Haunted House Near Keynsham.
The haunted house at Hornsey has a rival in a village near Keynsham, but the spirit is more reasonable than at Keynsham, where, according to Mr Froist, the tenant, it manifests itself by flinging a loaf of bread off the table and flinging it into the coal scuttle, and throwing packs of cards at their heads.
The spirit in the house near Keynsham manifests herself (or himself or itself) by turning the pictures of one room against the wall, or rather two pictures. One morning the residents came down and found these two pictures, one being a photo of a member of the family, and the other a picture of Mr Lloyd George, with their faces to the wall. The pictures were put right after vain inquiries as to who had done it. The next morning the same thing was found. The next night, it is reported, a watch was kept by two persons, and at midnight the electric light was switched on by “something,” and the two pictures, apparently of their own accord, had turned round.
They turned them again and watched with the light on, when the light was turned out by the spirit and the pictures again turned round. Once more the pictures were put right, and, the light put out, each watcher held the pictures. But both, after holding the pictures experienced that nothing was in their hands, and when the light was turned on found that both pictures were in the fire grate.
The only explanation given is that it must be the spirit of a neighbour, who had a most unreasonable dislike to Lloyd George, and who often quarrelled with the dead man whose picture was hung with that of Lloyd George. But, on the other hand, it may be the spirit of the man who was “hung” with Lloyd George, who has been disturbed by Mr Asquitch saying on Saturday last that Mr Lloyd George “could take in simple and credulous people like Mr Bottomley” – for to call Mr Bottomley simple and credulous is enough to disturb any spirit that had believed in Mr Lloyd George. But Mr Bottomley can now cry “in spirit”: “Oh, George, George! Oh, Lord George! What have you done that a spirit should insist upon your going to the wall?”
We have investigated this report, and find that, though it is not correct that the pictures were flung in the fire grate, or that watchers have yet kept vigil at night, the two pictures have been found turned to the wall three nights in succession, and the cause is now under investigation, and until this has been done we are asked to withhold the name of the house, as the “suspected spirit” may be probably placed elsewhere.
South Gloucestershire Gazette, 26th February 1921.