Denise went to help her get settled in.

It would be the last picture she took of her beloved grandmother. Sadly she passed away shortly after.

Ghost of my Grandpa

After the picture was taken and developed, Denise gave copies to family members. It’s a great picture of a cherished Grandparent. Everyone wanted one. But one thing they all failed to notice. The man standing at the back. Until Christmas day, 3 years later.

The family were reminiscing and got the pictures out. A keen eyed member of the family suddenly spotted the man and exclaimed. It looked exactly like Denise’s Grandpa!

Stood directly behind Denise’s Grandmother, it’s no wonder others had failed to spot him. But there was no doubt in the family. The man was a dead-ringer for Denise’s Grandfather. He had died years earlier in 1984.

Coincidence or visitor from beyond?

A remarkable likeness, I think anyone would agree. Could this be proof that life after death exists? Did Grandpa come back to check on his loved ones? It seems that the Russell family were convinced. Compelling evidence for those close to the family. But we will unfortunately never know.

Usually the simplest explanation is the right one. Which would mean the man in the background is just a look a like, passing by. But who knows. Maybe it is a grandfather, coming back to check on his wife one last time.

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During the trip they visited the quaint sleepy village of Worstead. While sightseeing, they stopped for a while in St Mary’s Church, a 14th century building of grand ambition. The day was hot and Diane was glad to rest.

Peter and David went off to explore the church while Diane sat and prayed for a full recovery from her gall bladder surgery and subsequent infection relating to the surgery.

The Picture – Healed by the White Lady

While sitting there, Diane remembers feeling warm and comfortable. A tingling sensation ran throughout her body. Peter, seeing his wife in such an intimate scene, snapped a quick picture of her. Sat there, praying alone, she looked at peace.

It wasn’t until months later that they had the camera film developed. To reminisce, Peter and Diane resolved to hold a slide show viewing for their friends and family.

When they got to the picture above, both let out a gasp. They swore up and down to their guests that Diane had been alone. The warm tingling sensation also returned to Diane, as though she could be healed by the white lady through a photograph.

Return to Worstead

The following summer, they returned to Worstead. While there, Peter and Diane showed the picture to the Vicar of St Mary’s. To their astonishment, he wasn’t in the least bit surprised by it. In fact, he recounted the tale of the white lady to them.

According to him, there had been several sightings of her, dating back hundreds of years. One of the most famous stories was about a man climbing the belfry in 1830 to investigate, exclaiming he would kiss the white lady if he saw her.

He was found later, huddled in a corner repeating “I have seen her, I have seen her” before suddenly dropping dead.

But most think the white lady is a positive presence. She comes when she senses illness in people. If you are lucky, maybe you too can be healed by the white lady of St Mary’s.

It certainly helped Diane. She claims that ever since that day in 1975 she has been nothing but healthy.

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For years she ran the business. Part home, part guesthouse, those who came usually returned. Unfortunately, as with all things, time passes and age catches up.

The guesthouse started to decline as Frances aged. Odd jobs were left undone. Windows not repaired. The guesthouse fell into disrepair. Francis sadly passes away in 2010.

Odd goings on

In 2011, a demolition company is brought in to level Meadowbank. Coupled with its current state, the land around the Lake District is expensive. A very desirable place to build a beautiful home.

As the crew are stripping the home, an uncomfortable feeling grows. Hairs are stood on end. The atmosphere feels ‘off’ somehow. One of the crew notices the chandelier swinging on its own.

Robert Johnson, the demolition supervisor, brings a camera to document the demolition.

Picture from beyond the grave

The day after the chandelier incident, Robert takes this picture:

Taken just before the house was demolished, Robert clicked the pic and moved on. When he got home that night, his wife saw the photo and immediately spotted the woman looking out from the window.

David Grimshaw, Francis’ son, recognised his mother instantly. He stated:

That is my mother. I’m totally convinced. No one else looks like that. She used to stand in that room for hours on the phone. It was the guest house reception and she took bookings from there.

He believes that she would have been horrified to see the guest house demolished, and that is why she turned up one last time.

I’ll leave you with the thoughts of picture taker Robert Johnson:

I’ve always been a sceptic but I’ll have to believe in ghosts now.

Sources:

Ghostly figure spotted at derelict house (thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk)

Ghostly figure gives Blackburn workers a fright (lancashiretelegraph.co.uk)

Image Header (pixabay.com)

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Due to an accident, of which there are few details, both succumbed to fumes and died in the tank.

