The Whizzing Ghost.
Hospital scared by a “spook.”
Practical joker?
“Matilda” causes a bit of a stir.
From a Special Correspondent. Southend, Monday.
Is Rochford being hoaxed by a practical joker, or is there a real live ghost frightening the nursing staff of the Rochford Union Hospital? For the past week an apparition, dressed in old-fashioned nurse’s uniform, has been haunting the newer wing of the hospital almost every night. Last night it whizzed past the wards, passed two astonished nurses, and disappeared in a trice.
The hospital staff call this apparition “Matilda,” because when it made its first appearance about ten years ago, when the wing of this hospital was opened, they were inclined to treat it more or less as a joke; but the matter has now gone beyond the stage of practical joking.
Among the new arrivals on the nursing staff are several probationers, who do not take kindly to “Matilda.” Her pranks, which consist of ringing the bell which connects the night nurses with the cubicles and the lighting and extinguishing of the lights, were regarded as more or less harmless. Several of the nurses, in fact, endeavoured to converse with the spectre, but “Matilda” did not permit this familiarity. She came, fled by, saw that she had conquered, and disappeared.
The nurses who have been with the institution for many years have come to regard “Matilda” as a kind of extra hand, for sometimes she has been seen washing up; but the younger nurses have made a definite stand against this intrusion, and the hospital authorities, although endeavouring to belittle the affair by suggesting that “Matilda” is simply a nurse dressed up for the occasion, have nevertheless had the passages which “Matilda” is wont to frequent more brightly lit.
In conversation with a prominent member of the guardians connected with the hospital, I gather that even th emost sceptical among the staff are beginning to feel a little less sure that the matter is the work of a practical joker. “I myself do not believe in ghosts,” said my informant, “but there is no doubt that somebody or something has been disturbing the equanimity of the nursing staff. The ghost – call it whatever you like – has lately taken to doing things which are going to upset the whole administration of the hospital unless something is done. We have had an offer from certain local spiritualists to hold a seance, and so get into communication with the ghost; and, sceptic as I am, I believe that this might help to knock the bottom out of the joke (if it is a joke), or tranquilise the disturbed spirit of the spectre nurse. At any rate, it is certain that things cannot be allowed to go on as they are, otherwise we shall be losing all our nurses.”
Pall Mall Gazette, 15th January 1923.
Scared Nurses.
Matilda the spook in a hospital.
Nurses at Rochford Union Hospital are worried by a ghost which is becoming a nuisance. They call it Matilda, and up till recently they didn’t mind it very much, because it was rarely seen. “Live and let live” was their motto. But of late Matilda has taken to ringing bells and racing along the corridors, dressed in old-fashioned nurse’s uniform, at break-neck speed. Often the nurses don’t see her in time and pass straight through her, but Tilly doesn’t seem to mind. No murders or things usually associated with visitations have happened in the haunted corridors – which are only 10 years old – but the obvious explanation is that Tilly was a nurse who was late for an operation. In future the passages are to be more brilliantly lighted. This will put the wind up Matilda.
Portsmouth Evening News, 12th January 1923.
Whizzing Spook Again.
Race along corridors of hospital.
£50 reward.
Hot on the track of “Matilda.”
From our own correspondent. Southend, Friday.
A reward of £50 is offered to anyone who will lay the Rochford ghost. The importance attached to the early visitations of “Matilda,” the ghost of the Rochford Union, increases daily. Following upon the publicity given to “Matilda’s” activities by the “Pall Mall Gazette,” the ghost’s appearances have become somewhat irregular. She returned, however, last night, garbed, as usual, as an old-fashioned nurse, and seemed to enjoy herself immensely, whizzing up and down the corridors.
At first Southend viewed the matter sceptically, and was inclined to treat it as a joke, but the offer of a £50 reward to anyone who can lay “Matilda” has awakened a lively interest locally.
The Master and Doctor with whom I discussed the mystery are both convinced that the whole affair is the work of a practical joker, and it is with the hope of solving the phenomenon that two local residents have offered a reward.
