#Paranormal Wednesday - Pickwick Poltergeist

Photo courtesy of Google Maps

The “Pickwick Poltergeist” house in the Toxteth neighborhood in Liverpool, England is up for sale. The three-bedroom terraced house is currently for rent at £91 a week, and is said to be haunted by a violent ghost, known as the Pickwick poltergeist.

Significant paranormal activity situated around the house goes back as far as the 1800's. The poltergeist not only haunts this particular property, but various houses on the street. Decades of reports, accompanied by the often violent nature of the poltergeist, have been documented.

In one instance, a landlady was reportedly lifted out of her bed by an unseen force, while the house of her neighbor was shaken by violent vibrations. Other incidents include doors slamming and objects flying across the room. Tenants report "feeling uneasy" and that the house is constantly cold.

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I tried to find historical information on the area to see if something out of the ordinary had happened, which might explain the haunting. I couldn't find a specific event, but I was able to find Toxteth Park Cemetery's death records of people who lived on Pickwick Street from 1870 to 2000. There were a lot of deaths. It made me wonder if the "poltergeist" activity was a collective energy, or one death in particular. Here's what I found: 

Keep in mind, these are the deaths of people who lived at what is basically a 2 block area of terraced homes.

1870-1879 26 deaths

1880-1889 51 deaths  

1890-1899 54 deaths 

1900-1909 33 deaths 

1910-1919 44 deaths 

1920-1929 16 deaths

1930-1939 17 deaths

1940-1949 6 deaths 

1950-1959 7 deaths

1960-1969 2 deaths

1970-1979 3 deaths

1980-1989 1 death

1990-1999 1 death

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*Total: 261 deaths within a 130 year period

           109 of those were an infant or child

Of note: On Dombey Street, which is one street over (a similar 2 block stretch, and also worker housing at the time) there were 162 deaths during the same 130 year period. Significantly lower, and no reports of poltergeist activity on that street. Makes you wonder.

*The first death reported on Pickwick Street was on April 13, 1871. Catherine Newton was listed as a 56 year old "wife." Her husband, Thos Newton, died on February 10, 1880.

*The first death recorded at 62 Pickwick Street (the place up for sale) was on December 16, 1897. Eliza Ann Watts was 18 years old and listed as a "spinster." Her parents, Ellen and George, died at the same location in 1916 and 1926.

Frightening Friday - Hauntings: Old Newgate Copper Mine & Prison

Photo courtesy of  adwriter via Flickr

In East Granby, Connecticut, Old Newgate Prison was originally founded as a copper mine in the early 1700's. In 1773, it was converted into a prison to house Tories and Loyalists during the Revolutionary War and was later utilized for Confederate prisoners during the Civil War. During this time, the holding areas in the mines became known as "Hell," and the prisoners were employed as miners. In 1827, it was closed and the inmates were moved to another facility. It re-opened as a mine for about three decades before finally becoming inactive. At the beginning of the 20th century, it was officially designated as a National Historic Landmark. 

It doesn't come as a surprise that Newgate's history is riddled with fatalities and tragic events. In 1806, an altercation involving 30 men ended with the death of inmate Aaron Goomer. Another event occurred in 1823 and involved over 100 prisoners, two of whom were fatally shot by guards. Along with these altercations, were failed escape attempts. One of the most notorious happened in 1827, when a prisoner fell to his death while trying to escape by climbing up a rope that had been dangling in the well.

As with any location associated with tragic events and history, Newgate Prison has gained a reputation as a haunted spot. Over the years, there have been stories of spirits roaming the grounds and disembodied voices heard within the mine's tunnels. Screams have been reported coming from empty areas of the mine, a ghostly face was spotted in one of the rooms, and an apparition of a man climbing a rope above a shaft, have also been reported. Other stories include inexplicable cold spots, being touched when no one is there, and a general feeling of being watched. One visitor claimed he went into the mine and was shown around by a tour guide dressed in prison clothing. When he left the mine, he thanked one of the other employees for the tour, only to be told that they didn't have anyone working as a tour guide within the mine.

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Intrigued by this historical landmark?
It's one of many places to visit in East Granby, Connecticut.

