This is rather interesting in that both the vicar and the spiritualists have turned up at the same time. The spiritualists would definitely believe a Spirit was behind a poltergeist – I’m not sure whether vicars generally have such strong views. The Canon didn’t seem to (see below).
The report mentions the top two familiar poltergeist features of Percussive Sounds and Object Movements.
‘Violent Ghost’ Terrifies Family
Herald Reporter.
For ten minutes last night, a vicar, policeman, and man and wife prayed to exorcise the ghost said to resemble a seaman of Nelson’s time – 150 years ago. They stood in the living-room of an Elizabethan terrace-house in Eagle-street, Ipswich, occupied by Mr Cecil Wilson, 35-year-old seaman, his 29-year-old wife Vivienne, and their three children, Penny, aged eight, Dilwyn, two, and Teddy, 18 months.
For two days the Wilsons have been upset by the ghost which, they say, has thrown toys, brushes, shoes and a candlestick and has emptied drawers. Said Mrs Wilson: “We have never believed in this kind of thing, but tonight we were frightened out of our wits.”
Canon Tucker Harvey, 67-year-old vicar of St Michael’s, Ipswich, was told all this by Mr Wilson. To minutes before Canon Harvey and Police constable Ernest Gardiner arrived, a cribbage board came crashing down the stairs. So while little Penny listened wonderingly, the vicar prayed “that God Almighty, who has power over all things, will turn away this even spirit which is terrifying his children.” Canon Harvey said afterwards: “I have an open mind about these matters but I could see the Wilsons were distressed so I composed a prayer on the spot. If the evil spirit is not driven out, I shall come back with the special form of prayer for exorcism.”
Said Mr Wilson, “Tonight we shall sleep in one room and bolt the door. None of us has had any sleep for two nights.” All night, he declared, there have been thumpings, creakings, strange lights, weird shadows. And yesterday an antique china boat hit him on the head as he came downstairs.
Daily Herald, 16th December 1952.
Vicar prays to exorcise poltergeist.
Answering the appeal of a distraught family, 67-years-old Canon F. Tucker-Harvey, Vicar of St michael’s Ipswich, last night went to a house in Eagle Street and said a prayer to exorcise a poltergeist.
The family, Mr Cecil Wilson, 35-year-old merchant seaman, his wife Vivienne, their daughter Penny (eight), and two younger children, said that the house had been troubled for two days and that all kinds of articles had been thrown about. Fearing another sleepless night they called in Canon Tucker-Harvey.
He told a reporter that although he had an open mind on the question of hauntings, he said an extemporary prayer when he found the family to be so distressed.
Coventry Evening Telegraph, 16th December 1952.
Canon F. Tucker-Harvey, 67-year-old vicar of St. Michael’s, Ipswich, stayed until dawn to-day at the house in Eagle Street, Ipswich, said to be troubled by a poltergeist. He said a special prayer last night, and for the first time in five days there were no manifestations. The house is occupied by Mr. Cecil Wilson, a 35-year-old merchant seaman, his wife Vivienne, their daughter Penny (8) and two young children. They called in the Canon to help them. They told him that a poltergeist had kept them awake all night, that household articles and toys had been thrown about, and that all night long, bangings and creakings were heard.
Canon Tucker-Harvey prayed: “In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, we bid depart from this dwelling all evil influence.” The Canon stayed all night at the house with three local spiritualists. Shortly after midnight, one of the spiritualists held a seance, went into a trance, and announced that the “spirit” would appear in one of the bedrooms at two a.m., but at two a.m. nothing happened.
After the Canon had left, Mrs. Wilson told a reporter: “We are most grateful to him for his interest. For the last five days we have been frightened out of our wits, but now we all feel better.” Yesterday, after praying at the house on Monday, the Canon said he was satisfied that the poltergeist was more subdued.
Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail, Wednesday 17th December 1952.
[…] Although he said he had an open mind on the question of hauntings, Canon Tucker-Harvey stated that he had said an extemporary prayer when he found the family to be so distressed.
News In Brief, The Times 16th December 1952.
Canon watches for jealous ghost.
In cassock and surplice, Canon Frank Tucker-Harvey, 67-year-old vicar of St Michael’s, Ipswich, stood in the gas-lit living room of a 16th-century “haunted” house last night and offered a prayer. It was his second attempt to exorcise a ghost, said to be that of a seaman of Nelson’s day, which has been causing trouble in the house, in Eagle-street, Ipswich. The house is the home of 35-year-old Mr Cecil Wilson, a seaman, and his wife and three children – Penny, aged eight, Dilwyn, two, and Teddy, 18 months.
Spiritualists who visited the house yesterday believe the ghost is of someone who in life was deprived of family life and is jealous of the Christmas preparations the Wilson family are making.
After his prayer the canon told Mr Wilson and his family that he would be staying the night in their home to keep watch with them. This was the special prayer the canon offered while the family stood with bowed heads: “Almighty and ever loving Father, who knowest every human need, and dost discern the hearts of all men, look in Thy mercy we pray Thee on this home and all the members of this family. Drive from amongst them and from this home all signs of spiritual wickedness in dark places. Thou hast promised to give Thy beloved peace and so we ask You to grant that as these, Thy children, seek Thy peace, they may have the realisation of Thy loving presence and may know that through their love of Thee all fears and causes of fear will be dispersed. For we know that with Thee all things are possible and that Thou art able to do exceedingly abundantly all that we ask or think. So we pray through Jesus Christ Our Lord.”
The Canon had prayed in the house on Monday after the Wilsons told him of objects being thrown about, creakings, thumpings and weird lights. Last night he said he had meditated during the day and had decided to keep a vigil while the family slept. It appeared that the spirit had been more subdued since his first prayer.
Daily Herald, 17th December 1952.
Ghost ‘subdued’ after prayer.
Vicar spends night in haunted house.
Canon F. Tucker-Harvey, Vicar of St Michael’s, Ipswich, was to spend last night in a house in Eagle Street, Ipswich, which is said to be haunted. On Monday night he prayed in the house after the family of Mr Cecil Wilson had told him that the house had been haunted for two days and that all kinds of articles had been thrown about. The Canon said last night that he was satisfied that as a result of his prayer the poltergeist was more subdued. “The ghost has been manifesting himself in different ways than before,” he said. “Things have been moved rather than thrown about. The ghost isn’t as vicious as he was.”
Birmingham Daily Post, 17th December 1952.
A Real-Life Christmas “Ghost” Story: Canon Harvey exorcising a “poltergeist” in the home of Mr and Mrs Cecil Wilson, while a police-constable holds the evidence.
Recently it was reported in The Times and other papers that Mr and Mrs Cecil Wilson were being troubled by a “poltergeist” in their home in Eagle Street, Ipswich, and that they had asked Canon Harvey, Vicar of St. Michael’s, Ipswich, to exorcise the evil spirit. The police constable is holding a cribbage board thrown across a room shortly before his arrival.
Illustrated London News, 27th December 1952.
Although the papers love to use the word ‘exorcism’, the canon’s use of the word ‘extemporarary’ suggests otherwise. I’m imagining you need to gather a few things together for anything quite so formal.
Two years earlier there’d been trouble in a cafe in St Margaret’s in Ipswich, which curiously isn’t so far away.