The Knife, The
Boot and the Poltergeist?
CONFIDENTIAL: WMGC Investigation carried out at a commercial premises in the
West Midlands area. Names and place disguised for confidentiality reasons.
Be warned: For the sake of brevity, very 'rough
note' form has been used throughout this document!!
Visited, approx. 11.30am to 12 20pm. Tuesday 24th
October 2006
The man that
I initially spoke to was ‘Man A’. Two other members of staff were also present -
a middle aged woman and a young woman of around 20 years of age. All of the
aforementioned struck me as very straight forward and reliable sounding people.
A little while into the visit, the sites ex-cleaner came in and joined in the
conversation. (She had left some 6 months earlier). This person admitted to
being a big Most Haunted. She intimated that activity seemingly worsened in the
site when she was around
The owners of the site are said to be **** and anything paranormal related is
highly taboo indeed. Head office has, however, asked site staff to keep a
catalogue of everything that goes on in the site. Other business related
personnel have come to the site to carry out audits, etc, and have experienced
things.
A corridor at the back of the site was said (by middle aged woman) to be icy
cold and she had apparently sensed something peculiar in there. (Or had been
made to feel peculiar).
I asked if they had spoken with anyone from any of the other premises about the
matter - i.e. checking to see if any surrounding businesses were experiencing
anything. They said no. However, there was allegedly a history of activity at
the site, including stuff possibly happening in the neighbour’s basement and
possibly in the site next door. It was mentioned that some of the security staff
had experienced things. ‘Man A’ said that they'd checked the area out in the
archives and had found that some sort of **** had existed where the site now
stands, with the general site area being taken up by a burial ground(?) The
cleaner later said that problems had started when someone associated with
premises that used to stand where ****** is now hung themselves on the
property(?)
Once the subject of ghosts was raised, all three began relating incidents to me
which had allegedly occurred in the site over the two years that they had been
there. It was suggested (by staff) that activity seemed to peak at certain times
of the year (the middle aged woman suggesting winter, for example). ‘Man A’ said
that it (activity) has quietened down over the past couple of weeks. At times,
the activity was so strong - i.e. the force / way in which objects were thrown,
etc - it was quite worrying to them. There were marks in the ceiling tiles of
the premise where objects had struck them - namely, a mug (which didn't break),
boots (rugby or football), etc.
Leaflets have been seen to lift up from the counter of the site, float across
the room and hit the windows. Knocking noises have been heard on the counter of
the site and around the staff quarters.
One ex-staff member was a Jehova's Witness and they said that the haunting
activity seemed to target her in particular. A religious book - psalms, or some
such - had been left behind the counter and had been found moved / thrown
around. They said that a vicar and a psychic type had come to the premises - the
latter being sent by someone from ******* *******, they said - but no one who
came to the premises and experienced anything ever came back.
Small mannequin dummies have seemingly moved around the site, being found by
staff to be in places where they hadn't physically been placed. One was once
found in the changing rooms and, at another time, in the ladies toilets. At one
point, ‘Man A’ says he thought that he'd seen something moving out of the corner
of his eye, only to find later that one of the dummies had been moved to another
section of the site. (Either of the places mentioned previously, I believe). He
was intimating that it had possibly been the dummy that he'd seen moving(?!) A
mannequin dummy was seen to have been thrown into a skip at the rear of the
premises by another tenant and staff at the site retrieved it, intending to
dress it up, etc. Apparently, while it was left unattended - over night, I
believe - it was 'dressed up' by something.
Exceptionally sturdy, free standing racking had been found tipped over. You
wouldn't hear anything when this happened, but you would just find the racking -
and clothing which hung on it - turned over on the floor. This motif was common
regarding incidents - i.e. you seldom 'heard' anything happen, but would notice
things disturbed afterwards.
At one point, the middle aged woman asked if I would like to see their 'ghostly
trail' and lead me round some shelves, pointing to a twisty, broken line which
appeared to have been drawn on the sites carpet. This appeared after a member of
staff went shopping one day and returned to the site with bags of groceries,
etc. After she had returned home, her partner asked where the shampoo had gone
that she was supposed to have purchased. She said that she had indeed bought
shampoo, but it wasn't in the bags. On going into the site the next day, it was
discovered that a trail of shampoo had been made from inside the staff quarters
into the main body of the site, with the empty shampoo bottle lying on the floor
in the site.
A member of staff was serving a customer one day when a pop bottle flew from
behind the staff member and hit the customer in the arm. The customer said
(words to the effect): 'What did you do that for.... I saw you do that....' The
girl protested and the customer said that she had seen someone throw the bottle
and duck behind the staff member. She was adamant that she'd seen someone
ducking and apparently had to be shown behind the counter to see that there was
no one hiding there.
‘Man A’ says he was serving an Asian woman one day and a sweat shirt had flow
above him. He asked the woman where the shirt had come from and she had thrown
her hands up saying she didn't know - it had just come out of the sky.
