Strange Incidents in Farmhouse.
For some nights Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, the occupants of Losley Hall Farm, near Uttoxeter, have been the victims of extraordinary outrages, the perpetrator of which remained undiscovered until Tuesday. While seated at supper they were assailed with bottles and other missiles, which were apparently thrown from a landing upstairs, while strange noises were heard. Both Mr. and Mrs. Wilson rushed upstairs, but failed to discover anyone there. Later, when they had retired to rest, a table was removed from their room in the darkness, other articles disappeared, and when Mr. Wilson hurriedly left his bed to find the author of the mischief he was made the target for bottles, stones, and other articles.
A repetition of the incidents occurred on other nights, while Mrs. Wilson on going about her household duties during the day narrowly escaped injury from knives and stones which were thrown by an unseen hand. Many window panes were smashed, and other damage was done. Bedrooms were entered, bedding was thrown on to the floor, and furniture overturned.
Neighbours were called in, but they failed to elucidate the matter. Next the police appeared on the scene, and on Tuesday it was announced that the mystery had been solved, a girl of 14 employed on the farm confessing that she had planned and carried out the outrages.
Gloucestershire Echo, 24th August 1910.
Staffordshire “Spook.”
Mystery cleared: family’s fright.
Bombardment by boot and bottle.
The Staffordshire police succeeded on Tuesday in clearing up a mystery which for several days has caused great perplexity to people living in the neighbourhood of Uttoxeter. On Thursday a series of remarkable incidents began at Losley Hall Farm, Uttoxeter, occupied by Mr Wilson, bailiff to Mr Richardson. About ten o’clock at night Mr and Mrs Wilson were having supper, when they were startled by hearing noises, and presently boots and bottles came falling down the stairs, thrown by some invisible hand. Mr and Mrs Wilson at once rushed upstairs, and found everything in a state of wild confusion. Their bedroom had been completely ransacked, mattresses had been carried from one room to another, ornaments had disappeared, and the place was in a condition of chaos. Convinced that some intruder was on the premises, Mr Wilson called several farm hands, and the house was systematically searched, but without result.
Much perplexed, Mr and Mrs Wilson went to bed, but scarcely had they extinguished the light when all sorts of pranks were commenced by what seemed to be a supernatural visitant. A table was spirited out of the room, all sorts of articles were thrown in through the door, and when Mr Wilson got up to investigate he was assailed with bottles and other missiles. Uncanny noises were heard in different parts of the house, but a thorough search again proved unavailing. This was only the beginning of a series of remarkable incidents which occurred during the following days. Mrs Wilson, while at work, was made a target for all sorts of missiles, knives, forks, and bottles being hurled at her with great force. On several occasions knives just missed her head, and were deeply embedded in the doors. Twenty seven window panes were smashed by flying stones, and neighbours who were summoned to the house by the terrified occupants were greeted with such scant courtesy that they had to retire. A constable who watched the house on Saturday night saw a light extinguished in a room which, it is said, he knew to be absolutely empty.
Rigorous police investigations were set on foot, and as a result it was on Tuesday announced that a girl, aged 14, employed at the farm, had confessed that she is the mysterious “spook” which has been playing these dangerous tricks. How she managed to deceive the householders is a mystery.
South Wales Daily Post, 24th August 1910.
A Loxley Hall “Ghost.”
Mysterious happenings.
Residents in the old Staffordshire township of Uttoxeter are much perturbed by a story of remarkable happenings during the last few days at Loxley Hall Farm, the residence of Mr Wilson, bailiff to a well-known farmer in the district.
The mysterious occurrences began last Thursday night, since when there has been a strange sequence of events which seem to flavour of the supernatural, but for which the police are convinced a mundane explanation will be found.
While Mr and Mrs Wilson were at supper on Thursday night startling noises were heard upstairs, and presently boots, bottles, and other articles came hurtling down the stairs, propelled by some invisible hand. Rushing upstairs, they found their bedroom in disorder, the mattress was off the bed, ornaments had disappeared, and the place was in confusion. Convinced that a burglar was in the house, Mr Wilson fetched some farm hands. But no trace of the visitant could be found.
Eventually Mr and Mrs Wilson, much puzzled, went to bed, and immediately the light was extinguished, an astounding bombardment began; all sorts of things came flying into the room, and a small bamboo table was spirited from their sight on to the landing. Still nobody could be seen.
Since then, Mrs Wilson has been assailed with knives, forks, bottles and other missiles whilst going about household duties, and the “spook” has smashed twenty-seven windows.