“Although ‘Matilda’ is quite harmless,” said a Union official to me yesterday, “the effect of her presence on the probationer nurses is a serious factor, and unless the £50 is won we shall undoubtedly lose some of our nursing staff.”
The rumblings which invariably herald the spook’s comings were at first attributed to the hot-water pipes by the sceptics, but investigations in this direction have tended to cast out this theory. Minute examination has also been made of the hospital record in order to discover whether there have been any occurrences of a nature which is believed to breed ghosts, but all in vain. The premises are but a few years old, and their record is unbesmirched by anything gruesome.
No doubt, in the course of the next few days, many determined attempts will be made to earn the £50 reward offered. If ‘Matilda’ is a practical joker, after all, it would be worth her while to own up and claim the money. Many eminent actors have played ghost parts for less remuneration!
Pall Mall Gazette, 19th January 1923.
Rochford ‘Spook’ Caught?
Nurse dismissed from hospital.
“I am innocent.”
Guardians to hold inquiry.
(From our own correspondent.) Southend, Saturday.
Matilda, the mysterious ‘spook’ who has been disturbing the inmates of the Rochford Union Hospital for some time back, is believed to have been run to earth during one of her nocturnal prowls. It appears that the bells which connect the cubicles with the night nurses were run in a mysterious manner, bringing to the scene a number of workers intent on securing the £50 reward offered to the laying of the ghost.
They pounced on a nurse, and I am informed that she has been summarily dismissed from the hospital, although she protests her innocence.
The matter is not to end here, however, for an official investigation of the mystery is to be made at the Board of Guardians meeting on Tuesday next.
Pall Mall Gazette, 20th January 1923.
Nurse lays the ghost.
Male attendant at infirmary who masqueraded in white sheet.
Rochford, Saturday.
The ghost which has flitted through the wards and corridors of Rochford Union Infirmary has been laid by one of the nurses. Seeing the apparition in the grounds at 3 a.m., and not being afraid, she kept watch, and in the end one of the male attendants was caught masquerading as the ghost. He was wrapped about with a sheet and a pillow-case, and when first seen was about to ring one of the bells. The man has, it is stated, been dismissed, and the full facts of the matter will be brought before the Guardians at their meeting on Tuesday morning.
Mysterious noises were reported by nurses who were on night duty. Bells were run, gas lights extinguished, and there were eerie sounds. The spectre was supposed to be a certain Nurse Matilda, whose fame spread abroad until local residents offered a reward of £50 for the solution of the mystery. The apparition is said to have been seen on the first three nights of the present week. A number of young probationers engaged in this part of the institution – were much disturbed, and threatened to resign.
Local spiritualists offered to hold a seance to lay the ghost, but the ghost’s range was considerably curtailed by the precautions taken by the more sceptical officials. More lights were put on and a better watch kept, until the climax of the drama came with the capture of the ghost in the grounds.
Sunday Post, 21st January 1923.
Hush! The Ghost.
Hospital prank leads to man’s dismissal.
A male attendant at Rochford Union Hospital, reported for masquerading as a ghost, has been dismissed and the matter will be raised at a meeting of the Board of Guardians today. The explanation he is said to have given is that he put a sheet over his head and waited for the night nurse – this as a joke in view of the stories published that the institution is haunted by a ghost who is referred to as “Matilda.” The hospital staff, it is added, do not believe he is responsible for the mysterious ringing of bells and turning on of the gas.
Daily News (London), 23rd January 1923.
Sacked Ghost.
Seeks interview with board.
A “ghost” unsuccessfully sought an interview with the Rochford (Southend) Board of Guardians yesterday. It was the “ghost of Nurse Matilda” who had been haunting the wards, corridors, and grounds of the union, and which, when “laid” was found to be a male attendant named Gell disguised in a sheet and pillowcase.