Check out THE LEGACY OF BUCHANAN'S CROSSING by Rhea Rhodan for her take on the area.
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#Paranormal Wednesday-Black Hope Cemetery

Photo taken at City Cemetery in Raleigh, NC

The Black Hope Cemetery was a 19th century African-American burial ground located in Crosby, Texas. There were as many as 60 people buried there, including former slaves and those buried in pauper's graves. The last burial was recorded in 1939. The land was originally owned by the McKinney family. When slavery was abolished, the McKinney family allotted a portion of their land to their former slaves. An entire black community was built; including schools, churches, and a cemetery, until a fire demolished the area. Eventually, the land was sold to the Purcell Corporation for the purpose of building housing developments. One of the developments, the Newport subdivision, was built over the existing Black Hope Cemetery. 

In the early 1980s, Sam and Judith Haney were one of several couples who purchased homes in the Newport subdivision. When Sam decided to dig a swimming pool in his backyard, a local grave digger warned him that he was about to dig up human remains. Sam continued with the dig and unearthed two pine boxes. An official exhumation was conducted and revealed the remains of Betty and Charlie Thomas, who died during the 1930s. Most of the bones had turned to powder, save for some fragments. Two wedding rings were all that remained.

The remains were reburied but the dead would not rest. The Haney's sliding door would open and close as if someone was there, unplugged clock radios would turn on in the middle of the night, and shoes would vanish and turn up inexplicably beside Betty and Charlie's old grave site. The Haney's weren't the only ones experiencing unexplained phenomena. A dozen of their neighbors reported pockets of ice-cold air, strange lights, televisions and water faucets turning on and off, toilets flushing on their own, unearthly sounds, disembodied conversations, and shadows and supernatural apparitions. One of the neighbors, Ben and Jean Williams, reported that sinkholes would appear in the unmistakable shape of coffins near their flowerbeds. They would fill them in, only to have them reappear a few days later. Jean, a long-time gardener, couldn't get anything new to grow on the property.

The Haneys attempted to sue the developers for not disclosing their home was built over a cemetery. They were awarded $142,000 for mental anguish, but a reversal ruled that the developers were not liable. The developers claimed there was no proof that the cemetery existed. The verdict was thrown out and the Haneys were ordered to pay $50,000 in court costs. The Haneys moved, filing bankruptcy. Other residents attempted to sue and were awarded a large cash settlement by a jury, but the judge set aside the decision and none of the residents of the Newport subdivision received any money as compensation.

The cemetery and many of the bodies are still located beneath the Newport subdivision today.

Read more about Sam and Judith Haney's experience in:  The Black Hope Horror: A True Story of a Haunting

#Paranormal Wednesday-Lighthouse Hauntings

When I decided to research haunted lighthouses there were literally hundreds. I came across two theories as to why this might be. Since lighthouses are surrounded by water, and water is considered a conduit, some felt this trapped a spirit. Others felt that spirits could become trapped due to the proximity and solitude of these areas. What stood out for me (and made more sense) were the number of tragic and violent deaths connected with these hauntings.  The stories were both fascinating and sad. Many of these places no longer serve as lighthouses but have been converted to bed and breakfasts, become historical landmarks or have been abandoned. If you're planning on a vacation, you may want to check these out.

Photo courtesy of L'Aquatique

Barnegat Lighthouse, Barnegat, New Jersey
A man and his wife are said to haunt this lighthouse. In the 1800s the couple was visiting a ship just off the coast when a huge storm struck. The ship was evacuated, including their infant daughter, but for some reason the husband and wife chose to stay and they both froze to death.  It is said that if one is walking a baby in a stroller, the ghosts will appear, compliment them on the baby, and then disappear again.

Big Bay Point Lighthouse, Lake Superior, Michigan
This lighthouse is said to be haunted by its first keeper, H. William Prior. Despondent over the death of his son, Prior went into the woods with a shotgun and a bottle of strychnine, apparently intent on committing suicide. A search party was sent out but he was never found. Over a year later, the skeleton of his body was discovered hanging in a tree. His ghost is said to haunt the property by slamming doors and moving objects. The Big Bay Point Lighthouse is now a bed and breakfast.

