During 2005, the West Midlands Ghost club began undertaking a series of investigations on behalf of our good friend, Chris Campbell-Brown of the popular Burton Ghost Walk. On July 31st of that year, the group were duly asked to investigate an absolutely superb location, the ‘Brew House Theatre’, in the heart of Burton On Trent.
Formerly part of a nearby brewery – hence the name – local legend has it that the site is haunted by an unfortunate workman who was accidentally boiled to death in a large vat during the 1950’s.
While the provenance of this particular tale is somewhat questionable, it cannot be denied that Theatre staff frequently report experiencing inexplicable happenings. Nicknamed ‘Fred’ by cleaners, the resident ghost is constantly blamed for a variety of occurrences, including the sound of doors opening and closing; the noise of furniture being dragged around empty rooms; lifts operating by themselves and Auditorium lighting switching itself on of it’s own accord.
Theatre Technical Manager, Matt Bancroft, reports having had a number of strange experiences at the site. Alone in the building one night, Matt found himself openly telling ‘Fred’ off for interfering with some lighting equipment. As if in reply, he immediately heard a hefty blow hit the side of the Auditorium seating, the sound reverberating around the building! On another occasion, he was standing in a passage that leads to the actors dressing rooms when he saw a ‘grey figure’ passing across an area at the rear of the stage. Thinking it was the Theatre Manager – who often wore grey – he went to investigate….. only to find the area concerned totally deserted and the Manager seated in a distant part of the building.
As usual for a W.M.G.C investigation, our visit to the site passed quietly, with only a brief sequence of (10) ‘bumps’ – possibly a series of footsteps(?) - being reported by researchers carrying out a vigil in the Auditorium during the early hours of the morning.
For brief notes associated with our visit, see below:
INVESTIGATION REPORT: The Brew House Theatre – Union Street – Burton On Trent – East Staffordshire.
*Please Note: For the sake of brevity, ‘rough note form’ language / grammar has been used sporadically throughout this document.
Date Of Visit: 30th / 31st July 2005.
Duration Of Visit: Approx. 5 hours.
Time of Arrival: Approx. 10.00 p.m.
Present:
Investigative Team - 5 members of the W.M.G.C. Also, Brewhouse Technical Manager, Matt Bancroft, remained with team members for the duration of the visit.
[I]. Aims / Inv. Process:
General investigation of property, mainly focussing on sections of building noted as being of particular relevance / importance regarding the alleged paranormal history of the site. Investigation procedure incorporating:
1st person audio / visual observation.
(b) Static (area based) audio / visual recording, incorporating standard / night shot camera’s and digital audio recording equipment. Also wireless (radio) security camera.
(c) General temperature / humidity recording. (Incorporating ‘ambient’ devices).
(d) Trigger objects – listed below:
12” tall mannequin figure – positioned table in 1st floor, Corner Studio. Also, 4 coins – outlined on single sheet of white paper – placed on table top in same room.
[II]. Primary (1st Hand) Notes: Investigation Procedure, plus Findings, Experiences / Poss. Significant Events:
*11.00 p.m. – Vigils held in ‘Corner Studio’, ‘Drama Studio’ and ‘Auditorium’.
Corner Studio – Len Jackson and Darren Simpson. Len reports having heard 2 ‘clink’ and 2 ‘knock’ sounds from corridor area during session. Sounds not heard by Darren.
Drama Studio – Nick Duffy and Kevin Wallace. Session was severely hampered by a faulty – flashing - Emergency Exit sign (light) situated above one of the doorways to the room. Exceptionally disorientating.
Auditorium – Frazer Smith and Matt Bancroft. Frazer believes that he heard ‘movement sounds’(?) coming from upstairs corridor to right of Auditorium.
Vigils end: 11.30 p.m.
*12.00 a.m. – 3 video recording sessions begin. (All group members situated in Bar / Café area throughout sessions).
Camera 1 situated in Corner Studio filming in darkness utilising night-shot capacity.
Camera 2 situated on middle landing of Auditorium raised seating, facing back stage area. Filming carried out in full light.
Camera 3 situated in Drama Studio, with filming carried out in full light. (Cam. facing corner of room where figure allegedly seen).
Sessions end: 12.30 a.m.
*12.50 a.m. – Vigils held in ‘Corner Studio’ and ‘Auditorium’.
Auditorium – Kevin Wallace, Len Jackson and Darren Simpson. At 1.19 a.m. approximately 10 ‘bump / bang’ sounds in fairly quick succession from upstairs corridor to right of Auditorium. All present hear noises concerned, but cannot agree on whether they originated at stage end of corridor or foyer end(?) It is suggested that the sounds may have been a sequence of footsteps.
Corner Studio – Nick Duffy, Frazer Smith and Matt Bancroft. Frazer taken ill during this session necessitating a visit to the toilet for some time.
