Aberbargoed “Ghost”.
At a house in Aberbargoed, in the Rhymney Valley, weird tappings and strange sounds, usually associated with perturbed spirits, are reported to have been heard since Saturday night, and have caused a young married couple to hurriedly vacate their home.
Coedybran-road, on the Aberbargoed Hill, contains one of the oldest houses in the locality and here Mr and Mrs Dawkins, a newly-married couple, have resided for several months. It was on Saturday the uncanny sounds were first heard. They resembled tappings on the wall and the moving about of tin boxes, while the tramp of feet is alleged to have been heard on the stairs.
Next door resides a Mrs Burke and her son “Billy.” The latter was formerly captain of the Aberbargoed team. “Billy” was called in on Saturday night, but he failed to hear anything unusual, and ridicules the idea of ghosts. Then the wife’s father was called in, and he declares he distinctly heard the noises, with the result that the young couple left the house in terror.
During Sunday nothing was noticed in the house to suggest ghosts. Several theories are advanced, the most probable being that the sounds are caused by underground workings, coupled with vibrations of shot-firing in the neighbouring colliery.
The Cardiff Times, 26th January 1907.
Aberbargoed Ghost Story
Young married couple alarmed.
Both leave the haunted house.
Aberbargoed has been startled by a ghost story which has emanated from a cottage occupied by a young married couple named Dawkins. So concerned are the pair that they have left their furniture and belongings in the house and taken up their residence with a brother-in-law.
The rappings are of a peculiar nature, and are heard from an early hour in the evening until long past midnight. The mysterious noise is something like that caused by the lid of a tin trunk being raised and lowered.
Our reporter saw Mr Dawkins on Monday night, and he described what he had heard. On Saturday night he was accompanied in the house by Mr. W. Burke, a former captain of the Aberbargoed Football Club, who attributed the noise to the wind raising some paper on the wall. The paper was torn down, but the noise still continued and lasted till early in the morning.
Dawkins’s father-in-law visited the house on Saturday evening, and when with Dawkins heard the noise quite distinctly. Dawkins said, “I’m off, I’m not going to stop here,” and he left the house. The father-in-law remained for a little while, and when he emerged he is said to have been pale, and terror-stricken. He declared that not only had he heard the tin-trunk noise, but also the sound of someone going up and down the stairs.
Mr Burke confirms what Dawkins says, and states that, while not a believer in supernatural manifestations of this kind, he still was convinced that noises were to be heard. His mother has also heard them.
In some quarters the noise is attributed to subsidence caused by colliery workings. The row in which the house said to be haunted stands is one of the oldest in Aberbargoed.
On Monday night our representative and a friend obtained permission from Mr Dawkins to keep watch in the house till the early hours of the morning. Mr Dawkins himself being unwilling to accompany them, they proceeded there alone, and with the aid of a lighted candle explored the place. Evidence of recent occupation and a hasty retreat was to be seen in the clothes-line hanging from the rafters. Afterwards both sat down to discuss the situation. Nothing occurred for some time, and just as they were thinking of leaving they heard a sound described as “the gentle pop of a cork” coming from the direction of the pantry. Then all was still again, and it has not yet been conclusively proved that the noise was caused by a thirsty spook.
Indeed, it is even suggested that the sound was the result of a draught of air catching the door, and it is believed that the noise would be heard with stranger effect in the bedroom than where the watchers were sitting. The watchers departed in the early morning, having heard no more weird noises.
Evening Express, 22nd January 1907.
An Aberbargoed “Ghost.”
Our Reporter Investigates.
A “pop” but no drink.
Ish! sh- a “ghost!” Everyone in Aberbargoed has heard of the ghost. Ish! We will tell you all about it. It emanates from a cottage lately occupied by Mr and Mrs Ivor Dawkins, a young married couple, and so concerned were they that they have left their furniture and belongings in the house and taken up their residence with a brother-in-law.
The rappings are of a peculiar nature, and are heard from an early hour in the evening until long past midnight. The mysterious noise is something like that caused by the lid of a tin trunk being raised and lowered.
Our reporter saw Mr Dawkins on Monday night and he described what he had heard. On Saturday night he was accompanied in the house by Mr W. Burke, a former captain of the Aberbargoed Football Club, who attributed the noise to the wind raising some paper on the wall. The paper was torn down but the noise still continued, and lasted till early in the morning.
Dawkins’ father-in-law visited the house on Saturday evening, and when with Dawkins heard the noise quite distinctly. Dawkins said, “I’m off; I’m not going to stop here,” and he left the house. The father-in-law remained for a little while, and when he emerged he is said to have been pale and terror-stricken. He declared that not only had he heard the tin-trunk noise, but also the sound of someone going up and down the stairs.
Mr Burke confirms what Dawkins says, and states that, while not a believer in supernatural manifestations of this kind, he still was convinced that noises were to be heard. His mother has also heard them.
In some quarters the noise is attributed to subsidence caused by colliery workings. The row in which the house said to be haunted stands is one of the oldest in Aberbargoed.
Our reporter, who paid the place a visit on Monday near the ghostly hour of midnight, says: Accompanied by a friend I visited the house and found evidence of recent occupation and hasty exit. Nicely washed baby’s linen hung from the rafters of the kitchen and everything was spotless. There was, however, an air of loneliness about the place that made things uncomfortable. With candle in hand we sat down to discuss the situation. All was still when we heard – oh heavens – a terrific shriek – of an engine in the distance! Later on, behind my back and from the direction of a pantry came a gentle “pop” as of a cork being slowly drawn from a bottle. Instinctively we stretched out a hand for the drink, but we were disappointed. That was the only noise we heard, and if Mr and Mrs Dawkins heard the same then they should be more disappointed than alarmed.
We left late in the morning and the conviction formed in our minds was the disturbances could not be the work of a spook.
Bargoed Journal, 24th January 1907.