Fed up to the teeth with their poltergeist.
Things really do seem to get moving in the dental laboratory.
It plays havoc with the work
By Lynne Horne.
The staff of a Derby dental laboratory are fed up to the teeth… because of the mischievous activities of a suspected poltergeist. Objects have been inexplicably moving about the laboratory in Reginald Street since Wednesday – and the four down-to-earth dental technicians are now convinced the happenings must be supernatural.
Whatever force is making things disappear and re-appear seems to be mischievous rather than malevolent, say Mr Peter Innocent and Mr Trevor Jones, partners in the business. “It’s fascinating and would almost be fun if we didn’t have work to do. But constantly having to look for tools that have vanished is disrupting our work,” Mr Innocent points out. They are so concerned about the disruption that they are hoping for some kind of exorcism to be performed in the laboratory.
One of the first odd things to happen was on Wednesday when Mr Jones was in the laboratory alone. He noticed that an internal padlock on the back door was missing – and soon afterwards found it fastened to the collar of the lab cat, Samantha. The next mystery was the sudden disappearance of two dental casts from a work bench. Soon after the postman arrived with two parcels, postmarked Stratford and Manchester. Inside them were the missing casts, one wrapped in tissue paper…
Dental technicians David Hughes (22) and Michael Beresford (25), who work there, feel the whole thing is “spooky.” Says Mr Jones: “At first we suspected somebody was larking about playing tricks, but we don’t any longer.”
“I am usually very sceptical about this kind of thing,” comments Mr Innocent, “but when things disappear and re-appear around you it makes you believe in a fourth dimension.”
Here are a few of the strange happenings described by the men:
– A denture vanished and reappeared on David Hughes’s shoulder.
– The cat’s collar disappeared from round its neck and was found round a bunsen burner.
– Plugs have been pulled by force out of their sockets.
– Four bunsen burners went out simultaneously and the internal gas tap was found turned off.
– A teapot moved from one room to another and a kettle appeared in a bin of plaster.
– The cat box moved from the floor to a top shelf.
– A tin vanished from the lab and crashed on to the room of a building outside.
Mr Jones wonders if the mystery could be connected with the age of the premises, which are thought converted stables thought to be about 300 years old. In an effort to get the laboratory’s topsy-turvy situation back to normal, he has sought the help of a clergyman. But when asked by the Evening Telegraph yesterday if a service of exorcism was likely to be performed at the laboratory, the clergyman refused to comment.
Samantha, the laboratory’s pet cat pictured with the padlock as it was mysteriously fastened to her collar. Holding the cat is Mr Trevor Jones. More objects moved in the laboratory while photographer Derek Ryan was there to take the picture.
Derby Daily Telegraph, 22nd November 1975.
Gone – poltergeist’s last message.
The suspected poltergeist which for over a week disrupted work in a Derby dental laboratory, has vanished as mysteriously as it came. After two visits by officials of the church and a service of exorcism, things are back to normal at the laboratory in Reginald Street.
One of the laboratory technicians said today: “The word, Gone, appeared in indelible pencil on a work bench on Wednesday and then vanished. Since then everything has been quiet. A clergyman told us later that in his opinion the energy force had gone.”
The happenings are thought to have followed a classic poltergeist pattern. Objects first began disappearing and reappearing, then started flying about and lighted cigarettes appeared all over the laboratory. “The episode was fascinating, but very disruptive and we are glad we can get on with our work normally again,” the technician said.
Derby Daily Telegraph, 29th November 1975.