Leeds Mercury, 24th August 1910.
Strange Doings at Loxley. The Mystery Solved.
Efforts have been made by the police for some days past to “lay” a “ghost” which has been troubling a homestead at Loxley, and reports to hand state that they have been successful in their endeavours. The scene is laid at Loxley Hall Farm, the property of Mr Richardson, and which is managed by Mr and Mrs Wilson, who look after the farm and stock. The daily life at the farm had been of the usual peaceful character until last Thursday evening, when there were a number of extraordinary happenings.
The day’s work was over, and Mr and Mrs Wilson were having supper together in the kitchen, as was their wont, when the first “manifestation” occurred. After a series of mysterious rumblings upstairs, several articles, among them boots and bottles, came flying down the stairs into the kitchen, but although every effort was made to account for the phenomenon, the mystery remained unsolved.
On going to their bedroom later, Mr and Mrs Wilson were more than startled to find that the room had been stirred upside down; in fact, the room bore all the appearances of having been visited by a burglar. On investigation they found that the bed had been much disarranged; indeed the mattress was missing altogether and was afterwards found in an adjoining room. Ornaments had been removed from the mantelpiece, and the furniture was topsy-turvy. Mr Wilson, under the impression that a burglary had been committed, and that the intruder was near at hand, summoned the farm hands, and a thorough search was made without, however, any clue being found as to the author of the mischief.
After things had been re-arranged somewhat, Mr and Mrs Wilson retired to rest, but their hopes that their slumbers would be undisturbed were quickly dispelled, for hardly had they put the light out in their bedroom than a number of articles, including ornaments and bottles, were flung through the open door. On Mr Wilson getting up to strike a light he was pelted with missiles, but as soon as a light was obtained, the fusillade ceased as abruptly as it began.
Now thoroughly alarmed, Mr Wilson determined to put an end to the disturbance if he possibly could, and he went downstairs, taking the light with him and leaving his wife in the bedroom alone in the darkness. Mr Wilson’s steps had hardly died away when the disturbance was repeated. There was a small bamboo table in the room near the bed on which Mrs Wilson was lying, and this was snatched up as if by invisible hands and hurled outside the door on to the landing. Mrs Wilson’s feelings can be better imagined than described, adn it was a great relief to her when her husband returned to the room with the news that he had not seen or found anything.
Mysterious noises were heard throughout the night in different rooms in the house. As soon as one room was searched, the noise, which was like someone striking the floor with a stick, would recommence in the next room, and so on. Mr and Mrs Wilson stayed up all night to trace the cause of the disturbance, but they were unsuccessful.
The occurrences did not cease the next day, and wherever Mrs Wilson went things were thrown at her. She narrowly missed injury from flying knives on several occasions.
On Friday night the mysterious noises continued for an hour and then ceased altogether. A man who remained in th ehouse all night with Mr and Mrs Wilson had a bottle thrown at him. On Saturday morning things were being thrown about just the same as usual, and being unable to put up with the suspense any longer, Mr Wilson sent for the police.
P.C. Cadwallader, who is stationed at Kingstone, thoroughly searched the house and outbuildings, but was unable to find any suspicious signs. In the evening the officer watched the house, and he saw the light in the kitchen extinguished, although there was supposed to be no one about at the time. Windows were mysteriously smashed, some 27 panes of glass being broken altogether. Every assistance was given by neighbours, but the “ghostly” visitant – and Mr and Mrs Wilson had become imbued with the idea that the disturbances were actuated by the supernatural – far from being shy, continued to play havoc with the domestic articles, and the neighbours retired from the scene of such strange happenings with many shakings of the head.
The welcome appearance of Sergeant Smedley, of Uttoxeter, on Sunday, however, put a different complexion on the case. The astute officer has a very healthy contempt for ghost stories. He directed his inquiries to a girl 14 years of age who is employed on the farm, and it is stated that she admitted being the cause of all the trouble. She had only been on the farm a week or two. Thus the mystery was solved, and the strange happenings are now a thing of the past.
Uttoxeter Advertiser and Ashbourne Times, 24th August 1910.
Haunted Farm
Mystery solved after many days of strange happenings. “Spook’s” confession.
A mischievous ghost, that broke windows, and started to wreck Losley Hall Farm, near Uttoxeter, has been laid effectually by the Staffordshire police.
