Young mother must not return to ‘Ghost House’ say doctors.
Committee promises a new home.
Twenty-six-years old Mrs Violet Witts, miner’s wife, mother of four young children, of 8, Upper James-street, Argoed, near Blackwood, Monmouthshire, has spent the last three months in a mental hospital at Abergavenny, Monmouthshire. now she is well enough to go home – but not to the Ghost House that caused her breakdown.
The trouble started four months ago when “knockings, rappings, groans, etc.,” were heard in the house. Police, psychic observers, and others tried to solve the mystery, and failed. Mrs Witts had a breakdown. She was taken to a neighbour’s house, and later to hospital. Then her 30-years-old husband, Mr Flower Witts, had a nervous breakdown. He has been unable to work since.
Third, Mrs Nancy Davies, aged 30, wife of a soldier in the Royal Ulster Rifles, a subtenant in the house, broke down “due to the strange noises and other phenomena.” Dr E. J. Jones said she must leave the house and Mynydd-islwyn Urban District Council found her a house at Oakdale, Monmouthshire.
But Mrs Witts cannot find another home although the medical superintendent at the hospital says she has recovered. Her husband and the four children remain in the Ghost House by day, and go to neighbours’ houses to sleep. Dr E.T. O’Connor Sinnott has certified that Mrs Witts must not return to the Ghost House – “otherwise she will relapse into her former condition and probably lose her reason.”
Dr Ellis jones, medical superintendent at the hospital, told the “Herald of Wales”: “Mrs Witts has now recovered, and I would discharge her if she had a home to go to, but I will definitely not allow her to return to her former home. I hope you can do something about it, because this hospital is full.” The Housing Officer (Mr Dark) of Mynyddislwyn Council, promised the “Herald of Wales” something would be done. He said: “The Housing Committee is very sympathetic and will find a house, but I must find a tenant to occupy the house that the Witts family will vacate. So far i have asked two families, but they are not prepared to take the house.”
Mr Witts says: “I cannot stick this much longer.”
Herald of Wales, 18th November 1950.