The figure of an old man and a woman has allegedly been seen in the site, with a
staff member actually following the woman around the site, asking if she needed
any help, etc. While the middle aged woman admitted that she hadn't really seen
anything in the premises herself, she did see a figure standing in the area on a
security monitor. The monitor is in the main area and displays views from all of
the camera's concerned - i.e. the screen is split into a number of different
views, etc. In one of the sections, she could allegedly see a vague form. (She
believed that this would have been on a camera situated in, or facing, the
corner of the site).
Shelving and racking is said to either be moved or thrown. The main shelving in
the body of the site has been found to have been moved and security men have had
to be called to help move it back because it is so heavy. Small metal pegs - on
which items are hung on the walls of the site - have been thrown around. Larger
strips of metal on which clothing on hangars are hung (possibly 3 feet in
length) have been thrown. One such projectile narrowly missed striking the
cleaner in the eye on one occasion as it flew across the site. Pigeon hole-style
shelving units have been seen to move and have physically been found moved
considerable distances in the site.
‘Man A’ said you will sometimes walk around some shelving to find some of the
pigeon hole shelving pushed up flush to it, etc. someone was apparently standing
next to the main shelving - with piles of sweat shirts piled on top - and the
shirts have been flying off at them quicker that the person concerned could pick
them up and replace them. A football boot, which had been left out on top of a
box on some shelving, went missing. Staff checked the entire area for it, but
couldn't find the boot anywhere. That afternoon (?) there was a crash and the
boot had struck something.
A strip-light bulb flew across the room on one occasion, narrowly missing the
middle aged woman. Also, the silver coloured grilles which cover the ceiling
lights fall down of their own volition.
‘Man A’ says that he left his camera running in a rear room of the site one day
- for around an hour or so - and when he watched the tape back, something white
could be seen hitting the lens of the camera. He says that they couldn't
properly distinguish what this was, as it was so close to the lens. He believed
that it might have been a pair of shorts, as these were the only white object in
the vicinity. Unfortunately, the tape got passed around the staff members and is
currently 'mislaid'.
Clock on wall of staff quarters was found to have been turned upside down at one
point. ‘Man A’ got up and retrieved it and said that it wasn't hanging on the
nail when he touched it. Middle aged woman said that an enormous mirror in
changing rooms had been found moved and was hanging in a peculiar place /
position. It had taken three staff members to move it back, because it is so
large and heavy.
While standing in the position that I had been taken to in order to view the
'trail' (around 12.15 pm), I received two phone calls in relatively quick
succession - one from Wendy and one from Frazer. During the call from the
latter, customers came into the site (as had been happening sporadically since
my arrival) and ‘Man A’ and the middle aged woman went off. The girl stayed as
she'd previously been, just in front of me, slightly to my right. While speaking
to Frazer, a thick, permanent marker pen flew (in a mild arc) from out of my
view to the right and hit clothing stacked on shelves on the wall to my left.
(It came from a place on the site floor which was a 'blind spot' to me, being
hidden behind shelving and, I believe, a pillar). This happened around 15 to 20
feet in front of me, in plain view. As the pen fell to the floor immediately
below the racking, it attracted the attention of the girl who generally said
'what was that?' and upon turning and seeing the pen on the floor, went and
retrieved it. As soon as she picked up the pen, she went off to my right, out of
view. Still on the phone, I stepped forward slightly (looking to the right) and
saw that ‘Man A’ and the middle aged woman were doing something with some
clothing in a position where, by my estimate, the flying pen had originated. The
mild arc described by it's trajectory would have certainly put the pens 'launch'
point around this same place too.
Visited,
morning of Friday 19th January 2007
Visit due to having recently been approached in by member of site staff (‘Lady
F’) and told that things had been rather active at site recently.
From Tape:
Manager (‘Lady A’) and other staff member (‘Lady B’) present during visit. ‘Lady
A’ evidently firm believer in paranormal happenings, while ‘Lady B’ somewhat
'sceptical', but admits that stuff has gone on in site.
Lady B explains that she always thinks there is a rational explanation for
happenings. Says she would believe if stuff happened in front of her. Says that
if someone were faking these happenings, then they were 'sick'. Says that if she
found out there was a genuine poltergeist in place - then she would leave! Says
all in site are 'convinced' something is there. She says she always checks the
fitting rooms for some reason - always drawn to them. Sometimes curtains are all
closed, with no reason for it. Says she sometimes imagines she sees things out
of corner of eye in there.
6 different members in total on site. Young blonde staff member mentioned from
1st visit - ‘Lady C’. Normally never less than 3 staff in site during normal
day, but some off sick today.
Either ‘Lady B’ or ‘Lady A’ says they left a pen and paper in back for ghost to
communicate. Addressed ghost as 'Samantha', as man from church in xxxxxx came in
and said it was a teenage female ghost. ‘Lady A’ says they've had 3 vicars come
to site: C of E, Catholic and Born Again Christian. Said they've had crosses in
the site, gone round with bibles.