Vigils end: 1.20 a.m.
*1.40 a.m. – 3 video recording sessions begin. (Again, all group members situated in Bar / Café area throughout sessions).
Camera 1 situated in Dance Studio, filming in darkness in night-shot capacity.
Camera 2 situated in upstairs corridor (right of Auditorium) filming in full light, facing foyer end of building.
Camera 3 situated in Corner Studio, filming in full light.
Walkie-talkie set to ‘voice activated’ capacity left in Auditorium.
Sessions end: 2.10 a.m.
*NOTE – During the above period, Frazer Smith had to leave the building and return home because of illness.
*2.30 a.m. – 3 video recording sessions and a vigil begin.
Camera 1 situated in Corner Studio filming in full light.
Camera 2 recording in upstairs corridor (right of Auditorium) filming in full light, facing stage end of building.
Camera 3 recording in upstairs corridor (left of Auditorium) filming in night-shot capacity.
All investigators situated in Auditorium during the session. Kev Wallace and Matt Bancroft report having heard sounds of ‘movement’ from upstairs area at stage end of room. No one else heard sound. Fairly regular sounds detected from behind large, double doors in backstage area, some of which Matt identifies as noises made by metal roller-shutters (probably moving in wind) situated behind wooden doors. Also sound of water running or dripping emanating from same area. Nick Duffy checks outside – via main foyer – and finds that it is raining.
All sessions end: 3.00 a.m. At this point, group decides to call it a night and leave.
[III]. Secondary Notes: Audio / Visual Results.
None of the recordings made during our stay appear to hold any material that could be regarded as ‘paranormal’ in origin. A small number of anomalous (mainly solitary) clicks / taps / bangs were caught on some of the recordings concerned, but, after scrutiny, it is assumed that these noises were native to the building – i.e. sounds naturally occurring in the environment concerned, such as the floor settling, etc.
[IV]. General Findings / Conclusions.
While the building in question would (from anecdotal evidence) appear to be a fairly ‘active’ site, nothing of an obvious paranormal nature was detected during our stay.
Of the variety of sounds sporadically heard by group members during the visit, none could be specifically tied down to any one area, nor were they directly corroborated by audio / visual recordings. While remaining anomalous, the sounds could not be accepted – nor for that matter discounted – as being of blatantly preternatural nature.
Temperature readings monitored throughout the night showed that the stage area fluctuated by only .3 of a degree during the stay, while the Drama Studio (with one fixed, slightly open window) dropped by almost 2 degrees.
Regards to all,
The W.M. Ghost Club
Formerly part of a nearby brewery – hence the name – local legend has it that the site is haunted by an unfortunate workman who was accidentally boiled to death in a large vat during the 1950’s.
While the provenance of this particular tale is somewhat questionable, it cannot be denied that Theatre staff frequently report experiencing inexplicable happenings. Nicknamed ‘Fred’ by cleaners, the resident ghost is constantly blamed for a variety of occurrences, including the sound of doors opening and closing; the noise of furniture being dragged around empty rooms; lifts operating by themselves and Auditorium lighting switching itself on of it’s own accord.
Theatre Technical Manager, Matt Bancroft, reports having had a number of strange experiences at the site. Alone in the building one night, Matt found himself openly telling ‘Fred’ off for interfering with some lighting equipment. As if in reply, he immediately heard a hefty blow hit the side of the Auditorium seating, the sound reverberating around the building! On another occasion, he was standing in a passage that leads to the actors dressing rooms when he saw a ‘grey figure’ passing across an area at the rear of the stage. Thinking it was the Theatre Manager – who often wore grey – he went to investigate….. only to find the area concerned totally deserted and the Manager seated in a distant part of the building.
As usual for a W.M.G.C investigation, our visit to the site passed quietly, with only a brief sequence of (10) ‘bumps’ – possibly a series of footsteps(?) - being reported by researchers carrying out a vigil in the Auditorium during the early hours of the morning.
For brief notes associated with our visit, see below:
INVESTIGATION REPORT: The Brew House Theatre – Union Street – Burton On Trent – East Staffordshire.
*Please Note: For the sake of brevity, ‘rough note form’ language / grammar has been used sporadically throughout this document.
Date Of Visit: 30th / 31st July 2005.
Duration Of Visit: Approx. 5 hours.
Time of Arrival: Approx. 10.00 p.m.
Present:
Investigative Team - 5 members of the W.M.G.C. Also, Brewhouse Technical Manager, Matt Bancroft, remained with team members for the duration of the visit.
[I]. Aims / Inv. Process:
General investigation of property, mainly focussing on sections of building noted as being of particular relevance / importance regarding the alleged paranormal history of the site. Investigation procedure incorporating:
1st person audio / visual observation.