In the Board’s agenda the matter was referred to as a “ghost who was dismissed.” The chairman of the House Committee, Mr Dowsett, reported that the stories of apparitions having been seen in the hospital corridors and the institution’s grounds recently were quite true. The committee appointed to investigate, however, were suspicious that some human element was endeavouring for some inexplicable reason to disturb the hospital staff, and this was confirmed. The committee came to the conclusion that the only course was summarily to dismiss Gell, the attendant responsible, and this had been done.
Gell had written asking for an interview with the Board, alleging either “injustice or a conspiracy to throw me out of employment.” Mr Dowsett commented that it was not the first time the man had been before the committee.
Superintendent Nurse Jones, who lay in wait for the spook at midnight in a darkened corridor, was thanked by the Board for her pluck.
Grimsby Daily Telegraph, 24th January 1923.
Rochford “Ghost”
Joke that caused alarm.
Attendant summarily dismissed.
One of the nurses at the Rochford Poor Law Institution has removed alarm and annoyance to the attendants and patients at the Infirmary by discovering that the “ghost2 which had been seen during the dark hours was really a male attendant with a sheet over his head – bent simply on mischief. The “ghost” had appeared at intervals for several weeks and nurses and patients had become scared as it stole along the corridor and glided through the wards during the dark hours. One of the nurses, having a shrewd suspicion of the identity of the “ghost,” lay in wait in a dark room. The “apparition” came stealing into the room, and she switched up the light. Her suspicions were justified. Holding his hands upwards, he appeared to be of abnormal height, but could not conceal the fact that he was merely a male attendant.
The matter came before the Rochford Guardians on Tuesday, when the House Committee presented a report concerning the “ghostly apparition,” stating that thanks to the energetic actions of the Superintendent Nurse, the hospital staff would not be troubled any more. The suspicions of the committee that some human element was at work endeavouring, for some inexplicable reason, to disturb the hospital nursing staff in the discharge of their duties, had been verified by facts. Suspicion fell on one of the male officers of the Institution, and he was called before the committee and closely interrogated. Certain admission made by the officer, corroborated by other evidence received, led the committee to the unanimous opinion that he was responsible for what had taken place.
The committee viewed with grave concern the actions of this officer, particularly in their effect upon the members of the nursing staff, and they came to the unanimous conclusion that the right and proper course to take was to dismiss him summarily. This was accordingly done. The man was paid off and left the Institution within an hour.
The committee very much appreciated the assistance rendered by the Superintendent Nurse, Miss Jones, in the discovery of the culprit, and had tendered their thanks to her.
The Chairman (Mr G. Bedwell) read a letter from Mr E. Gell, of Whitegate Road, Southend, who, the Chairman explained, was the man who had been dismissed. He asked for a month’s salary in lieu of notice, and also for a testimonial, and added “considering the amount of foolery I have had to put up with, I think it is either an injustice or a conspiracy to throw me out of employment.”
The Rev. H. Morrison Rose said this was not the first time the man had been before the House Committee. He had notice some few weeks ago that if any annoyance occurred again he would be severely dealt with. Commissioner Lamb said he was against giving the man the month’s salary, but he thought they should give him something of a testimonial. It was decided not to pay the month’s salary, but to give a qualified testimonial.
Essex Newsman, 27th January 1923.
Matilda Reappears.
The Workhouse Ghost Mystery.
The Rochford (Southend) Workhouse ghost has reappeared. At any rate, three of the nurses have complained that “Matilda” has returned to her old haunts. With the dismissal a fortnight ago of a mental attendant who was caught playing ghost attired in a sheet and pillowcase, it was thought that the last had been seen of the apparition. The man denied that he was the original “Matilda” and said that a ghost yarn having gained currency, he “kept the game up.”
According to the three nurses mentioned, “Matilda” is appearing again in the corridor she frequented before. Where she goes after leaving the corridor, as well as how she gets there, are matters which at the moment cannot satisfactorily be explained.
Bradford Daily Argus, 3rd February 1923.