Saturday girl – ‘Lady E’ - called in her Hindu uncle. Activity so bad on
Saturday that ‘Lady E’ ran and phoned her dad. Her dad knows an Indian
spiritualist. He came to site and put prayers all round the place. (Had put red
peppers around their heads and prayed, etc).
Summary of activity:
Tubes (metal racking?) from one area thrown into other / Shoes / wellingtons
thrown / Brackets thrown.
Electricians on own in small staff room area and drill went flying off the side
with no one near it. Also screw-driver. / ‘Lady A’ seen things fly around
(cardigan hit her on the head). Mentions that things 'come across', but she
hasn't seen where they've come from(?) / Holes in ceiling mentioned and also the
fact that they've thrown things at ceiling to try and replicate effects
concerned. Mentioned that you had to 'have force' to do this. / 'Trail' on floor
mentioned / Mentioned that they went into site the other day - with ‘Man A’ -
and all of their red T-shirts were round the site / Nothing had happened on
previous day (18th Jan). someone says it could go on for a month like that /
Light bulbs from toilets thrown into main area. Normal round bulbs. / Suggested
(by someone) that it might be drawn to ‘Man A’, as stuff tends to happen when
he's around.
Also with ‘Lady A’ / phone found on top shelf in site area. Need ladders to get
it back down. Initially had to keep ringing phone to find out where it was. /
‘Lady A’ said site is never 'let' for long. / J. said you can be walking along
past shelves in site and objects will all fly out. Said this has happened to her
and she's run out of door screaming. /
Said she always checks in staff room, as table is sometimes upside down. Clock -
mentioned turned round sometimes on previous visit - is situated above staff
room door. / Door from site floor to back area slammed the other day, although
impossible. (Cannot slam it due to arm which restricts fast movement of door).
‘Lady F’ claims she was 'locked out' when this happened. / Movement of boots
terrible. / Pigeon hole from wall recently came down and smashed with the force.
Contents all over floor. No one by it at time. (‘Lady B’ muses whether it could
have already been hanging off the unit it had been on, etc?)
‘Lady A’ says that it takes three of them to move one of the pigeon hole units.
/ Phone rings a lot, with no one on the other end. Gets on nerves. Fax also goes
without anything on it. / Tried to get lottery numbers by noting sizes of things
ghost threw; size x shoes and size x pumps. It didn't work / left bucket with
ABC's in it to spell out what it wants / Man (?) visiting said he could get
spirits to go into staff and then back out again!!! / Said they wanted to get
Derek Akorah in!! / When ‘Man A’ left video camera running previously, he had
placed it on a shelf (possibly head height) in rear area. It picked up something
waving in front of lens and crackling sound. / Mischievous - never harmed
anyone. Always missed people with things thrown. / Woman came into site the
other day and said that there was a girl present. Said girl had been run over by
a train. She is angry. / Man (?) also said it was a teenage girl. / J having
hair cut in staff room (by ‘Man A’) and 2 objects flew across room (one, a
bottle of pop). / Objects found inserted between clothing in store. Customers
found objects and ‘Lady B’ says she covers happenings up by saying 'Ooh,
blooming kids again!', or some such. / Badges thrown all over place - placed in
pockets of clothing, etc. / Car keys removed from J's bag and put into
assistants bag. Assistant gets home and has to phone back to say that she's got
keys and then has to return them (on bus). / ‘Lady A’ said that afternoons -
3.30 to 4 pm - was the time that stuff started to get worse, activity-wise / The
word 'murderer' and the name '‘Lady B’' had been typed onto the screen of a till
at the counter of the site at one point. (Keyboard attached) /
‘Lady B’ washing hands in womens toilets and, as the steam from the water rose,
the word 'Boooo' appeared on the mirror on the wall immediately over the sink.
Said they thought that it had been written on the mirror in make-up (?) They go
to show me the writing and ‘Lady B’ says to keep the door closed to trap the
steam, but ‘Lady A’ says that you can read it without the steam now - and K says
that it was her steam that originally bought the lettering up.... I have a look
and the word Boooo is quite clearly written there, in a biscuit coloured
substance. (Make-up possibly?) I rub at the stuff and it does come off (spread
on surface of mirror as you rub it)... not quite greasy, but something once
viscous which has dried. The notion that this lettering was brought out by steam
seems quite impossible to me(?)
Suggested that I go and speak with the xxxxx in the locality as he has been
present when a metal display bracket has detached itself from the wall and flown
across the room. (J said he had physically seen it detach itself and fly. He did
not say that himself, but intimated he had seen it fly past his head). I do go
and speak to him later and he says that a bracket did fly past his head while he
was in there one day, standing talking with staff. All present standing together
- no one in direction from which it came. He advised me to speak to Asian
security chap, as he'd been there too and he had run off....
