Woman assaults man.
Mary Magg (49), married, Llanhilleth, was summoned for assaulting George Herbert Dyer, collier, Llanhilleth, on March 7th. Prosecutor said that defendant struck him in the face and also spat in his face, in the street. Tom Hill, Abertillery, and another witness gave corroborative evidence. Complainant stated that after a quarrel between her child and the prosecutor’s child, Dyer came to her house and became very abusive. A woman deposed that she saw no assault by Mrs MAggs. Mrs Maggs was bound over for six months and ordered to pay the court fees, 4s.
South Wales Gazette, 18th March 1927.
A House of Mystery.
Moving furniture and ghostly voices.
Strange, very strange, manifestations in the home of Mr and Mrs Dyer, who live in the mining town of Llanhilleth, (Mon.), have caused much perturbation. Mr Dyer’s family and friends and a score of neighbours swear they have seen tables move, door-latches lift of their own accord, and ghostly voices speak in the dark. They have also felt the touch of ghostly hands and heard strange noises.
Mr Dyer attributes the ghostly noises and voices to the spirit of his dead son Leslie. Not long after his death Mr Dyer went to a spiritualist seance in Abertillery, where a medium whom he had never seen before told him of the circumstances of his son’s death. Later another medium assured Mrs Dyer that she saw “Piccaninnies hanging blue garlands about her, and that when the blue flowers came she would have strange manifestations. Bluebells, it appears, were the favourite flowers of her son. This prophecy was fulfilled in the spring, when, according to Mr Dyer and his family and friends, the strange visitations began.
Mr Dyer has never held direct communication with his son, nor has Mrs Dyer, but in their son Hergert [sic], a boy of 17, they believe they have a medium with great psychic powers. When this boy is absent they can get no contact whatever with the dead; when he is present they say they have never failed to do so.
One evening, in the presence of a number of neighbours, a strange light appeared in the darkness of their doorway and moved towards the table. Another time they heard the tapping of the spirit, and the boy Herbert went out into the hall. He seemed to be frightened at what he saw, and they followed him out. They saw nothing, but they heard footsteps descending the stairs as though from a great height. The door of the kitchen was latched, but swung open. They shut it and it opened again. Again they shut it, and it was flung violently open.
A banjo belonging to the dead boy was seen to move in broad daylight from where it is kept on the floor and back again. It played tunes as it lay in the lap of the boy Herbert, who cannot himself play a note of music.
Mrs Dyer cannot keep a table-cloth on the table. Whenever she puts one on the table is violently shaken, and the contents upset. Watches are taken from pockets and then reappear. Tin canisters leap across the room, and on one occasion a walnut table was smashed to pieces in the dark, and the splinters were found on the floor when the light was put on.
Visitors say they have heard bells ringing above their heads and all about them while sitting in the house of the Dyers, who celebrated their golden wedding last February.
Cheltenham Chronicle, 18th August 1928.
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0002852/19280824/002/0002?browse=true
really long article.
Remarkable
An Abortive Seance.
In connection with the recent unusual occurrences at a house at Llanhilleth, as reported at length elsewhere in this issue, a seance was held on Tuesday night at the house of MRs Hone, a well-known Abertillery spiritualist, in Blaenau Gwent. No members of the Press were invited to attend, although the object of the proceedings was presumably to test the genuineness of the manifestations at Llanhilleth. As a well-known public man, Councillor M. Sheean was asked to be present, however, and the circle included others. The medium was Herbert Dyer, son of Mr and Mrs G H Dyer, of Hafodarthen Road, Llanhilleth. It is stated that after attempts had been made for some time to establish communication through the agency of the boy, failure had to be admitted.
South Wales Gazette, 24th August 1928.
Ghostly visitations. Puzzling incidents in a mining town. Eerie links with dead son. Family’s awesome experience.
When the blue flowers come, strange manifestations are promised, said Mrs Dyer, a resident of Llanhilleth, a mining town in Monmouthshire, where ghostly visitations have caused a sensation among the inhabitants. Mrs Dyer’s family and friends and a score of neighbours swear they have seen tables move, door latches lift of their own accord, and ghostly voices speak in the dark at the home of the Dyers. They state they have felt the touch of ghostly hands and hear strange noises. But stranger things are promised “when the blue flowers come again in the spring.”
