “I am in a fit, Sir;” he promised, however, to have no more fits, and I left him and the remedy, but he had no return of the paroxysm. We were informed that this fit had been the consequence of Mr Milford and others having, upon strong evidence, accused him of having thrown a stone that same evening.
Having our suspicions of this boy now more fully excited, we made many enquiries, and notwithstanding the great opposition we met with in our endeavours to find out the truth, from the superstitious adherence of the ignorant classes to the marvellous in their statements, we found sufficient presumptive proof to warrant confining him. We could not however get from him that confession we so much desired, in order to set at rest the Armourer’s mind, which seemed verging on melancholy madness from the dreadful idea of supernatural persecution.
I am happy, however, to say that on Wednesday evening the boy, on a promise of forgiveness, confessed his roguery, and the mode in which he carried his tricks, and it is not a little curious to observe how much he has been assisted by the readiness with which the uneducated fall into the belief of witchcraft and supernatural influences. Out of a great number of written accounts which I have taken from different people during the progress of this imposition, it will only be necessary to trouble you with a few.
Thomas Ashburn, sen., declares that four pair of mens’ and boys’ worsted stockings were stolen off the privy door, at the back of the house, on the evening of the 10th of April, about seven o’clock; they were found next morning in the magazine-yard, uninjured.
Seven gooseberry bushes, belonging to Sergeant-Major Candy, were torn up and left in the gardenwalk before the house, also his young broad beans; four gooseberry bushes also belonging to Serjeant Ashburn, were torn up and others loosened; three pence were found near them in the morning.
On Wednesday morning the 11th, some needles were found scattered just under Ashburn’s window, by tom Ashburn; he did not see any papers near them (Sergeant Ashburn afterwards found three needle-papers on a dung heap, three or four yards off, since burnt.) Sergeant-Major Candy was just by, getting in coals, and he, Mrs Soby, Betsy Daddo, Mrs Gibson, and Serjeant Ashburn, found more, to the amount perhaps of 200. – See explanation at the end.
Mr Wallie declares, that on Thursday the second day of the breaking, he, with Mr Milford and G Jenkins, standing in the garden, between the house and the Magazine, a stone struck one of the windows upstairs, the lath-room he believes, the stone seemed to come from behind the hedge, he jumped over to look, and saw a boy on the other side of the Magazine, who cried out, there is no one here. Mr W. thought the boy could not have got there so soon had he not been there before. The boy had a short blue jacket on, and he believes the boy to be Thomas Ashburn, jun., but cannot swear to him. Thomas Ashburn, jun. on being confronted with the man, said he was behind the magazine watching. He now says he threw the stone.
Sergeant Ashburn declares that just as the clock struck eight on Sunday morning the 15th, he, his wife and the infant, Miss Jennings, and [..] James, the grocer’s relation, only being in the room, the two boys and other children upstairs, the boys having just gone up; a large spar stone struck the window-shutter inside, and re[..] about three feet from the window.
Tom says he was sitting in the room at the time he threw this stone, by the side of the dresser and that the woman went home before he went to bed.
Sergeant Sampson declares, that on the 16th of April, at a quarter past eight A.M. there being in the room only himself, Mrs Ashburn, T Ashburn, jun. and three small children, he, Sampson, having his eye on the whole of them, he heard the noise of a stone striking the window-shutter, it being screwed up, and the door locked, he then found two spar stones on the floor, and can swear they were not there a minute before, the stones were about two feet from the window, close to the children. Sergeant Sampson examined upstairs, and found no one there.
The boy Tom says in explanation, that he threw one stone with one hand, eating with the other, and watching Sampson’s eye, the other stone he had previously laid on the chair.
Sergeant Ashburn affirms that about a quarter before nine on Sunday morning the 22d, he saw all his family out of his house, and locked the door, having ascertained that all was safe and no stones on the floor, he took the key in his pocket, and did not return till about half-past nine, P.M. when he returned with his family; on opening the door he found the looking-glass, which he had used to shave with in the morning, and left sound, hung up on the wall, broken in the middle of the floor, and its back taken out and laid upon th eframe, with the glass on it; he found also seven stones on the floor. He himself was first in the room and found both glass and stones.
In explanation Tom says, “Father gave brother and me the keys, and Edward opened the door, and while he went to Mrs Quick’s to get his candle lighted, I broke the looking-glass and put it on the floor, and put seven stones on the floor which I had before hid under the dresser.”
