A Haunted House at Diss.
Explanation wanted for strange disturbances.
Amateur spiritualists in Diss during a rather dull and unexciting week have been fascinated by an ordinary looking cottage – to those not in the know – on Denmark Green. Some days ago it was whispered that the house was haunted. It is occupied by a family of ten persons, and all are ready to corroborate one another that there have been some mysterious “goings on” at night. Whatever flippant outsiders may think, they were so convinced that the place was haunted as to be genuinely frightened. There was plenty of circumstantial evidence, but whether it would interest the Psychical Society no one was expert enough to say.
Our reporter went in search of the head of the house, Mr Tom Smith. He found him in the brewery yard, where he is employed. Mr Smith was ready to open out, for he wanted the matter explained. He had not seen any ghosts, but firmly believed there had been some in his bedroom. His own theory was that years ago some one had died in the house, and its spirit had now come back and was annoyed at his being in possession. He had resided in the house for five and a half years, and until Tuesday in last week was perfectly satisfied with it.
Asked as to what happened on Tuesday night, Mr Smith said from 11 to 11.30 there were several disturbances. He heard a noise. That was the first intimation, and, getting out of bed, he struck a light and saw a marble rolling underneath the bed in uncanny fashion. “What did you think about it?” was asked, and Mr Smith replieed that he sat up all night, soothed by tea. On Wednesday night everything was quiet, and the occupants of the house had a much deserved rest. But this was a false peace, for Thursday night proved to be the exciting time. In each room there was a light, so that what happened could be clearly seen. The trouble started in the girls’ room. Some unknown agency snatched a pillow from underneath the head of one of Mr Smith’s daughters. It went up into the air, struck another daughter, and fell on the floor. This astonished them a bit, said Mr Smith, and just as they got into bed an article of clothing began to jump about.
In Mr Smith’s room was a tin trunk, and this turned round as if pushed by some one, and ran along. Continuing his narrative, Mr Smith said one of his daughters was so frightened that he told her to come to his bed. No sooner had she done so than she shrieked out in terror. She said someone had got hold of her toe, and it felt like fire. A soap dish began to dance about, and Mr Smith threw this out of the window. There were no more disturbances that night, but ornaments fell off a shelf, and on Saturday afternoon two pictures fell down from the wall, though the cords were not broken and the nails were so firm that they could not be pulled out with the hand.
In conclusion, Mr Smith observed: “I can’t say what caused it, but there is something wrong somewhere, and I should like an explanation.”
Downham Market Gazette, 20th August 1910.
Sportive Spirits.
Terror-stricken girls watch their clothing perform antics.
A house at Diss, a market town in Norfolk, has suddenly got the reputation of being haunted. The first uncanny incident occurred at 11.30 on Tuesday night. The tenant had gone to bed, but hearing a noise he struck a light, and to his amazement saw a marble roll under the bed. Rubbing his eyes to make certain he was thoroughly awake he sat up, but saw no more marbles, nor anything unusual.
Nothing strange happened on the following night, but on Thursday night trouble started in the room in which the daughters were sleeping, one of the pillows suddenly being snatched away. Up into the air it went, and then struck another girl, after which it fell to the floor.
Next an article of clothing began to jump about. At this the girls became scared, and ran to their father’s room, where, to their dismay, a trunk turned round and ran along the floor as if pushed. Oneof the girls got into bed, but promptly shrieked in terror, and declared someone was holding her toe, and making it feel like fire.
A soap dish then began to dance about, and the tenant of the house seized it and hurled it out of the window. Ornaments dropped from a shelf, and two pictures fell from the wall, though the cords were not broken, and the nails so firm that they cannot be pulled out by hand.
Apparently someone is playing a practical joke, but the tenant believes that the spirit of someone who died in the house years ago has come back, and is annoyed at his being in possession. There is something wrong somewhere, he says.
Lloyd’s Weekly Newspaper, 21st August 1910.