It is believed that Courtney was the last to die, as his body was found laid on Meehan’s. Possibly indicating that even at the last ebb of his life, he tried to pull his friend to safety.

As was tradition, both men were buried at sea somewhere between New York and the Panama Canal.

No words were spoken at their burial.

Faces from the Deep

Within 24 hours of the burial, strange things began to happen. The crew reported seeing the faces of Meehan and Courtney on the ship and then rising from the waves, following behind the ship in it’s wake.

The Captain, understandably, thought the crew had gone mad. Until he started to see them too. He resolved to get photographic evidence.

As a result, he took the above photograph, showing the faces. This image is looking back, over the stern of the ship into the wake of the boat.

But what’s the truth? Are these really faces from the deep? This one is a mystery. There is scant reliable information online about it. But this is what I have been able to glean.

The story apparently appears first in the house magazine for the shipping company. It is then popularised by Hereward Carrington, a member of the American Society for Psychical Research.

It is believed that the photo has not been tampered with and that the faces, whether natural or supernatural in origin, are indeed present in the waves. The negatives however, are long lost and cannot be verified.

Sources:

SS Watertown Ghosts (ghostresearch.org)

Hereward Carrington (wikipedia.org)

American Society for Psychical Research (wikipedia.org)

Header Image (pixabay.com)

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As you can imagine, Raynham Hall has seen it’s fair share of history.

Around 1713, the 2nd Viscount Townshend, also called Charles, married Dorothy Walpole. She herself was an English aristocrat and the sister of Robert Walpole. Robert is regarded as the first Prime Minister of Great Britain. To this very day, the Prime Minister of Great Britain lives in 10 Downing Street, a house gifted to the position by Robert Walpole under the auspices of King George the 2nd.

But back to the story.

Rage and an Untimely Death

Charles was allegedly notorious for his violent rage, probably not helped by his moniker “Turnip Townshend“.

The story is told that Lady Dorothy was of “loose morals” and liked the company of men. When Charles caught her with the Marquis of Wharton, he flew into a rage and locked her away. Effectively imprisoning her before holding a mock funeral.

According to Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, a friend of Lady Dorothy’s, this story is incorrect. She was in-fact trapped by the Countess of Wharton. She invited Dorothy over for a few days, despite the knowledge that her husband would never let Dorothy leave, not even to see her children.

She remained at Raynham Hall until her death in 1726. It is believed she died of smallpox.

Ghostly Goings On

The first ever recorded sighting of a ghost at Raynham Hall was during Christmas 1835. Two guests on their way back their bedrooms encountered the Brown Lady. The following evening, the same reveller claimed to have seen her again. He reported being drawn to her empty eye sockets, dark in her glowing face. Some staff at the Hall were so terrified by the description, they left, never to return.

Over the years a few more sightings were reported. But it’s in 1936 that the magical moment happens. An actual photograph of the brown lady.

Country Life Magazine

September the 19th, 1936. Captain Hubert C Provand and his assistant Indre Shira are taking pictures of the Hall for Country Life magazine. Shira saw:

A vapoury form gradually assuming the appearance of a woman.

Thinking quickly they snap this picture.

This photo, along with the story, was published in Country Life magazine on December the 26th, 1936.

Noted paranormal investigator Harry Price interviewed the pair and reported back as follows:

I will say at once I was impressed. I was told a perfectly simple story: Mr. Indre Shira saw the apparition descending the stairs at the precise moment when Captain Provand’s head was under the black cloth. A shout – and the cap was off and the flashbulb fired, with the results which we now see. I could not shake their story, and I had no right to disbelieve them. Only collusion between the two men would account for the ghost if it is a fake. The negative is entirely innocent of any faking.

Reception to the Publication

Critics have offered up various explanations for how the picture was produced. Ranging from putting grease on the lens, double exposures, superimposed pictures placed over each other and even by putting a bedsheet over themselves and recreating a similar picture.

Others have pointed out that the Brown Lady of Raynham Hall looks remarkably like a standard Virgin Mary statue as found in any Catholic Church. This would strongly suggest that the picture is two images, one superimposed over the over.

Whatever the real explanation, this story and picture endures and is still one of the most famous ghost pictures in existence.