Jane Weeks, on Thursday the 26th inst. sitting in a chair in Ashburn’s kitchen, by the fire, saw a piece of a basin fall on the ground, which she really believes came through the bars of the cupboard; it was about half way down the cupboard door when she first saw it. Many days before, the door being open, and four people, viz. Mrs Ashburn, Mary Curtis, herself, and another, whom she does not know, being in the room, the shutter being closed and pinned, a pane of glass broke, and the glass came into the room she thinks; a stone was found inside, just below the pane, broken. Many people then came in, and Mrs Weeks looking at the ceiling, saw a stone wavering, which fell on the floor; it appeared that the ceiling opened and closed again. Mrs Soby, Mary Curtis, Mrs Ashburn, and James Odger, were present at this time.
Tom says, that he threw a piece of basin against the cupboard whilst Mrs Weeks and his mother had their backs turned to him; that he also took an opportunity when the people in the room were not observing him, to throw a stone up against the plancheon.
Monday, May 7th, present, Mr Buckingham, Mr W Paul, Mr Bozon, Mr Simmons, and Mr Hunt. Mrs Trebilcock states that on Friday last, about the middle of the day, T Ashburn and herself only being in the kitchen, a salt-cellar which stood on the middle of the table was gone in an instant out through the window, and was found in the garden in two parts. Tom says he threw it out while he was telling her where to get water to fill the kettle.
On the same day she heard a thump at the window, and the glass flew in over the floor; she does not know whether Tom Ashburn was in the room or not. – He says in explanation, that he was in the room and threw a stone.
On Saturday night last, the boys slept at home by their mother’s desire, no one else being in the room where they slept at the top of the stairs. She (Mrs Trebilcock) heard a great noise below stairs, she came down to call a neighbour, and kicked down a lamp which lay there, and which she had left on the dresser when she went up to see Mrs Ashburn.
Tom says he slipped upstairs with the lamp and threw it down on the lobby from above, whilst his brother was straining, in consequence of being sick in his stomach.
On Friday last, May 4, about six P.M. Edward Milford was sitting in Ashburn’s kitchen, on a chair near the window and opposite the door, he saw a stone pass the window and strike the side of the window-frame nearest the door, where the mark is to be seen. Sergeant-Major Candy and he immediately went forth, and Edward Milford looked for some one in the direction the stone came, but saw no one any where about, they picked up the stone and went in. Mr George Jenkin, who was also in the room, said, “Where is that boy?” (meaning Tom Ashburn). “I saw him not many minutes agone by the pump.” Sergeant-Major Candy, and he, Edward Milford, then went out, and as they came out of Ashburn’s door, saw the boy Tom peeping out of Sergeant Daddo’s door, as soon as he saw them he drew back, they immediately charged him with throwing the stone which he, though with great confusion, denied.
(Signed) Edward Milford.
Witness to this declaration, Mr and Mrs Jenkin, and L H. Potts. May 10.
Thomas Ashburn, jun. says he threw the stone standing just outside of Sergeant Daddo’s door.
Witness to the confession, George Hotten. Jane Tregoning, Her mark X.
May 10. Thos. Ashburn, jun. declares that he had no accomplices in the mischief he did, that he was provoked to it by the ill-usage of his mother, who beat him very much, sometimes with the poker; that on the second day she came down stairs after her lying-in, she struck him on the head with the brush, which brought blood, and that the SErgeant-Marjor and his father said it was a scandalous shame, and that she often told him she would limb him.; that the first thing he did to be revenged was throwing the stockings into the Magazine-yard; that he next pulled up the gooseberry trees and beans; that he scattered 3 pence that his mother should not suspect he did it; that he next broke the window in the room he sleeps in with a stone from the inside, his brother being asleep; that he got some needles at Mr Blee’s, in a box on the counter, when his father sent hm to buy powder; that he strewed them under the window; that he threw stones at the windows in front and then went through the passage and threw more; and the people said they were thrown on both sides at once; that he watched the people’s eyes, and threw only when they looked the other way.
These facts and the explanations of the wonders above, were stated voluntarily by Thomas Ashburn, jun. in the presence of Dr Taunton, Mr Thomas Powell, Mr Budd, Mr Gillet, jun., James Haycraft, Sergeant Harrap, L H Potts, and several ladies, on the forenoon of this 10th of May.
