A Strange Tale.
During the last few days, the inhabitants of Lenton have been considerably excited by the circulation of a strange tale amongst them, somewhat similar to the ghost and apparition stories recorded in the legends of the past dark ages. We recollect that some years ago, the “Chilwell Ghost” set the whole neighbourhood and county in motion; but the Lenton visitations far exceed that affair, if the whole of the particulars as stated by the parties immediately connected with them, be not the effect of imagination and secret art. Some parties give full credit to the tale, but others think little of it, and attribute the whole to the situation and fears of the poor people, who have been the subjects of great alarm and apprehension.
It seems that during the last eight weeks, William Mather, his wife Sarah, and five children have resided in a house in the square at the back of Kyte-street, New Lenton, which has just been the scene of considerable commotion, and about which the most extravagant statements are in circulation. Mrs Mather is a person who has been afflicted with ill health for some years, and has had the advice of many doctors of eminence, for an affection which produces a sensation of something like suffocation; she attributes her complaint to some gross ill usage, which she alledges that she has been the subject of (not by her husband), and most likely her affliction may have been the cause of all the alarm she has produced in the neighbourhood.
Her husband is an industrious man, working at Hall’s starch works, at Lenton, and during many weeks he has not gone to bed, as she is unable to lie down, but has lain upon the house floor, for the purpose of remaining with her, and attending to her wants during the night.
On Wednesday and Thursday nights, at a very early hour, while sitting in a chair talking to a neighbour, she because suddenly alarmed, and said she saw a female standing against the wall near the house door, having on a dark brown gown, a brown bonnet and a dark ribbon with a white stripe down it, assuming the most frightful characters. Afterwards she imagined she saw a man, with a blue smock-frock and a black cap, who put out a pair of claws as if he were going to strike her. He passed her, and vanished up the chimney.
She saw other sights, quite as strange and marvellous, on that and subsequent evenings, till Monday last, and heard noises like the lumbering of heavy furniture. He neighbours were called in, and two of these declare they saw strange figures; perceivd the most noisome smells, and heard the most frightful noises. At times there were as many as from twelve to fifteen persons sitting in the house, all of whom affirm, unequivocally, that they heard the lumbering noises. Mrs Clarke living in Kyte-street, heard the noise while sitting hin her house, which adjoins Mather’s (the former living in the front, and the latter at the back), and was so alarmed that on Friday, and every night since, she would not remain at home, but went out till her husband returned from work.
Mrs Savage, a next door neighbour, speaks of the tremendous lumbering she has heard, and a great number of persons around, all agree in their statements as to hearing noises.
Mrs Mather persists in having seen figures holding forks, scythes, sickles, rakes, and other implements, as if they intended her immediate destruction, and whenever these demoniacal appearances have been manifest, she has been in the greatest agony.
People hearing of these strange circumstances have constantly been crowding the house, and the most extravagant misrepresentations have been afloat. On two of her neighbours, Mr Williamson and another, attempting to keep the “ghost” from her, she saw a stroke aimed at them with a fork, and she cried out, “Lord have mercy on the men!” It happened, however, that they received no injury, but they attributed the cause to praying and singing and reading a chapter. For seven nights have these poor people been in this distractedly fearful state, and whatever some persons may consider, there can be little doubt that the imagination alone has conjured up the frightful figures, and that some secret mischief has been afloat to produce the noises so universally heard.
Two or three individuals have been caught attempting to work upon the fears of these parties by making artificial noises, such as throwing stones and bringing a cart into the yard, to create a noise at the time a visitation was expected.
On Tuesday and Wednesday night, no sights had been seen, nor any noises heard, and most probably, as the public eye is upon the spot, it would not be safe for any wags to carry on their mischief.
Nottingham Review and General Advertiser for the Midland Counties, 27th March 1846.