Haunted by his dead wife.
Strange Kent happenings.
“Searchlight” apparition.
Whatever may be the explanation of the following extraordinary happenings that were described to the London “Evening News” by a man and his wife, who live at East Wickham, near Welling, in Kent, the couple appear to be firmly persuaded that they have been caused by the spirit of the husband’s former wife, who died in 1918.
Loud knockings on the partition walls between the rooms and on the panels of doors began last July. Husband and wife were unable to sleep at nights because of them. Pictures and photographs of the former wife were found askew. One night the wife, Mrs C–, summoned up courage to try to get into communication with the supernatural disturber.
“Are you father?” she asked, and then “Are you John or Garrett?” mentioning other dead relatives. When she put the question, “Are you Bec?” – the first wife was named Rebecca – the knocking signalled a vigorous assent. After the noises had been going on for some time Mr C– saw the apparition of his dead wife. “There was a glare as of a searchlight in the bedroom,” he said, “and then I saw her, looking wonderfully beautiful coming to me. the vision seemed to pass through me like a current of electricity. As she came I heard her voice. It sounded like a voice one hears in a telephone. She was asking me why it was I was away when she died.”
Mrs C– also declares she heard the voice speaking these words.
On another occasion, said Mr C–, Rebecca’s voice announced that she had brought another spirit with her, and that this other visitor was speaking. He was unable, however, to hear the second voice.
The only other inhabitants of the house were a small boy and a dog. The boy has been staying with friends at a distance during part of the time when these strange things have occurred, but he, too, has heard the knockings and been terrified. The dog, which is alert to detect a footfall in the street, takes no notice of the noises, and apparently cannot hear them.
As a result of his experience Mr C– has become ill, and has been ordered by the doctor to get into another house. In spite of entreaties to Rebecca to go away and leave the house in peace, she persists in her knockings, which take place in the day time as well as at night.
The house is a small bungalow, recently built, and has nothing about it that suggests any natural explanation of the persecution of Mr and Mrs C–.
Larne Times, 23rd October 1920.