Surprising manifestations of spirit freakishness began on Thursday of last week. The victim was Mr. Wilson, bailiff to Mr. Richardson, a well-known farmer. About ten o’clock at night Mr. and Mrs. Wilson were having supper, when they were startled by weird noises, and presently boots and bottles came falling down the stairs, thrown by some invisible hand.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson at once rushed upstairs, and found everything in a state of confusion. Their bedroom had been completely ransacked, mattresses had been carried from one room to another, ornaments had disappeared, and the place was in a condition of chaos. Convinced that some intruder was on the premises, Mr. Wilson called several farm hands, and the house was systematically searched, but without result.
Much perplexed, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson went to bed, but scarcely had they extinguished the light when all sorts of pranks were commenced by what seemed to be a supernatural visitant. A table was spirited out of the room, all sorts of articles were thrown in through the door, and when Mr. Wilson got up to investigate he was assailed with bottles and other missiles. Uncanny noises were heard in different parts of the house, but a thorough search again proved unavailing.
This was only the beginning of a series of remarkable incidents which occurred during the following days. Mrs Wilson, while at work, was made a target for all sorts of missiles, knives, forks, and bottles being hurled at her with great force. On several occasions knives just missed her head, and were deeply embedded in the doors.
Twenty-seven window panes were smashed by flying stones, and neighbours who were summoned to the house by the terrified occupants were greeted with such scant courtesy that they had to retire. A constable who watched the house on the Saturday night saw a light extinguished in a room which, it is said, he knew to be absolutely empty.
Vigorous police investigations were set on foot, and, as a result, it was on Tuesday announced that a girl, aged fourteen, employed at the farm, had confessed that she was the mysterious “spook” which had been playing these dangerous tricks. How she managed to deceive the householders is a mystery.
It has been ascertained that several years ago she had sunstroke, and since then she has been peculiar in her manner.
Lloyd’s Weekly Newspaper, 28th August 1910.
“Ghostly visitants” or —?
The Loxley Hall Farm “manifestations.”
A Hanley Spiritualist’s opinion.
In our issue of August 24 last we gave a detailed account of some mysterious happenings at Loxley Hall Farm, near Uttoxeter, where not only were mysterious noises heard, but boots, bottles, etc., came flying downstairs apparently of their own volition; a bedroom was also turned upside down, a mattress taken away, furniture shifted, and ornaments removed from the mantelpiece.
Sergt. Smedley, of Uttoxeter, made investigations at the time, and it was then stated that a servant girl of fourteen had admitted being the cause of all the trouble.
Events have now, however, taken a different turn, for at the instigation of the Editor of “Light,” a Spiritualistic newspaper, Mr Brittain, of Hanley, has made investigations, with the result that a different complexion has been placed on the matter. Mr Brittain says it seems impossible that the girl could have had the strength to do what happened at the farm, and also states that she said “A policeman told me that he would take me straight to prison if I did not say I had done them,” and that as soon as the fear of prison was removed the girl did not own to having been responsible for the alleged tricks. This being so, the cause of the remarkable happenings has yet to be accounted for.
The results of Mr Brittain’s investigations are as follows: – Loxley Hall Farm is an unpretentious three storey house, situated by the road which runs from Uttoxeter to Stafford, about two miles from the former town. As I looked at it from the road there was no necessity to inquire whether it was the scene of strange happenings, for the broken window panes bore unmistakable testimony to that fact.
During a little over three days, from the evening of Thursday, August 18, to the Sunday morning following, some remarkable incidents had taken place, such as had never before been witnessed, as inquiries into the history of the farm failed to elicit any stories of past hauntings. Suddenly, and without warning, on Thursday, August 18, almost everything which was movable seemed to be endowed with life. Tables, clogs and shoes, bottles and jars, knives and forks, all started to fly about the house, each article apparently vying with the others as to which could move the fastest.
As neither Mr Wilson, the bailiff who resides at his farm, nor his wife were able to find out how they were thrown or who threw them, the police were called in to help to solve the mystery, and although things happened whilst the officer was present, he gained no real evidence to the cause. True, a “confession” was obtained from the little maid, of which I shall have something to say a little later on, but no one saw or caught the girl in the act of performing the wonderful feats with which she has been credited.
The “happenings” commenced at the time when the little maid commenced her duties at the farm, but strange to say, although she had previously spent her holidays there, nothing took place then. The first incident the girl noticed was that as she came downstairs it seemed as though someone with a heavy tread was following her down, yet upon looking back there was no one to be seen. Later, as she was cleaning the stairs, some clogs were flung down, and one of them hit her on the forehead, bruising it. From this time onwards until she left the farm on Sunday, August 21, there was no cessation of the uncanny incidents.