Mr Dyer attributes the ghostly noises and voices to the spirit of his dead son, Leslie. Before the funeral her dead son appeared to Mrs Dyer. She said she saw a strange light playing about his head. Not long afterwards, Mr Dyer went to a Spiritualistic seance in Abertillery, where a medium whom he had never seen before, told him the circumstances of his son’s death. Later, another medium assured Mrs Dyer that she saw picanninies hanging blue garlands about her, and that when the blue flowers came she would have strange manifestations. It appears that bluebells were the favourite flowers of Mrs Dyer’s son.
This prophecy was fulfilled in the Spring, when according to Mr Dyer and his family and friends, the strange visitations began. Mr Dyer has never held direct communion with his son, nor has Mrs Dyer, but in their son, Herbert, a boy of 17, they believe they have a medium with great psychic powers. When this boy is absent they can get no contact whatever with the dead. When he is present they say they have never failed to do so.
Mr and Mrs Dyer celebrated their golden [sic] wedding in February of this year at their home. One evening in the presence of a number of their neighbours a strange light appeared in the darkness of their doorway and moved towards the table. Another time they heard the tapping of the spirit, and the boy Herbert went out into the hall. He seemed to be frightened at what he saw, and they followed him out. They saw nothing, but they heard footsteps descending the stairs as though from a great height. The door of the kitchen was latched but swung open. They shut it and it opened again. Again they shut it, and it was flung violently open. There were coats hanging in the hall. The men saw nothing, but they say they felt people brush past them. A banjo belonging to the dead boy was seen to move in broad daylight from where it is kept on the floor. It played tunes as it lay in the lap of the boy Herbert, who cannot himself play a note of music.
Mrs Dyer cannot keep a tablecloth on the table. Whenever she puts one on the table it is violently shaken and the contents upset. Watches are taken from pockets and then re-appear. Tin cannisters leap across the room, and on one occasion a walnut table was smashed to pieces in the dark and the splinters were found on the floor when the light was put on. At a tattoo somebody called out halt, and the tattoo stopped at the sound. Visitors say they that they have heard bells ringing above their heads and all about them while sitting in the Dyer house.
Meath Herald and Cavan Advertiser, 25th August 1928.
Ghost angry with visitor. His veracity attacked. Llanhilleth, Mon.
Psychists, mediums, and clairvoyants have written to Mr Herbert Dyer, of Hafodartha-road, the owner of the house which is said to be haunted by the ghost of his 12-years-old son Leslie, who died two years ago, writes a Daily Mail correspondent. They all want to come to shake hands with the ghost, for this ghost is no ordinary poltergeist. It is said that it can take ornaments from a mantel-shelf, move chairs, tables and pictures like any ordinary poltergeist., and do even more than that. It shakes hands with you, according to a dozen people who have already had this privilege, reads your thoughts, plays “The Old Brigade” on a banjo when the lights are out.
I have sat in the kitchen and watched the tea-table move across the room and a chair jump when somebody was sitting on it. And I have heard eerie noises in a dark cupboard, but I have waited in vain to see the ghostly hand and to hear the banjo. Nothing will happen in the house unless Herbert, the 17-year-old son, is there. Herbert was Leslie’s great chum, and it is through him that the poltergeist sends his messages. Mr Dyer told me that he and his wife have tried in vain to get in touch with the ghost when Herbert is out of the house.
Early this morning a man and two women called at the house and asked if they could see some manifestations, but Mr Dyer said that he was not going to have the house made a peep-show, and sent them away. Immediately they had gone, said Mrs Dyer, there was a loud rapping on the table in the kitchen, and Leslie inspired Herbert to say that he was glad they had sent the man away because he was a liar. When an ornament moves or when there is a rapping on the table Mr Dyer says: “All right, Leslie, boy. Wait a minute, Herbert is coming.” And Herbert goes into a dark cupboard under the stairs to receive a message.
Mr Dyer and his son Herbert tell me that as they were walking down a mountain a bunch of flowers were thrown out of space at them. Herbert picked them up and said “Thank you Leslie!” A curious thing is that the flowers were picked up a few yards away from the Dyers’ house.
Preperations are being made for a seance of psychists. Seventeen Spiritualists have already witnessed the phenomena, and all declare that whoever goes to the house must be convinced. One sceptic left the house half-fainting.
Hong Kong Daily Press, 11th September 1928.
