Queer Happenings at a Country House.
Of seasonable interest is the story, related at a festive gathering this week, and vouched for by the teller, of recent weird happenings at a country house near Nottingham. About three weeks ago, the family, consisting of a man, his wife, and two young boys, were seated at tea, when a frenzied knocking on the wall was heard. A search revealed no apparent reason for these noises, but when the family had again settled down to their meal, a dish came flying across the room, followed a few seconds later by a sauce-boat from the dresser.
Completely mystified by these happenings, and still unable to find a reasonable cause for them, the man sought out a friend. The two men returned to the house, and shortly after their arrival, another crash was heard from overhead. They rushed upstairs and found that a wardrobe had fallen square across a bed, which an hour or so later would have been occupied by one of the boys.
Other queer happenings are stated to have since occurred at this house, more recently, and my informant inclines to this that some form of poltergeist is active. This is said to be a form of magnetism, or operation of a natural force when young persons residing in an affected house are in an adolescent period. It seems they have some latent power to set this force – allied to magnetism, electricity and gravity – working.
Nottingham Journal, 31st December 1942.