Having thus given as correct an account of the matter as my abilities and the time would allow, I must remark the great and obvious tendency of the human mind to the marvellous, especially among the ignorant and uneducated, which after all, as Captain Forster observes, cannot cause much surprise, when we recollect that the statutes at large bear testimony that at no very remote period King, Lors, and Commons, enacted laws respecting witches, thereby fully proving that they believed such things were. Happily knowledge has made so rapid a progress of late, that we need not fear seeing a repetition of the barbarous cruelties formerly exercised against innocent and defenceless old women. The witches of the present day are ready to be found among the young and beautiful of their sex, and their influence is not likely to cause [..] misery to those on whom they exert it.
Though, by the way, it may not be amiss to hint to those who may hear this read (for I cannot suppose any who can read themselves will need the hint) that they may live to be old themselves, and that it will be doubly hard to be exposed to the inconveniences of age and suspicion at once, as the poor woman was, who was hunted through Truro streets last Tuesday, by girls and boys, who declared their intention of tearing her gown and drawing her blood, that she might have no power over them!! What a disgrace to the age and to the parents who brought those children up!
I am, sir, Your obedient servant, L.H. Potts, Surgeon to the Royal Miners Militia.
Royal Cornwall Gazette, 12th May 1821.
The Cornish Ghost – The Cornwall Ghost which has lately excited so much enquiry in that county, and suprize throughout the kingdom, is found to be an inmate of Serjeant Ashburn’s (armourer) house, no more or less than his own son, who had ingeniously contrived those alarming pranks to revenge his mother for using him ill, by beating him with the poker, &c. The father’s life is despaired of, from the effect of the fright; and so determined was the boy (Ashburn) in his mischievous exploits, that he even pretended to be affected with the same illness as his father, imitating him in the fits which seized him.
It was with great difficulty the joke was at length discovered, and with still greater, that the truth was afterwards elicited. The following is his declaration, as stated by a correspondent (who was the principal in unravelling the mystery) in the West Briton:– “Thomas Ashburn, jun. declares, that he had no accomplices in the mischief he did, that he was provoked to it by the ill usage of his mother, who beat him very much, sometimes with the poker; that on the second day she came downstairs after her lying-in, she struck him on the head with the brush, which brought blood, and that the Serjeant-Major and his father said it was a scandalous shame, and that she often told him she would limb him; the the first thing he did to be revenged, was throwing the stockings into the Magazine-yard; that he next pulled up the gooseberry-trees and beans; that he scattered threepence, that his mother should not suspect that he did it; that he next broke the window in the room he sleeps in, with a stone from the inside, his brother being asleep; that he got some needles at Mr. Blee’s, in a box on the counter, when his father sent him to buy powder, and that he strewed them under the window; that he threw stones at the windows in front, and then went through the passage and threw more; and the people said they were thrown on both sides at once; that he watched the people’s eyes, and threw only when they looked theother way.
These facts, and the explanations of the wonders above, were stated voluntarily by Thos. Ashburn, jun. in the presence of Dr. Taunton, Mr. Thos. Powell, Mr. Budd, Mr. Gillet, jun. James Haycraft, Serjeant Harrap, L.H. Potts, and several ladies, on the forenoon of the 10th May.”
Cumberland Pacquet, and Ware’s Whitehaven Advertiser, 21st May 1821.
The Cornish ghost has at length made its appearance in the person of the armourer’s son, a mischievous boy about 16 years of age, who confessed, in the presence of many gentlemen of Truro, that the mischief he did, he was provoked to by the ill-usage of his mother, who beat him very much, sometimes with the poker; that the first thing he did to be revenged, was throwing his mother’s stockings into the Magazine-yard; that he next pulled up the gooseberry trees and beans; and scattere d needles under his father’s window; that he next broke the window in the room he sleeps with a stone from the inside; that he threw stones at the windows in front, and then went through the passage, and threw more, and the people said they were thrown on both sides at once; that he watched the people’s eyes and threw only when they looked the other way; that these, and many other mischievous acts which he had been guilty of, were wholly with a view of annoying his mother, and that he had no accomplices. We are happy to state, that since the discovery of the ghost the tranquility of the town has been restored, and the fears of the superstitious dissipated.
St James’s Chronicle, 15th May 1821.