A Ghost.
Carnarvon is just now honoured with and exercised by a ghost – a rapping ghost, located at Bangor-street end of Turf-square, on premises belonging to our town-man, Mr Hugh Humphreys, and occupied by one Mr J.P. Jones, a grocer and provision dealer.
Finding hundreds of people outside the place on Wednesday evening, and ascertaining the cause of the unwonted crowd, our reporter was bold enough to ask for an interview with the ghost. He was politely told that the ghost confined his doings to the hours between one and three o’clock in the morning. The crowd outside, therefore, showed lack of sense and knowledge in assembling in Turf-square at so early a period of the evening, expecting to get a look at the uncanny visitant.
Our reporter accompanied the police, and the sergeant in charge tendered the good offices of any number of his men to catch hold of the mysterious and invisible being. Their services were also declined, the occupants of the premises being too confident of the reality of the apparition. It is needless to say there is nothing very serious about the affair except the inconvenient crowding of people on a very busy thoroughfare, and the inconvenience was so much felt on Wednesday evening that our worthy mayor (Alderman L. Lewis) braved ghost and all and joined the police in driving the crowd away.
The premises have, apparently, upon them a male and two females, and though one of the females appears to belong to the “strong-minded” class, she is evidently the most credulous of any, insists upon the reality of the ghost, and has found an equable convert in the member of the sterner sex who is in the house. It is insignificant that the servant girl in the place has had a previous ghostly experience. No doubt the “rappings” alleged to be heard on the premises is capable of a very natural explanation, and if traced to its origin would be found due to agency of human beings or the nocturnal operations of rats.
Caernarvon and Denbigh Herald, 25th September 1880.
The proprietor of the haunted house at Carnarvon writes to the Genedl, a Welsh local paper, denying that hams have been taken away. All he knows is that between one and three o’clock each morning a horrible noise keeps the whole family awake.
(Y ‘Bwgan’ yn Turf-Square. Mr J.P. Jones, grocer, a erfynia annog fynegu nad oes yn rhedeg o awdurdodau yn yr adroddiadau sydd wedi eu harwain o gylchoedd i’r “bwgan” yn ei dy. Nid oes dim gwir yn yr ystori a ledaenwyd fod y bwgan yn symud yr hams yn y siop. Yr unig dystiolaeth y mae Mr Jones yn marw am dani yw, fod rhyw dwrf parhaol yn y ty, rhwng un a thri o’r gloch bob bore, yr hwn sy’n lluddais i’r teulu ysbryd. – Y Genedl Gymreig, 30th Sept 1880).
General Advertiser, 2nd October 1880.
A “Ghost” at Carnarvon.
What is generally termed a “ghost” has taken its abode in a business establishment in one of the leading thoroughfares of Carnarvon, and great is the excitement which is caused nightly among the youthful portion of the population. At the same time, there are scores of gossiping adults who are superstitious enough to accept the many stories circulated about the “unearthly visitor” with a great amount of credulity.
The history of this “ghost” first got abroad in this wise. A watchful police-officer received information to the effect that a certain tradesman and his wife were being “troubled” at night. Upon making inquiries, he was given to understand that the story was true, being further told that the “troubling” consisted of “unearthly sounds” and “strange lights.” Indeed, it was said that one night during the eisteddfod week a gentleman slept in the house and his experience was that “he would not take the world for staying there again.”
Strange to say, the considerate offers of the police to remain in the house at night and endeavour to capture the “ghost,” thief, or burglar, were rejected; as were also those of the brave lamplighter and extinguisher, who in addition to his work of extinguishing the town lamps at all hours of the night was ready to enter the “haunted premises” and extinguish the “strange lights” of the “wandering spirit”. Therefore matters were allowed to remain as before – as far as the ghost was concerned – the excitment gradually increasing until it had nearly reached a climax.
The establishment having been closed at night, crowds of people, young and old, assembled to watch the premises. Lights which certainly are not “strange,” have been seen moving to and fro in the upper part of the house, and these illuminations are said to be the work of the “ghost.” The excitement awakens the imagination, until many persons fancy they have seen the “apparition” moving in the upper windows and assuming various forms.
On Wednesday week there were actually 200 people located in the thoroughfare now celebrated for its ghost story, and the “move on” of the police-constables appeared to be unheeded. The “street arabs” uneducated as they were, might be seen discussing the visit of the “ghost” and suggesting various reasons for its existence and conduct. They based their argument upon folk-lore. Their parents, residing in the unenlightened neighbourhood of Tanrallt, had told them that in days gone by a frightful “wrachen garn” – a huge monster, capable of assuming different forms and committing dreadful ravages – occupied a cavity on the side of Twthill, not far from the haunted premises, and that, probably its rest had been disturbed during recent excavations made when the building was erected. A terrible vengeance was certainly to follow.
A more modern view of the affair, however, is taken by superstitious adults. Some time ago a quarryman, after spending a few hours in bad company, mysteriously disappeared, and was never heard of. The ignorant and credulous now associate his name with the “ghost,” alleging that the missing man must have resided in one of the old houses recently demolished, and is now “troubling” the neighbourhood.
Other stores too ridiculous to be mentioned are also circulated in connection with the “apparition.”
On Wednesday evening week a wag in the crowd suggested that the “ghost” was a timid one, and would doubtless disappear after exposure in the press. The result will be anxiously looked for. – Liverpool Courier.
Montgomeryshire Express, 5th October 1880.
The Ghost Mystery at Carnarvon and its sequel.
Our correspondent at Carnarvon writes:- The credulous grocer has quitted the establishment in Turf-square, where it was alleged a “rapping” ghost was indulging in peculiar demonstrations, such as throwing the hams and flitches of bacon about the shop, and it is now very probable that nothing further will be heard of the delusion.
Liverpool Echo, 6th October 1880.