Sources:

Brown Lady of Raynham Hall (Wikipedia)

The camera never lies? (Unexplained-mysteries.com)

Brown Lady of Raynham Hall (Web.archive.org)

Header Image (Pixabay)

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As you can see from the above picture, it’s an imposing country pile, full of history. Inside is a very famous staircase known as the Tulip Staircase. This spiral staircase is a wonder of engineering of the time and draws visitors from all over the world.

And it’s here, on that very staircase, that our story takes place.

The Reverend Hardy

In 1966, the Reverend Ralph Hardy and his wife decided to take a trip. He had recently retired and his wife wanted to see the world. Having heard about the Queen’s House, they decide to visit. And while there, they of course took in the magnificent Tulip Staircase. They even took a photograph of it. A memento of a once in a life-time trip.

When they returned home and had the pictures developed, they noticed something very strange.

A Shadowy Figure

As you can see above, there appears to be a figure, clinging to the banister of the stairs.

The Reverend Hardy and his wife were absolutely adamant that there was no other people there when they took their photograph.

So what’s the explanation? Simply put. Nobody appears to know. Apparently the picture was examined by experts, from Kodak no less, but nothing untoward could be seen. No tampering or manipulation.

On the 24th of June 1967 The Ghost Club had seven members spend the night here. Nothing untoward was seen, heard or even smelt.

But that’s not quite the end. According to Royal Museums Greenwich, a gallery assistant there was talking to a couple of colleagues in 2002 when a saw a figure glide across a balcony. The figure was dressed in an old fashioned, white grey dress and walked straight through a wall! Looks pretty familiar to the attire in the above photo.

Coincidence? Jumpy employee who had seen the picture? Or an actual sighting of the Tulip Staircase ghost?

I’m not sure. What I do know is this. There had been sightings before this picture and there have been sightings since. Whether there is any truth in the sightings or not is open to interpretation.

Sources:

Queen’s House (Wikipedia)

Queen’s House Ghost (rmg.co.uk)

The Tulip Staircase Ghost Photo (ghost-story.co.uk)

Header Image (Pixabay)

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In 1905, a new town hall was built. Made of red brick, it still stands on the high street. Although now it has been repurposed as a community arts centre. It’s unassuming frontage all but ignored by passing residents.

1995 Fire and Picture

Wem Town Hall had a very unremarkable life for the first 90 years of usage. That all changed on the evening of the 19th of November 1995. A fire broke out.

Tony O’Rahilly, a keen amateur photographer, saw the blaze from afar. Grabbing his camera, he headed for the burning building. Unfortunately for him, he was stopped by local authorities. Undeterred, he took a picture of the blaze from across the road, using a 200mm lens.

This picture to be exact:

As can be seen, a girl appears to be looking out from the burning building. But she doesn’t look scared. Or even concerned. Nor is she making a break for the open doorway. So what’s the explanation?

Could this be Jane Churn, a young girl accused of starting The Great Fire of Wem in 1677? And if it is, is this the first ever true picture of a ghost?

Locals seemed to think so.

O’Rahilly was shocked when he saw the picture. But also level headed enough to know it needed authenticating.

Expert Analysis

O’Rahilly sent the picture to ASSAP (Association for the Scientific Study of Anomalous Phenomena). They determined that a piece of burning wood had fallen on the railing, creating a simulacrum. A simulacrum is basically a fancy word for a likeness or similarity.

Others were not so sure. Dr Vernon Harrison of the Royal Photographic Society studied the picture. Although he remained sceptical, he believed the image to be genuine.

A third analysis by the National Media Museum concluded that the picture was indeed doctored. After studying the negative, they believed it to show scanlines as of those on a television across the image of the girl. This led them to believe the image of the girl was pasted into the photograph.

In 2010, a local resident claimed to have solved the mystery of the Wem Town Hall ghost. They claimed the girl in the picture had a striking similarity to a girl printed on a postcard that appeared in the local paper. To see the original article, click this link here: From the Edge of Postcards. It includes a fascinating breakdown of the picture and how it matches the postcard.

The most likely explanation is of course that the picture is a fake. We could ask the taker, but he is unfortunately no longer with us.

Sources:

Wem Ghost (Bbc.co.uk)

Wem Town Hall (Wikipedia)

The Great Fire of Wem (Wem.gov.uk)

Header Image (Pixabay)

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