Mentioned that the ghost loves the corner of the site floor nearest *****s best
for throwing glass. (Intimated earlier that this was where he threw the light
bulbs from womens loo - always the womens). J. takes me over to the corner and
shows me remnants of glass that 'haven't been vacuumed yet.
J says glass that gets thrown into this area is unbelievable. Always over in
that area. Thrown at windows and breaks. She says it has made a hole in some
sun-protective paper that covers the windows with one projectile.
‘Lady A’ mentions that 'he' (the ghost) puts models (mannequins) in fitting
rooms. ‘Lady B’ had thought that it was a customer. A little into todays
interview, ‘Lady B’ goes into the changing rooms and discovers a mannequin
standing inside the first cubicle on the left hand side as you enter the
changing area
Says they always check changing area, as visiting spiritual type (?) mentioned
that it was always cold in that area: a cold spot. I ask J if it had been long
since they checked the changing rooms that morning - to when the mannequin was
just discovered - and her bemused answer implied that they probably hadn't been
in there that morning(?) Says that it could have been moved yesterday(!?!) J
takes me into changing room and explains how mirror is found to have been hung
up - upside down - in cubicle.
‘Lady A’ says she brought her son (a xxxxx) to the site one Sunday while they
were closed. He was strong sceptical type. As he opened the door between site
floor and rear area, a CD came flying across the room and just missed him. (No
one in main area at time). CD was under the counter previously. Son so scared
that he ran off and will not come back to store again.
Visited,
morning Monday 2nd February 2007
Visited site to get update on activity, only to be told that, literally, nothing
had happened since my previous visit on January 19th.
I didn't stay long, but, during a very brief conversation held with staff
members, I was told of a couple of incidents that hadn't been mentioned
previously:
‘Lady F’ and ‘Man A’ had been standing - side by side - both looking at the till
(nearest end of counter). A till receipt roll had suddenly dropped over their
shoulders from behind them. (Rolls usually kept under the counter).
‘Lady F’ said that a temp. staff member - student, or some such - had a
wellington boot thrown at him in the rear room. He said that he had watched a
football boot dance along the top of a shelf before falling off.
‘Lady A’ said she and ‘Man A’ had been stuck in the site one Saturday morning
because the electric supply in the site had failed and their roller shutters had
an electric motor. They claimed that they had both stood behind the counter -
huddled together in fear - as objects hurtled across the room from different
directions of the site floor. ‘Man A’ said that you couldn't get over one
incident before another thing happened.
Visited,
morning Monday 19th February 2007
Note* On previous visit on Feb 2nd, I was told that nothing had occurred since
my last visit on Jan. 19th.
Staff members ‘Man A’ and ‘Lady B’ present when I arrive. ‘Lady A’ comes into
the site around 40 minutes into my visit.
I entered the site and asked if activity had still been quiet recently. ‘Man A’
(Assistant Manager) said words to the effect: "You're joking, aren't you!"
I asked what had been happening since my last visit?:
Strip lighting tubes had been smashed on Saturday (17th). Light bulbs from
toilets have gone again. (Smashed against site floor windows or vanished. One
bulb has been hidden by ‘Lady A’, because she says that it would surely vanish
if it was left around unattended for any time). Bulbs (strip) have been smashed
in their sockets in front of people and ‘Lady A’ suggests that 'he' must have
thrown things at them to break them. ‘Lady A’ has a light bulb out of the
toilets that she needs to replace (which has been moved). Mugs have been
discovered (again) amongst the clothing in the site. Telephones and tills messed
with. (Tills haven't worked for weeks; files deleted from them, etc. Checked by
experts who haven't got a clue as to whats going on). Kitchen table either moved
or completely tipped over. ‘Man A’ mentions old Xxx's **** room below SITE XXXX
used to be site of activity too.
They tell me that a customer had recommended a particular medium to them -
xxxxxxx - and she had visited the site last week. (***** confidential *****)
‘Man A’ starts to say something about the racking at the rear of the site and,
as I go to turn to look down there, something 'thumps' onto the floor about 10
or so feet to my right. ‘Lady B’ (on my recording) says: "Oh, where's that come
from?....... It's ‘Lady A’s pop". A medium size, half filled plastic bottle of
coke has landed in the area between the right end of the counter and a nearby
rack of clothing. From the way it has landed, it has evidently come from the
direction of the counter - behind which ‘Man A’ is standing. (Note* I did not
see him or hear him throw the bottle concerned.) ‘Lady B’ and ‘Man A’ muse over
where the bottle had been initially left by ‘Lady A’ and it was either in the
staff quarters or under the counter. Neither ‘Lady B’ nor ‘Man A’ seem bothered
by the flying bottle and begin relating to me what the medium had said about
objects disappearing and reappearing, etc.
A woman (customer) had recently been into the site (Friday the 16th, they said)
who had rung the site directors because she said staff shouldn't have to work
under such circumstances. She had been in the site, when a cup or mug had
'exploded' near the air conditioning vent and the pieces of the mug were spread
across the bulk of the site floor. ‘Man A’ says it was like a light bulb
blowing; an explosion. It was a clean drinking mug, out of their staff room
cupboard.