(b) Static (area based) audio / visual recording, incorporating standard / night shot camera’s and digital audio recording equipment. Also wireless (radio) security camera.
(c) General temperature / humidity recording. (Incorporating ‘ambient’ devices).
(d) Trigger objects – listed below:
12” tall mannequin figure – positioned table in 1st floor, Corner Studio. Also, 4 coins – outlined on single sheet of white paper – placed on table top in same room.
[II]. Primary (1st Hand) Notes: Investigation Procedure, plus Findings, Experiences / Poss. Significant Events:
*11.00 p.m. – Vigils held in ‘Corner Studio’, ‘Drama Studio’ and ‘Auditorium’.
Corner Studio – Len Jackson and Darren Simpson. Len reports having heard 2 ‘clink’ and 2 ‘knock’ sounds from corridor area during session. Sounds not heard by Darren.
Drama Studio – Nick Duffy and Kevin Wallace. Session was severely hampered by a faulty – flashing - Emergency Exit sign (light) situated above one of the doorways to the room. Exceptionally disorientating.
Auditorium – Frazer Smith and Matt Bancroft. Frazer believes that he heard ‘movement sounds’(?) coming from upstairs corridor to right of Auditorium.
Vigils end: 11.30 p.m.
*12.00 a.m. – 3 video recording sessions begin. (All group members situated in Bar / Café area throughout sessions).
Camera 1 situated in Corner Studio filming in darkness utilising night-shot capacity.
Camera 2 situated on middle landing of Auditorium raised seating, facing back stage area. Filming carried out in full light.
Camera 3 situated in Drama Studio, with filming carried out in full light. (Cam. facing corner of room where figure allegedly seen).
Sessions end: 12.30 a.m.
*12.50 a.m. – Vigils held in ‘Corner Studio’ and ‘Auditorium’.
Auditorium – Kevin Wallace, Len Jackson and Darren Simpson. At 1.19 a.m. approximately 10 ‘bump / bang’ sounds in fairly quick succession from upstairs corridor to right of Auditorium. All present hear noises concerned, but cannot agree on whether they originated at stage end of corridor or foyer end(?) It is suggested that the sounds may have been a sequence of footsteps.
Corner Studio – Nick Duffy, Frazer Smith and Matt Bancroft. Frazer taken ill during this session necessitating a visit to the toilet for some time.
Vigils end: 1.20 a.m.
*1.40 a.m. – 3 video recording sessions begin. (Again, all group members situated in Bar / Café area throughout sessions).
Camera 1 situated in Dance Studio, filming in darkness in night-shot capacity.
Camera 2 situated in upstairs corridor (right of Auditorium) filming in full light, facing foyer end of building.
Camera 3 situated in Corner Studio, filming in full light.
Walkie-talkie set to ‘voice activated’ capacity left in Auditorium.
Sessions end: 2.10 a.m.
*NOTE – During the above period, Frazer Smith had to leave the building and return home because of illness.
*2.30 a.m. – 3 video recording sessions and a vigil begin.
Camera 1 situated in Corner Studio filming in full light.
Camera 2 recording in upstairs corridor (right of Auditorium) filming in full light, facing stage end of building.
Camera 3 recording in upstairs corridor (left of Auditorium) filming in night-shot capacity.
All investigators situated in Auditorium during the session. Kev Wallace and Matt Bancroft report having heard sounds of ‘movement’ from upstairs area at stage end of room. No one else heard sound. Fairly regular sounds detected from behind large, double doors in backstage area, some of which Matt identifies as noises made by metal roller-shutters (probably moving in wind) situated behind wooden doors. Also sound of water running or dripping emanating from same area. Nick Duffy checks outside – via main foyer – and finds that it is raining.
All sessions end: 3.00 a.m. At this point, group decides to call it a night and leave.
[III]. Secondary Notes: Audio / Visual Results.
None of the recordings made during our stay appear to hold any material that could be regarded as ‘paranormal’ in origin. A small number of anomalous (mainly solitary) clicks / taps / bangs were caught on some of the recordings concerned, but, after scrutiny, it is assumed that these noises were native to the building – i.e. sounds naturally occurring in the environment concerned, such as the floor settling, etc.
[IV]. General Findings / Conclusions.
While the building in question would (from anecdotal evidence) appear to be a fairly ‘active’ site, nothing of an obvious paranormal nature was detected during our stay.
Of the variety of sounds sporadically heard by group members during the visit, none could be specifically tied down to any one area, nor were they directly corroborated by audio / visual recordings. While remaining anomalous, the sounds could not be accepted – nor for that matter discounted – as being of blatantly preternatural nature.
Temperature readings monitored throughout the night showed that the stage area fluctuated by only .3 of a degree during the stay, while the Drama Studio (with one fixed, slightly open window) dropped by almost 2 degrees.
Regards to all,
The W.M. Ghost Club
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