Whilst the family were at breakfast on the Friday morning, all the knives and forks on the table took a sudden leap across the room, through the door, and dropped on the passage floor. One of the knives hit the moulding over the door and stuck there. During the Friday morning it seemed as though there was someone at the top of the stairs flinging all the pots and bottles he could find down the stairs. Mr Wilson keeps all the empty bottles and jars which have held cattle medicines stored upstairs; these were almost thrown down.
After the first night Mr and Mrs Wilson had the girl sleeping in their room, but the noises continued. Upon one of the occasions when there were some heavy knockings in another room. Mr Wilson rushed out of the bedroom to search, leaving Mrs Wilson and the girl behind, when suddenly a bamboo table in the room was flung after him and crashed down the stairs.
On the Saturday morning, as the girl was putting Mrs Wilson’s child’s boots on, they were snatched from her hands and flung in the passage. Also on the Saturday morning, as Mrs Wilson and the girl were going down the cellar, they were assailed with bottles and jars.
On another occasion, as they were together in the kitchen, the rolling-pin, which was hanging on the wall, flew across the room, just missing Mrs Wilson’s head. It seemed, also, as though someone was hammering on the ceiling.
Upstairs the beds were unmade and the clothes scattered about the rooms and tables turned over. Stones were thrown, and over 30 panes of glass wre broken, including some on the third storey. These incidents will give an idea of what the happenings were like, and there were many more, but all of a similar character.
I questioned Mr and Mrs Wilson closely regarding these incidents. They are both keen and shrewd, and not likely to allow anything to escape their notice. But they could not detect this young girl throwing things about. Mrs Wilson informed me that they all sat at the table having breakfast, including the girl, when the knives and forks disappeared and dropped in the passage, but neither she nor her husband saw the girl lift a hand. Also, when the table was flung downstairs, they were both together, yet she saw nothing. Both Mr and Mrs Wilson agree that the knockings happened where the girl could not reach, and whilst they were together. Knocks were heard first in one room, then in another, and while Mr Wilson rushed from one room to another, shooting here and there, but never hitting anyone, or detecting who was making the noise, the girl was with Mrs Wilson.
The only time that Mr Wilson saw anything pointing towards the girl as the root of the stone throwing was on the Saturday morning, when he saw her, whilst she was sweeping the yard, look round to see if anyone was watching, and then pick up a stone and throw it against the wall close to the kitchen window. This was the only suspicious act that she was seen to do, and it was one which any child might have done.
I asked Mr Wilson if he had noticed anything peculiar about the girl whilst these manifestations were taking place, and he said that whilst she was sleeping in their room he watched her when the knocks were being made and saw her raise her head slightly; she then began to breathe very heavily, also made a few peculiar noises in her throat. Mrs Wilson informed me that she had noticed that now and then the girl breathed heavily and made strange noises.
Afterwards I interviewed the girl at her home. She is nearly 14 years of age, not tall, and slightly built. It seems impossible that she could have the strength to do what happened at the farm. In fact, it is doubtful whether she could throw a stone with sufficient force to break the top storey windows. Her account of the happenings corresponsded with those given by the Wilsons.
In answer to my question as to how she felt during her stay at the farm, she said that at times she trembled all over inwardly, and felt stupid, and could not remember clearly all that was going on. Occasionally she felt as though a bandage was wrapped tightly round her head, so tight at times that it hurt her. Once in the night she felt peculiar feelings all over the body and then fainted.
I asked her how it was that she had confessed to doing these things. Tears came into her eyes as she answered, “A policeman told me he would take me straight to prison if I did not say I had done them.” As soon as the fear of prison was removed, I found that she did not own to having done the alleged tricks, and, as far as I can learn, she is ordinarily a truthful girl.
The police failed to detect her. What, then, is the value of such a confession? The father states that when the child came home on the Sunday she was not responsible for what she was saying. She appeared to be almost insane, she rambled in her conversation, and was extremely stupid. In fact, the doctor who examined her advised them to send her away. Even now, a fortnight later, she is not quite herself, but she stoutly maintains that she did not do the things attributed to her, and no witnesses can bring reliable information as to seeing her do them.
Mr Brittain thinks that the girl is a “good psychical medium.”
Seen by an “Advertiser” representative on Monday, Mrs Wilson said nothing had been seen or heard since the girl left the farm. She added, “I am tired of hearing about the story, and shall say nothing further about it.”
Uttoxeter Advertiser and Ashbourne Times, 5th October 1910.