(Probably) last Friday (16th), ‘Lady B’ had entered the site floor and as she
had walked into the site - around the area of the conditioning vent - a
smallish, spot light bulb fell and almost hit her from behind! (They emphasise
the fact that it wasn't the sort of bulb that usually gets thrown around). She
says that, before the bulb landed, she heard a small 'pop' sound - like a bulb
blowing or cork coming out of a bottle.
Myself and ‘Lady B’ go and check the spot lights along the line of the site
windows, while ‘Man A’ answers a phone call behind the counter. As we scrutinise
an empty spot socket - facing away from the counter - something strikes a metal
rack of fleece school clothing about four feet behind the counter. (On the
street side of the counter). Myself and ‘Lady B’ investigate and find the object
to be a metal bracket on which products are usually hung. (They litter the walls
/ pillars around the site).
‘Man A’ - still dealing with the phone call - goes into the rear area of the
site and, just as he goes through to that section, a 'clump' draws our attention
to that end of the site floor. As I look up, I see a pair of football boots
falling to the ground, having hit one of the pillars in the site. (Again, near
the conditioning vent. We investigate and I ask where they were situated
originally. ‘Lady B’ indicates to the top of a shelf unit about ten feet away
from the pillar - very near the entrance to the main site area. (‘Man A’ is
still in the rear area at this point and ‘Lady B’ goes in there to speak to
him).
At the entrance to the site area, she says that the medium mentioned a cold spot
being there. I check and it is indeed cold - but this probably has something to
do with the fact that it's the end of a corridor leading to an external door. (I
notice a piece of the windscreen type glass on the carpet,). We go back onto the
**** floor and ‘Lady B’ tells ‘Man A’ about the flying football boots, etc.
‘Lady B’ mentions that she thinks it's fond of ‘Man A’ - and probably ‘Lady A’ -
and he says that they had thought about this matter themselves, but things had
happened when they weren't in the site.
‘Man A’ goes onto the phone and ‘Lady B’ walks towards the changing room area. I
follow ‘Lady B’ and she begins to tell me something. As I get within about 8 or
so feet of her (she with her back to me), a knife flies past the left hand side
of my head - coming from the direction of the counter (and ‘Man A’) - missing me
by a matter of inches. (Blunt, eating style knife of solid metal. By weight
alone, it would have delivered a fair 'knock' if it had hit me!) The knife drops
- in a natural arc - and lands on the floor in front of me. I joke that someone
is 'trying to knife me'! I retrieve the knife and immediately find that it is
slightly warm on the blade
After saying that things always seem warm (?) ‘Lady B’ calls to ‘Man A’ and
informs him about the knife. ‘Man A’ comes across and I tell him that 'it almost
took the back of my head off' and that 'it was a good throw'!! (‘Man A’ later
says that a customer allegedly saw the knife come out of the air conditioning
vent on Saturday?!?)
Instantly, ‘Lady B’ is now showing me that a roll of sellotape has been partly
un-rolled and hung over the curtain bar of the first (left hand) cubicle and
stuck onto the curtain itself. ‘Man A’ says that this must have happened
Saturday(?) ‘Man A’ tells me that the sellotape has been used to make a web-like
effect in the site area, between racking, stopping people from getting through.
‘Lady B’ says that head office doesn't believe in the ghost theory, saying that
it could be someone playing tricks. (She says that if it is - then the people
are sick for upsetting others, etc).
‘Man A’ and ‘Lady B’ mention that one of the site staff were recently hit on the
back of the head by a shoe, knocking the womans glasses off. (‘Man A’ says he
thinks the shoe hit the ceiling first and then fell onto the woman). He said it
just shook her up and didn't actually hurt her. Dust had fell at this point.
‘Lady B’ says that she has also had dust fall on her too. (Said it was like
glitter). ‘Lady B’ says that they have dust all over the jumpers, etc, on top of
the shelves in the *site - but muses whether it might just be from the ceiling
‘Man A’ says he and ‘Lady B’ had been in the site and had heard ‘Lady A’ call
out. When they investigated, ‘Lady A’ said that a strip light bulb had ''come
towards her''. He intimated that the ghost had done something in the site to
catch their attention first. He went on to say that it frequently appeared to do
this: draw your attention to something and then do something - out of view -
somewhere else. Head office had asked if someone might be coming into the site
and doing things, but ‘Man A’ maintains that they've always been in a position
to know if someone was messing around or not.
‘Man A’ says they had a man come into the site and a knife had fallen at his
feet. He had told them and they told him what happened in the site and showed
him around. As they came out of the rear area, a football boot flew and hit him
in the back and his wife fled the site. (This happened about two weeks or two
months ago [indistinct on the tape]).