Without a Light. Herbert Dyer (17), a Llanhilleth labourer, was summoned for riding a bicycle without a light at Llanhilleth on October 26th. P.C. Price proved the case, and said defendant pleaded he had only got on the machine a short distance away. Defendant said he was taking the machine home to get a light. He was ordered to pay 4s. costs.
South Wales Gazette, 9th November 1928.
Dismantling Craze. Llanhilleth Youth’s Greatest Delight.
A youth stated to have a mania for pulling things to pieces was placed on probation at Abertillery on Wednesday accused of stealing part of a magneto, value £1, the property of Ralph’s Garages (Limited), Abertillery. The youth was Herbert Dyer, aged seventeen, of Llanhilleth, the “medium” who created a stir some months ago by claiming to receive spirit messages from his dead brother Leslie. Police-sergeant Argue said that he interviewed Dyer, who at first denied knowledge of the affair, but afterwards admitted taking the parts and hiding them in his father’s workshop at Llanhilleth. In reply to more questions, Dyer told the sergeant, “I don’t know what made me do it, as the parts I took are no good to me.” Dyer told the magistrates that he had no intention of stealing the parts. He only wanted to take the magneto to pieces.
The boy’s father, G. H. Dyer, said that his son was “very impulsive,” and was never more delighted than when pulling things to pieces. The boy had had four operations to his head. The doctor had said he was developing the same symptoms of tubercular meningitis that his brother had died from.
Western Mail, 23rd May 1929.
Youth and Magneto Parts.
Herbert Dyer (17), labourer, Llanhilleth, was summoned for stealing parts of a magneto value £1 the property of Ralphs Garages Ltd, Abertillery. He pleaded not guilty, and said he had no intention of stealing it. Abner Ralph, a member of the firm of Ralph’s Garages Ltd., said he missed parts of a magneto off one of the firm’s motor lorries. He did not know the defendant. P.S. Argue said that on the 9th inst., in consequence of a complaint from the last witness, he made inquiries and interviewed the defendant informing him that he had reason to believe he knew something about the magneto parts. Dyer admitted that he was in the garage with two other lads the previous evening, but at first denied the theft. When witness suggested the lads should be produced, he admitted he had taken the parts and had hidden them in his father’s workshop, adding, “I don’t know what made me do it, as the parts I took are of no good to me.” Defendant said he did not take them with the intention of stealing, but of putting the parts together and returning them. The Chairman: are you interested in the mechanism? – Yes, anything like that. You took them apart for the pleasure of putting them back? – Yes. Mr Beynon: Do you attend the Central School? – No. P.S. Argue: I believe he did at one time. The lad’s father said he was a very impulsive boy, and liked putting things together. He had never known him to steal anything. The boy had four operations to his head in Newport Infirmary. He did not think it was a case of theft. Replying to the Chairman, he said the lad was too delicate to work. He suffered badly from hemorrhage. Defendant was bound over in the sum of £5 and placed on probation for 12 months.
South Wales Gazette, 24th May 1929.
Llanhilleth Boy In Trouble.
Herbert Dyer (18), the Llanhilleth medium, who some time ago claimed to have received spirit messages from his dead brother, was accused at Abercarn Police-court on Thursday of stealing a coal bag belonging to William Butcher, coal merchant, at Crumlin. When interviewed by Police-constable Bishop, it was stated, Dyer said “I do not know what made me do it.” Mr G H Dyer, the father, said that his son had four operations to his head and was not responsible for his actions. In order to keep him “off the road” he had let him work on a lorry for 3s.3d. per week. H ewould rather him be sent to a home, as he could not be responsible for his actions. “Sometimes he has the mind of a child,” said Mr Dyer, “and other times he is as intelligent as a man. He has a genius for machinery.” Mr TR Jenkins (a magistrate): And for coal bags, too. Superintendent Spendlove stated that the boy was at present on probation on an accusation of stealing a magneto at Abertillery. Mr DJ Thomas, the probation officer, told the magistrates that the boy was impulsive. The Chairman (Dr E M Griffith) said the case would be adjourned for two months and in the meantime the probation officer would report as to the boy’s conduct.
Western Mail, 1st November 1929.
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002852/19290524/169/0015 gives address
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000681/19281017/080/0005
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000271/19280818/110/0005 harry price says it’s a farce https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0002852/19280831/028/0005?browse=true long farce article
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000104/19280820/229/0008 childish
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000321/19280818/035/0006
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002852/19290419/146/0013 herbert goes to london
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002852/19290906/115/0012 sister act
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