I have often heard researchers speak of ‘malevolent spirits’, evil beings who haunt in order to put fear into people. I had often heard about Poltergeists – many experiences involving these hauntings are well documented – I only experienced one such experience during the series, it took place in an old farm house in Buckinghamshire.
Poltergeist is a German word which means ‘ghosts that move things’, they manifest themselves with noise and movement – many of which are violent and dangerous to humans.
There are recorded incidences of serious harm done to people – young girls in their early teens often become the target- some even believe there is a marked incidence of poltergeist activity triggered by the influence of young girls, although this has never actually been proven.
The incident that I became involved with was complex and varied from visit to visit, I came away from it confused and just a little frightened – a lot of what I witnessed would have made a Hollywood producer give up the bottle.
The farm house stood on a small hill deep in the Bucks countryside. Surrounded by trees, the house, barn and cattle sheds looked, to all outward appearance, picture book; something out of a Constable panting. The house had been built in the late 1800’s, slightly modified over the years as modern farming methods required, other than that, it was a beautiful setting, the early autumn colours among the trees blending with the scene.
I drove up to the building and was greeted by the black and white collie that had been laying in the shade under the horse chestnut tree sheltering the houses east side. The farmer’s wife walked out to greet me and showed me into the large kitchen, on the other side of the copious hall festooned with hanging coats and rubber boots – a typical farm entrance. The wonderful smell of fresh baked scones greeted me.
“On your own?” She asked.
I replied that the photographer was on her way and would join us in half an hour – she was at another assignment. I had wanted to get the story first.
Mrs Giles (not her real name) told me that her husband was ploughing and would be back about the same time –while we waited she told me about the ‘haunting.’ The family consisted of farmer, wife and three children – two boys aged 8 and 10 and a daughter aged 14; all three were at school and would not be back until 4 pm.
The hauntings started about 18 months previous; nothing much at first, but little things that could not be easily explained –a light bulb laying on the kitchen table that had fallen from the overhead socket –it had not broken yet had fallen five feet on to a hard wooden table! Then doors and cupboard doors had opened on their own – once, recently, while she had watched; she was alone in her house at the time.
Things from the farm had appeared in the kitchen during the night – when all doors and windows were closed!
On another recent event Mrs Giles and her husband had awoken in the morning to find their bed on the other side of the room – they had slept soundly and neither heard nor felt anything.
Their daughter had refused to sleep in her own room for over a week, saying she heard noises at night, and her things were moving on their own accord – as she watched. She woke up one morning to find everything from her draw scattered around the floor. She had felt someone sit on her bed while she lay in it – with the light on!
The last straw came when she woke at 2 am to find her radio on playing music and to see her piggy bank – a china pig –dancing, apparently, to the music,
The boys had also seen and heard strange things – they had found all the personal things they owned swapped into each other’s cupboards - while they slept.
The list of things appeared endless.
The event that persuaded them to contact the newspaper happened several days ago – the daughter awoke one morning to find herself suspended three feet off the bed – still covered with her quilt; her head still resting on the pillow-terrified she fell to the floor and ran screaming to her mother’s room; when mother and father entered her room the pillow was still, three feet above the bed, the quilt had fallen off when the daughter fell out. When the father grabbed the pillow he was forced to use all his strength to pull it from where it rested – apparently ‘in thin air’!
We were shown the room and took several pictures around the house. Penny volunteered to spend a night in the room IF I would stay in and arm chair outside the door – which had to be kept open- with the lights on! What followed was a nightmare.
After a meal with the family –followed by a few glasses of wine, we made our way apprehensively up the stairs. A light arm chair had been placed outside the door of the daughter’s room, and with the bedside table lamp on, and myself seated in the well-lit hall – Penny climbed onto the bed –almost immediately she jumped out and ran to me – “Something kicked me, hard on the back!” She screamed.
The whole family now had joined us on the landing and we headed down the stairs-as we were halfway down the daughter’s bedroom door slammed shut so hard that it shattered the hall window.
I followed Penny’s car and saw her safely home before returning to my apartment. The next day I returned to the farm. The Gilese’s decided to get the house exorcised, however, the local vicar declined to help and they had to seek the assistance of a Catholic priest in London – the exorcism was successful and I was glad to visit the farm a week later to find all had become quiet and peaceful.
I had, however, experienced first-hand the relationship between young girls and the Poltergeist effect – though several people I have spoken to since then have expressed doubts.
I had several Poltergeist experiences and in the course of the many years I spent as a reporter, I found many more – speaking to a number of people who were involved in the supernatural; who had experienced some pretty startling – and scary events
Poltergeists are something I will happily leave to others far more knowledgeable than myself-when it comes to the Supernatural.
I was beginning to feel a trifle ‘out of my depth’ in this ‘ghost’ business – fortunately there are many people out there better qualified and eager to help – I had to call on the assistance of several ‘Ghost Hunters’.
The Layovers
Ricky C Allen Jr