‘Lady A’ enters the site. We mention 'reduced impact' (concerning objects thrown
in poltergeist cases) and she montily asks me how I explain her assistants
glassed being knocked from her head when she was hit with a shoe / boot? (She
says she had a bump on her head!?) I mentioned wanting to see the effect of a
bulb hitting someone and they said that - within all of the bulb throwing
activity - this had never happened.
I ask ‘Lady A’ what has been happening recently an she says as soon as I walked
out last week, she came looking for me, as a pen was thrown across the site.
On Friday, some pigeon-hole shelving, full of pumps - usually against a wall in
the site area - was moved into the middle of the room floor. ‘Man A’ had called
her through to see(!) While she was in the back, a pigeon hole shelving on the
rear room / floor wall fell and smashed. ‘Man A’ said "Oh, whats that?" and they
came out of the to discover the damage.
All of the price / name labels were pulled off some xxx hanging on the shelving
unit (on the site floor) nearest the room door and they had to pin them all back
on. A light bulb was thrown around the same time. Large, heavy shelving unit (in
front of site door) found moved out of line by many feet and it took 4 people to
move it back (incl. security men).
Five pigeon hole units thrown (always on the back wall of the site). Smashed and
had to be put in the skip. Takes 4 or 5 people to lift P.H. shelving up. One
section of P.H. shelving found in changing room one morning still fully stocked
with stuff.
Girl from Head Office came and was sitting out the back and light in kitchen and
back(?) broke - and a football boot was thrown across her head. All boots now
put in their boxes because of this, except for the ones that flew earlier.
Elasticated travelling tie - those with a hook at each end used to secure
luggage on roof racks, etc - found stretched between racking in the site. (No
one knows where this came from. Not from site!) ‘Lady A’ puts it away and it
re-appears later.
Sellotape found stretched between racking in rear room - near exit to rear
courtyard. Across walk-way and has to be cut with scissors in order to get past
it! Liquid soap trail left around floor in front of site room racking with pumps
on it (‘Lady A’ checked racking itself when she mentioned this, indicating that
soap had also possibly gone onto the pumps or racking too?).
Fire extinguishers (foam) next to rear room door used to spray large rack loaded
with clothes! ‘Lady A’ says she had to wash each one down so it didn't stain.
Dripping with foam. (All of this within last week!)
Moves racking around and knocks rows of racking over like dominoes. (Tall,
racking loaded with items of clothing hanging up on coat hangers, etc).
‘Lady A’ says they want to get rid of ghost. Says you can go months without
stuff happening. Says you can feel when it is gone and when it comes back.
Saturday morning, you could feel he was not there.... but Saturday afternoon, he
certainly came back. She feels activity is worse when you speak about the
matter. (Backed up by ‘Man A’). They say it goes cold and you feel on edge.
‘Lady A’ says she wouldn't go in by herself this morning and had security go in
with her. ‘Man A’ mentions that the tubular, metal racking falls over without
your having heard it. Says that if you knocked it over, you would hear it, but
you just don't when 'ghost' does it.
Door slamming episode (with ‘Lady F’) mentioned again and ‘Man A’ says that the
door actually split the frame - knocking to other door through the wood too -
with the force that it slammed. It is physically impossible to slam these doors,
as the have a decelerator arm fastened to the top of them to stop such an
effect. I looked at the frame at the top and the wood was slightly split.
He says ‘Lady A’ has been into the ladies toilet - washed her hands - come out,
and the taps have seemingly turned themselves back on again.
I mention the Phelps Poltergeist case from 1850's America (to ‘Man A’) and the
fact that their 'ghost' made mannequins out of clothing, pillows, etc. ‘Man A’
repeats the story about the staff member retrieving a dummy from the skip
outside and bringing it into the site to possibly use themselves. (Happened last
year). He says the dummy was put in the site area, in case they needed it. Staff
member went into the rear area - screamed - and called them off the site floor.
The mannequin had been dressed and even had a false 'bust', made out of
packaging or some such. They tried to get the clothes back off it but they were
on that tight, they couldn't be moved. They put the mannequin out the back
because the staff member was freaked out and, when she came out for her lunch,
it was apparently standing just on the rear side of the main door!
‘Man A’ said that someone had left a pen and paper out the back and said to the
ghost that it should write something down. Apparently, something was allegedly
written on the pad - but only 'zig-zags' and you couldn't make out what it was
supposed to mean.
Visited,
morning Wednesday 21st February 2007
Maintenance man was replacing all of the blown strip lights and broken toilet
light bulbs, etc.
‘Lady B’ informs me that they had come into the site that morning to discover a
free standing rack of Xxx***s had seemingly been knocked over. (Situated roughly
between the two pillars nearest the windows that look out on xxx Street). Also,
a blue, plastic coat hanger had been hung over the lens of a security camera
fixed to the ceiling of the ****. (Cam situated almost against dividing wall
between *** and **** next door). The inference was that both of these incidents
had happened whilst the site was closed - possibly during the night for example
- while no one was in the site.
