Driven from house by “ghosts”.
Exorcism that failed.
Story of terrifying noises at Matlock.
“Ghosts” have driven out the occupants of a house in North Parade, Matlock Bath. Living there have been Messrs. Byrne and Furlong, with their wives and children. But life had become so intolerable through “ghostly” visitations, they vacated the house on Saturday and have gone elsewhere.
Seen yesterday, Mrs Byrne stated the house was quiet until about 2 a.m., when heavy footsteps would be heard going up and down the stairs, while downstairs, below their bedroom, there was a continuous knocking and general disturbance, driving all sleep away. They had stood six weeks of this. The noise had been terrifying and terrible.
One of the occupants, named Patrick Collins, states that he has seen the ghostly forms of a man and a woman in the house and disappearing through the front room window. Before departing, the “ghosts” looked at Collins, who made a complaint to the local Roman Catholic priest. The latter visited the house in an endeavour to exorcise the “spirits,” but the visitations continued.
Mrs Byrne said she had told the landlady of the house, and she only laughed. Mrs Byrne added: “Maybe it is someone in the neighbourhood who does not wish Catholics to live there.”
The house is being redecorated ready for the arrival of a newly wedded couple, who are to be married in a week. Residents are wondering what kind of a reception they will get.
Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 24th November 1930.
“Driven from the house by ghosts”.
The Priest’s House, Matlock.
Sir, – What a delightful bit of history has been made by your correspondent, in the communication you publish under the title of ‘Driven from the house by ghosts’. And as I am the Catholic Priest, who is alleged to have failed in my “exorcism” to drive the “divils” into the Derwent opposite, perhaps you will allow me to make some slight corrections for the sake of truth.
To begin with the power of exorcism is not exercised on material buildings, but over a person, who is supposed to be possessed by the devil. Again, it may not be used without the express permission of the Bishop, and as none of the persons living in the house could be induced to confess that they were giving shelter to his satanic majesty, there was no need to apply for it, and I did not exorcise them. I simply tried to restore peace and tranquility to their overwrought nerves, by blessing the house in the ordinary way, with the ordinary ceremonial, that is customary when Catholics enter a house as new tenants.
After the ceremony, I sat in the house for an hour, and heard nothing, although it was nearly 10 p.m. before I left. It is curious that these hobgoblins, ghosts, fairies, banshees, etc., have the tantalising habit of disturbing people at night. It is a pity they don’t play the game, and give one a chance of meeting them like a man, in the daylight.
Mrs Byrne’s possible solution of the mystery, that “perhaps someone in the neighbourhood does not wish a Catholic to live there” coincides with a brain wave of my own from the beginning. Small houses are at a premium, and possibly some other couple wishing to marry and occupy a “peaceful” cottage, prevailed upon some reckless “spirit” to make life unbearable for them, who may have known also the prevailing belief among my countrymen and women, that there is such a thing as “A Divil among the Tailors.”
-Yours, etc., Charles Cossins. Our Lady and St Joseph’s.
Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 26th November 1930.
Matlock Bath “Ghost.”
Was it a Practical Joke?
On Thursday there was still no explanation forthcoming for the presence of a “ghost” in a small house at North Parade, Matlock Bath. For some weeks the house has been occupied by Mr and Mrs Byrne and Mr and Mrs Furlong and their families, and it was stated that in the early hours of the morning noises could be heard in the lower rooms and on the stairs. The intervention of the Roman Catholic priest (Father Cossins) was sought, and he visited the house, and sprinkled holy water in the rooms, but this did not appear to have the desired effect. The parties have now left the house.
Interviewed, Father Cossins pointed out that it was usual for a Catholic priest to bless a house when Catholics moved in. He went to th ehouse at Matlock Bath at the request of the occupants, and as he heard nothing further, he thought the noises had stopped. He pointed out that Irish people believed in fairies and banshees, and often made good use of their imagination in that respect. Some neighbours believed that the occupants had a practical joke played upon them by some one who objected to the residence of Roman Catholics in the neighbourhood, or who saw an opportunity of playing upon Irish superstitions.
Derbyshire Times, 29th November 1930.