A Petersfield Mystery.
Much ghostly tapping.
Vicar and police chief hear it.
Hidden money theory.
What is presumed to be a tapping spirit is haunting a house at 22, Chapel Street, Petersfield, occupied by Mr. W.A. Lockyer, a gardener employed by Dr. Campbell Cooke. The tapping commenced eighteen months ago while Mr and Mrs Lockyer were away on holiday in Dorset, and has continued intermittently ever since.
The two daughters, Violet and Rene, were sleeping in a downstairs room when the tappings commenced at the head of the bed. Violet ran out of the room, but her sister stayed to listen, while the bed was shaken by these tappings. The sounds did not occur again for about six months, at a time when Violet was sleeping with her mother; and the tapping has since followed her round the house.
After overcoming her initial nervousness, Miss Lockyer, following the visit of a neighbour to investigate, hit upon the idea of asking the spirit to tap three times for “yes” and once for “no” in reply to questions, and in this way she has carried on conversations with it ever since. As the result of these conversations, the family believe that some money is hidden in the house and it is stated that the spirit has led the daughter to the fireplace in a front room, where the family have pulled up the hearth but have found nothing.
Our reporter who visited the house last night stood outside the bedroom, which was in complete darkness, while Violet, in her stockinged feet, talked to the spirit, which tapped incessantly in reply to her questions. This performance was repeated in all the rooms of the house, the spirit sometimes tapping on the floor under the girl’s feet. There is no cellar in the house, and the family are completely mystified by the sounds.
Our reporter himself stayed in a darkened room with Violet, and heard the tapping on the floor under her motionless feet, which were illuminated by the firelight. As a consequence of the phenomenon, the family are unable to sleep, and the father has had to stay with his two daughters all night because they are disturbed by the tapping.
Both the Vicar of Petersfield (the Rev. E.C.A. Kent) and the Superintendent of Police (Mr. J. Ellis) were present last night and heard the tappings, but neither of them is able to explain the sounds, which are something like a tennis-ball bouncing.
Portsmouth Evening News, 31st December 1930.
[as above]
Mr Donald Lockyer, the son of the occupier, told a “Hampshire Telegraph and Post” reporter that on one occasion, while his sister Violet was in the room, the clock was slightly lifted and an ornament jumped off the mantelpiece into the centre of the room and was unbroken. A photograph also dropped into Miss Lockyer’s hands while she was standing near the mantelpiece.
The Vicar said on Wednesday night, “I can’t understand it. I have never seen anything like it before.”
Speaking to our representative, Mrs Campbell-Cooke, the wife of Dr Campbell-Cooke, who employs Mr Locker as a gardener, said, “It is absolutely genuine. It mystifies me. Two of the rooms are [?] and one of the men who live in the [?] room is disturbed by the tapping. I am perfectly certain Miss Lockyer is not doing it. I have talked to the “thing” and it answered me. It won’t talk to some people and it doesn’t like men. We are trying to find out something about the house and the people who have lived in it. There was one old lady who lived and died there [?] years ago. I asked “it” if it was [her?] spirit and it said it was by tapping [three?] times.
Hampshire Telegraph, 2nd January 1931.
Ghost tells of treasure.
Superintendent and vicar hear it tap.
A useful ghost has been discovered at Petersfield, Hampshire. He (or she) indicates where money is to be found. Unfortunately, owing perhaps to a misunderstanding, searchers have not yet found the money at the place indicated. The ghost haunts an old three-roomed cottage in Chapel-street, occupied by Mr WH Lockyer, a gardener, and his daughter. About 16 months ago the ghost began to follow Miss Lockyer about the cottage, tapping persistently. Screwing up her courage, Miss Lockyer asked the ghost to tap three times for “Yes” and once for “No.” There was an immediate response, and in this way communication was established. The ghost told Miss Lockyer that there is money hidden in the house. It led her to the hearth in the sitting-room, tapping excitedly the while. Mr Lockyer prised up the hearthstone, but found nothing beneath it.
The Petersfield Superintendent of Police told a “Daily Herald” representative yesterday that he visited the cottage the previous night. “There is no doubt about the tapping,” he said. “There is no doubt either that the spirit, or whatever it is, answers Miss Lockyer’s questions in an intelligible way.”
The Vicar of Petersfield has been called in and has heard the tapping.
Daily Herald, 1st January 1931.
Ghostly Tappings.