Taking a look at the coat hanger on the camera - I stretched up and found that
the lowest part of the hanger was still 1 to 2 feet above my hands. (Everyone
who works in the site are shorter than me and, therefore, should have had a
shorter reach). I would think that it was hard to place the hanger in this
position if someone were jumping up to try and reach and virtually impossible to
actually throw the hanger up into that position. I recall spotting a pair of
step ladders in the rear room the previous day; the ladders now being used by
the maintenance worker. Something akin to these would probably have to be used
to put the hanger into it's current position - and then, this couldn't have been
done without attracting attention if the site were still open.
‘Lady B’ mentions to me that, either after I had left on Monday, or sometime on
Tuesday, she had found a small, girl mannequin in a cubicle in the changing
rooms.
Visited,
morning Friday 23rd February 2007
(Two members of the WMGC - 11.30am to 3.30pm)
As we enter the site, ‘Lady A’ (manager) is gesturing to me in a fashion which
indicates that something is amiss. Two men are fixing the tills and ‘Lady A’'s
regional manager is also present. Staff in site - ‘Man A’ (assistant manager)
and ‘Lady F’. ‘Lady A’ later indicates that they didn't particularly want the
maintenance men to know about what went on there. Regional manager is sceptical,
but okay with proceedings.
A free standing rack of clothing was found to have been tipped over as staff
entered premises this morning. (23rd). The previous day, a glass bowl had been
thrown into the site - seemingly from the site - but didn't smash.
Within minutes of our entering the site, an energy saving bulb - from the ladies
toilet - is shattered against the *** Street window of the site. (Approx. 7 - 9
witnesses in area at time). ‘Man A’ gets hoover and quickly clears up. (Ironic
situation that ‘Lady A’ hadn't wanted maintenance men to see anything, yet, just
after, the bulb shatters with them present?)
While we are setting our equipment up, I ask ‘Man A’ for the knife (to use as a
trigger object) which skimmed my head on Feb. 19th. He looks, but cannot find it
in his normal place. We proceed without knife, but - while were still setting
kit up - the knife falls to the floor between shelving on the site floor (close
to dividing wall with neighbour site) and a football boot (one of those which
gets thrown around a lot, from shelving in front of site door) hit the site
door, landing just site side of doorway. (Handle of knife is mildly warm). ‘Lady
A’ and ‘Man A’ called us through to see, though we both heard boot impact from
our position in site. This occurs just prior to 12.39 pm.
I notice crucifix on wall of site room (which I cannot recall having seen
previously) and ‘Lady A’ says this was a visiting spiritualists idea. We are
told that 36 light bulbs were replaced on Wednesday (21st) in total.
2.28 pm - Myself Kev and ‘Lady A’ standing in the camera end of the site
corridor and a loud clatter comes from the site floor end. ‘Man A’ comes into
corridor in response to noise from site floor. He says he'd heard something near
door end of site that had caught his attention, followed by clatter from
corridor. A sizeable screwdriver has been thrown onto the top surface of a table
situated at the right hand side of the staff room door - directly in front of
site floor door - causing the sound heard. Screwdriver belongs to one of the
maintenance men working at counter. He had supposedly only just put it down on
the counter.
We borrow screwdriver and experiment with dropping / throwing it onto the table
to try and replicate the noise. A drop from a couple of feet above the table is
too quiet, while a slight throw from a position just in front of table is more
accurate. A slight throw from the doorway to the site floor (in front of the
table) is also possibly quite accurate.
Roughly 2.38pm: staff and maintenance men are standing around the counter area
chatting. (Myself and Kev in back of site). ‘Lady F’ and ‘Man A’ standing side
by side, with a maintenance man directly facing, conversing with, them. A red,
fleece top apparently flew up - from behind them - travelling right over their
heads. (Free standing rack containing such items situated directly behind them).
‘Man A’ says he felt the draught from it, but didn't know what it was. Kev asks
Man B what he saw and he says he didn't see the item take off, but just saw it
coming down over their head. (He immediately gets on the mobile phone to a
friend of his and tells them what has happened. He was very excitable at this
point).
Just prior to 2.49pm: pack-a-mac style coat noticed rolled up in it's carrying
pouch, hanging from it's (loop) carrying cord around the neck of one of the
mannequins in the **** window. Staff ask us if we've put it there and Kev says
that he noticed it hanging there earlier in the afternoon when we were seated
nearby. The coats concerned are situated - not rolled up - on a free standing
rack near the **** end of the counter.
We pack and leave premises just after 3pm.
Investigation equipment details:
*Thermometer probe hung from coat hanger over rack at site floor door end of
site corridor. (In an area roughly where visiting psychic indicated a cold
spot). The corridor is naturally cold, as it has a pair of double doors to an
outside courtyard at either end of it!)
*Kevs video cam set up in front of rear door to site area facing directly across
to site wall.
