Conversational “Ghost” in an Old Scots House.
A popular and intelligent “ghost” has taken up its location in a house in the lower part of Buckpool, Buckie (Banff), over a century old. The ghost some time ago made loud knockings which caused the householder to go to the door, but he found nobody there. Afterwards intermittent knockings occurred till they got so common that a signal code, to which the spirit responds, and answers questions, has been devised.
Seances are held at night with the result that people who have heard the knocking go away thoroughly mystified with the edge taken off their scepticism. The ghost’s code includes one knock for “yes,” two knocks for “no.”
The solution remains a mystery.
The People, 19th August 1928.
“Ghost” that replies to questions.
Buckie “ghost” mystery.
Answers queries by taps.
Mysterious knockings in an old house in the Buckpool district of Buckie have raised public curiosity to a high pitch, and the “haunting” forms the principal topic of conversation, more especially as no explanation of the phenomena has yet been forthcoming. The tenant and his family have become accustomed to the visitations, so persistent have they been.
They seem to be different from previous instances of knockings recorded elsewhere, in that the “spirit” or “ghost” answers spoken questions by taps as upon wood, one tap being translated as ‘Yes’ and two taps as ‘No’.
Several persons who were sceptical of supernatural agency stated after hearing the tapping that they were greatly mystified, and that there was evidently something in it. Interrogated by an Edinburgh gentleman about midnight, the “ghost” replied that it was a “good spirit”, but it refused to go out and meet him in the garden.
Daily Record, 20th August 1928.
Another tapping ghost.
“Accurate” replies at midnight seance.
A ghost which answers questions by a knocking code is attracting much attention in Buckie, Banffshire. In a small house, built 100 years ago, the inmates were aroused one night by a knocking so loud and persistent that they opened the door. They found nobody, but knockings like tapping on wood continued intermittently.
The inmates got so accustomed to them that they devised a signal code, based on one knock for “Yes” and two knocks for “No.” Some of the answers are said to have been remarkably accurate.
It is declared that at a special midnight seance the ghost tapped out replies to these questions: – Are you in trouble? – Yes. – Can we help you? – Yes. – How many people are in the room? – Two. – Are you in urgent need of help? – Yes.
On Saturday night an auditor asked the ghost whether it was a good spirit. “Yes,” was the reply. “Will you come out and meet me in the garden?” asked the auditor. Two taps – “No.” It was noticed that all the taps were in the same tone, whether loud or faint.
London Daily Chronicle, 20th August 1928.
Leaking water pipe!
Gabriel’s Ghost, Buckie, N.B., has been laid – by accident. Two years ago the ghost caused much excitement at a house in Main-street. Mysterious spirit tapping had become so pronounced that midnight seances were held in the house, and in the street crowds grew night after night.
The house, in which the ghost answered questions by means of knocks was occupied by Mr Gabriel. The apparent substantiality of the knockings raised doubts in the minds of sceptical folk.
For some time the burgh surveyor has been carrying out tests for water leakages in the Main-street district. Searching along a pipe, he came upon a strange arrangement yesterday, which originated with a big leak in a half-inch service water-pipe to the ghost house. Water had been filtering away unobserved into the shingly subsoil, and as the pipe was laid close between an iron gaspipe and a fire-clay drain the water, in course of time, had excavated a drum-like cavity. Vibration set up by the water-pipe had produced the “answer” of the ghost when it was interrogated.
The reason why seances were successful only at night was that the water pressure was greatest then.
Daily Mirror, 5th February 1930.