Public domain photo

Bird Island Light, Sippican Harbor, Massachusetts

William Moore was the first keeper of this lighthouse. There were two rumors associated with William: he was either a convicted pirate serving his sentence or he had stolen money from the U.S Army during the War of 1812. Regardless, William was known for his bad temper and for being abusive towards his wife. In 1832, he called shore for help and they found her, dead. He claimed she had died of tuberculosis but many felt he had murdered her. Though her grave site was never found, it is believed that William buried her on the property before he fled the area to avoid further investigation. Many claim to see her ghost--weeping and with her hands outstretched in supplication. 

Photo courtesy of Padraic Ryan

Gibraltar Point Lighthouse, Toronto Island, Canada

J.P. Radan Muller, a whiskey bootlegger, was the first keeper of this lighthouse. He was murdered in 1815 by Fort York soldiers who were in search of whiskey. The drunken soldiers threw him off the top of the lighthouse, chopped his body into pieces, and then buried his remains across the island. His body, or pieces thereof, was never "officially" found. In 1904 a jawbone was discovered and reburied but was never identified as Muller's. Strange phenomena have been reported including lights in the windows, a shadowy figure of a man drifting across the sand, bloodstains on the stair case, and moaning and dragging sounds. 

Photo courtesy of HISE Studios

Heceta Head Lighthouse, Florence, Oregon

This lighthouse is said to be haunted by a woman named Rue--reportedly the mother of a baby whose grave was found on the property. Her ghost is said to move objects, steal rat poison, open cupboards (and once) sweep broken glass into a neat pile. Some say they've seen an elderly woman looking down at them from the attic window. 

Photo courtesy of Ebyabe

Old Port Boca Grande Lighthouse, Gasparilla Island, Gulf of Mexico, Florida

Reportedly haunted by two ghosts, the first is the spirit of a child who died of diphtheria or whooping cough. She can be heard playing in one of the rooms on the upper floor. The second ghost is that of a Spanish princess named Useppa (some legends report her as Josefa de Mayorga). Useppa rejected the love of José Gaspar, a Spanish pirate. Legend says that he beheaded her for rejecting him and carried his beloved's head forever. It is said that the headless ghost can be seen wandering the shores. The lighthouse is now a museum.

Photo courtesy Mark

Point Lookout Light, Chesapeake Bay, Maryland

Said to be America's most haunted lighthouse, Point Lookout Light was established as a prison camp during the Civil War. The place soon became overcrowded--a breeding ground for disease and death. Strange noises, disembodied voices and figures have been seen standing at the top of the stairway and in the basement. Some have encountered a woman in period clothing; asking for help to find the grave of her loved one. The apparitions of Union and Confederate soldiers have been seen, though the graves located on the property were moved many years ago. 

Photo courtesy of US Coast Guard

Seguin Island Lighthouse, Georgetown, Maine

Seguin Island Lighthouse is said to be haunted by the wife of the first lighthouse keeper. The keeper had his young bride's piano moved to the lighthouse to stave off her loneliness and depression. Unfortunately, it was delivered with only one sheet of piano music. The wife would play the piece over and over again, even after her husband sent for more sheet music. Her husband was reportedly driven insane and destroyed the piano, his wife, and himself with an axe. Some report that they can still hear her piano music drifting across the ocean. 

Photo courtesy of Paul Brennan

St. Augustine Lighthouse, St. Augustine, Florida

In 1859, the original keeper fell to his death while painting the lighthouse. In the 1873, three young girls--a servant and two daughters of the superintendent of Lighthouse Construction--drowned in a tragic accident. Voices and footsteps of the girls can be heard. Tenants report seeing a young girl dressed in old-fashioned clothing who appears and then disappears. A large, dark male figure has been seen in the basement, where a former caretaker reportedly hung himself. 

Photo courtesy of Andy Stephenson

Point of Ayre Lighthouse, Talacre, Wales, U.K.

A figure of a man in work clothes has been seen on the lighthouse balcony. Dogs have refused to go near the lighthouse for no apparent explanation. Paranormal investigators report unusual sounds, laughter and large footprints on the beach. When one group followed the footprints to the lighthouse, a loud bang was heard and a dark figure shone a light in their faces. The investigators report that the figure and footsteps both disappeared soon after. 

Only accessible at low tide, it was sold in 2012 for the price of  £90,000 and is listed as a Grade 2 building.