*Mannequin on high wall shelf directly in front of Kevs cam.
*Knife on pigeon hole top - next to my camera - on piece of paper (Ringed).
*Note - ‘Lady A’ accidentally moves knife in our presence at one point, but Kev
replaces it.
*My camera on P.H. - facing down corridor towards site door.
*6 coins (ringed) on paper, directly in front of Kevs camera on middle height,
site wall shelf. (Though out of view of K cam due to racking in way).
Walkie-talkie set on voice activated system at the side of the coins.
* spot bulb (ringed) on paper on head height site wall shelf little way into
corridor. (10 - 12 feet in front of my cam). Walkie on VAS next to it.
*1.43pm - pen and paper set up on stool in front of Kevs camera (though not in
view of) and request is voiced to room for 'something' to leave it's mark.
Note* No sign of any form of interference / activity regarding objects, etc,
during our visit.
Temp / Hum Readings: (Taken casually throughout visit period).
17.2 Temp / 53 Hum - 12.31pm
17.0 Temp / 53 Hum - 12.41pm
16.9 Temp / 63 Hum - 1.18pm
16.8 Temp / 63 Hum - 1.30pm
17.0 Temp / 62 Hum - 1.34pm
19.9 Temp / 62 Hum - 2.08pm
17.1 Temp / 64 Hum - 2.28pm
17.2 Temp / 63 Hum - 2.39pm
17.1 Temp / 63 Hum - 2.49pm
17.2 Temp / 63 Hum - 2.59pm
General /
history 'activity' related notes:
‘Lady F’ and ‘Man A’ said that the little girl mannequin had been found standing
in the kitchen, actually wearing ‘Lady F’'s coat, not too long ago. (Arms
through sleeves, etc). Group of people had seen the top part of a mannequin
head, 'bobbing along' over a shelf on site floor as it moved one day. (Some
while back, though).
The fire alarm had actually had its glass smashed and had been set off in the
site area once. (Staff didn't realise until fire dept. turned up).
‘Lady F’ says she was having her dinner in staff quarters once and someone
knocked the door to staff room ,as though they didn't want to disturb her. (As
staff sometimes did). No one came in, so she looked through door glass, but no
one was there.
Staff have heard people calling their names - but no one actually has done so
when they check.
Electrician came in to check box one day and said to staff member to 'watch out'
for cup of tea that had been left on floor in front of elec. Box. No one had
made a cup! (I asked if anyone had actually drunk it, and they said no).
Two pieces of toast had been made one day. No bread in building, except for some
slices brought in by staff member, but, upon checking, her bread was all there.
No one knows where 'extra' bread came from.
Milk bottle was marked with pen one day and placed inside a cardboard (shoe) box
and thrown into skip at rear of premises by ‘Man A’. As he came back from the
skip, the bottle concerned was seen to be standing on site floor behind staff
member awaiting his return! Box was fished out of skip, but found to have been
seemingly cut or ripped in two and the bottle removed. No glass milk bottles are
allowed in the site anymore because they keep getting smashed.
On the day of the 'Hindu Ceremony': The priest had come into the site in the
(Sunday) afternoon, but said that they would have to return at sundown to carry
out successful ritual, etc. As ‘Lady A’'s son opened the rear site / site floor
door a CD (From the site CD collection) flew from the empty room and narrowly
missed him. (He was the first in the line of people entering the site - thus was
first through the site floor door). Priest carries out prayers and, while doing
so, scissors knife, boots, pumps were thrown at them. Present at time: ‘Lady A’,
‘Man A’, ***, ‘Lady A’s son and his wife, Priest and Asian staff members dad
(who is the *** who suggested Hindu interaction). As the group were moving
through the sites, two pumps were thrown - one hitting priest and the other
hitting ‘Lady A’'s son. (Came from site floor).
Psychic who visited recently had fee paid by company, because matters were
deemed as having got very bad! Relief manager has flatly refused to enter
premises after being hit on back of head by boot recently. Girl from head office
- witness to mass of activity on recent Saturday - has refused to come back too.
Glass smashing incident concerning safety type glass - mentioned in previous
section - has occurred on two occasions.
‘Man A’ mentions that a 'black box' - something to do with the electrics of the
security camera system - had gone missing at one point and they've never been
able to find it. He says that the camera's would always go off when stuff was
going to happen anyway.
Bottles of bleach and cleaning fluid found to have been emptied out, with the
empty bottles always being found in the receptacle for sanitary towels in the
ladies toilet. Staff have been moaned at by those responsible for emptying the
receptacle for putting bottles in there.
‘Man A’ says a huge bottle of pop has been seen flying past staff in the staff
room. From ‘Man A’: Re. the time when visiting electricians were eating
sandwiches in staff room and saw their drill lift off work surface and fall to
floor; one of the electricians had a tool thrown at him and he swore that it had
come from ‘Lady A’.
Docu. Ends.
© West Midlands Ghost Club