Sir, – With reference to the ghostly tappings in the house occupied by Miss Lockyer, at Petersfield, may I recommend the following procedure:- The sound should be located as accurately as possible by listening intently until the actual position is found. It will in all probability be in an article of old furniture or in old woodwork of some kind. When the spot is found, a hole should be drilled in the wood and the offender will be discovered in the person of a small beetle. He is known as Annobium tesselatum, but does not respond when so addressed. He is an industrious little fellow and spends a lot of time exercising his jaws on woodwork in which he lies concealed. He is known in some parts of the country as the “death-watch” and used to cause great consternation among people who could not imagine where the sound came from. – Yours, etc., Anti-Spectre.
Portsmouth Evening News, 7th January 1931.
Ghostly Tappings.
Sir. – The suggestion put forward by “Anti-Spectre” is one that merits investigation in some cases, but in this may I point out that it is singular the tappings are more pronounced in the presence of Miss Violet Lockyer.
Although the beetle does not respond to his name, he apparently seems to possess some degree of intelligence and manifests it by answering questions. The sooner we have this little chap in the Museum the better, for he would certainly be a remarkable specimen.
Such is the conclusion I am left with after reading “Anti-Spectre’s” letter. Well! It’s a strange age we live in anyway. – Yours, etc., Leonard B Lilley. President and Secretary, Southsea Psychical Research Society, 91 Folkestone Road, Connor, Portsmouth. January 8, 1931.
Portsmouth Evening News, 8th January 1931.
Ghostly Tapping in a House.
No. 22, Chapel-street, occupied by Mr WA Lockyer and his grown-up family, has gained notoriety by reason of mysterious tappings that go on periodically. They have become so persistent and ghostly that the nerves of the two daughters are getting “on edge.” Whatever the cause – and of course fantastic stories have been circulated – the fact remains that the tappings do happen, and are said to resemble a tennis ball being bouced.
The Rev. ECA Kent (Vicar), Police-Supt. Ellis, and Mrs Campbell Cooke (wife of Dr. Campbell Cooke, who employs Mr Lockyer as a gardener) are among the people who declare that they have heard the tappings, which were supposed to have begun 18 months ago, while Mr and Mrs Lockyer were on holiday. The daughters have stated that on one occasion their bed was shaken by the tappings. At another time a clock was slightly tilted and an ornament was thrown off the mantelpiece. Conversations are supposed to have been carried on with “the spirit,” the outcome of which was the pulling up of the hearth in one room. Dirt was the only thing discovered.
Mrs Campbell Cooke claims to have spoken to “the thing,” and that it answered her with tappings. “Spiritualists” have visited the house; in fact, since the weird affair became public property Mr Lockyer has been nearly inundated with callers, and on some nights large crowds gather outside the house. It is understood that “spiritualists” want to hold an inquiry.
West Sussex Gazette, 8th January 1931.
The Ghostly Tappings at Petersfield.
Crowds outside the house.
The ghostly tappings which have occurred in a house at 22, Chapel Street, Petersfield, have excited interest in the town and throughout the surrounding district, and crowds of sightseers have assembled outside the house nightly. On Friday night there was a very large gathering, and two policemen were necessary to control the crowd.
The tappings have continued, and a Southampton spiritualist who visited the house on Thursday week, discussed the matter with Miss Violet Lockyer, the 17-year-old daughter of the occupier. It has been suggested that an inquiry should be held to discover the cause of the tapping.
Letter from the occupier of the house.
Mr A W Lockyer writes to the “H.T. and P.” as follows from 22, Chapel Street, Petersfield:- Sir, – Can I take up a little of your space with reference to the unusual happenings that have been taking place at my home at 22, Chapel Street, Petersfield. In the first place I should like to point out that the whole thing is perfectly genuine from beginning to end. There is no trickery, and I have nothing to gain from it. A rumour has been current in Petersfield that I have been receiving money to allow people to come into my house and investigate. That is absolutely untrue. I have never taken a penny from any visitor to the house, but I allow nobody to enter without invitation or appointment. Hoping you will give this the same publicity as you gave your original report. – Yours, etc. A.W. Lockyer.
Miss Violet Lockyer, one of Mr Lockyer’s daughters. The tappings are more pronounced when Miss Lockyer is near. / Mysterious tappings have been heard at this house, 22 Chapel Street, Petersfield. Tenanted by Mr AW Lockyer. So far, the sounds cannot be accounted for.
Hampshire Telegraph, 9th January 1931.
Portsmouth Evening News, 5th January 1931.