For some days past the public mind in the neighbourhood of Walpole Street, South Shields, has been greatly exercised by the supposed appearances of a ghostly visitant in one of the dwellings of the living. The credulity that has been manifested is astounding. Day by day, since the ghost “walked”, crowds of men, women and children have gathered at the back and front of a certain house, and with the greatest patience awaited a glimpse of the strange disturber of the peace.
It was said at first the curious noises in the house called attention to the existence of a ghost; then the furniture, it is alleged, made astonishing moves on its own behalf; and lastly, proceeding from within to without, an invisible agent began to pelt coals at the window with somewhat destructive effect.
When these vagaries were in full force, the police were called in, and one step towards exercising the spiteful spirit was the catching of a substantial mortal in active operation throwing stones and coals over the wall and at the windows of the disturbed house.
There is no doubt some mischievous person is at the bottom of the freaks going on, and there would be considerable satisfaction if they could be discovered. The two things that are clearly proved by this rather amusing incident are, the ease with which ghostly apparatus can be set in motion, and the celerity with which people “swallow” anything that savours of the world of the departed.
Shields Daily Gazette, 25th July 1885.