Thursday 28 July 2011

Edited Version of Main Website Update for November 2008.

Return Visit:

On July the 18th, club members paid a long overdue, re-visit to one of their favourite sites: ‘Richards Mansion House’.

As frequently occurs with W.M.G.C. investigations, the night passed quietly enough, with regards to potential, paranormal happenings, though – in other quarters – proved, shall we say, highly interesting…!

Early on in the visit, 3 group members (who shall remain nameless) came close to losing ‘life and limb’ in a ‘mad charge’ involving a heard of menacing cattle! After the initial ‘engagement’, our bovine aggressors clearly made a determined effort to ‘maintain a somewhat threatening presence’ – eyeing us cagily over a flimsy wire fence - giving rise to speculation concerning malign, supernatural forces possibly being at work…..!?!?

On an even less savoury note, the group later found themselves exposed to an outdated and most macabre aspect of country-lore: the act of ‘mole hanging’.

Far from being an obscure Monty Python sketch, this horrible practice entails displaying the corpses of deceased moles – usually suspended from barbed wire by their noses – as a means to display the prowess of the mole catcher involved. While the W.M.G.C. is all for embracing tradition, this is certainly an activity that desperately needs resigning to the deepest ‘past practices’ vault!!!!

North Staffs. Visit:

August the 24th saw group members attend a ‘charity ghost hunt’ – in aid of the Laura Crane Trust – at Alton Towers in Staffordshire. Also in attendance was our ‘old mate’ Wayne from the Black Country Paranormal Society.

While no obvious paranormal activity was experienced during the stay – apart from information proffered by the organisers psychic and investigative team – a thoroughly enjoyable night was evidently had by all who attended.

The highlight of the night for W.M.G.C. members was a considerable ‘free-roam’ period, in which the opportunity was given to attendees for exploration of the substantial and impressive ruins unaccompanied. ‘Staged’ events during the visit were also immensely diverting, with entertaining input from two psychics, as well as the presence of a former ‘Most Haunted’ film crew.

W.M.G.C. members would like to extend our most sincere thanks to Pam Thornes and Sarah Jane for so kindly inviting us to attend this superb event.

Details of the Laura Crane Trust can be found at www.lauracranetrust.org and we beg visitors to this site to please take their time to check out this most worthy concern…..

Messin’ About On The Water:

On Friday the 5th of September, group members conducted an investigation of the famous Dudley Canal / Cavern system. Also in attendance were our mates Wayne and Heidi from the Black Country Paranormal Society. The event was organised by John Conway.

For decades now, stories of ghostly happenings have circulated in connection with this canal system. In more recent years, the site has featured on a number of television programmes, with one of the more famous features as a result of interest from the popular, ‘Most Haunted’ show.

On Oct. 31st, 2001, W.M. Ghost Club members attended one of the first ‘ghost related’ boat excursions into the historic system. Of late, such supernatural themed events have become highly popular and are now held quite regularly by the Dudley Canal Trust.

As with all recent excursions, the event was thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended. As well as our friends from the B.C.P.S., the visit was also graced by the presence of Tim and John, actors and organisers of the Halloween related boat tours.

The W.M.G.C. would like to say a big ‘thank you’ to Dudley Canal Trust for so kindly allowing us access to the tunnels. Special thanks go to our Skipper for the night, Bob, and his second-in-command ‘Spider’!!

Because The Lady Loves…:

On September the 13th, three club members paid an overdue visit to a picturesque Shropshire village in search of a legendary ‘grey lady’ ghost who allegedly haunts the locality.

The aforementioned apparition has been associated with this particular area for well over a century. Certain sources maintain that her presence is still felt in the region, despite the demolition of her usual ‘stomping ground’ – the local manor house – just prior to the middle of the last century. As well as being witnessed inside the Hall itself, her ghost has allegedly been seen walking the village, much of which was formerly incorporated into the grounds of this long vanished structure…..

Convivial company in a lovely setting has always been one of the key bonuses in this field!!

Ridin', Ridin', Ridin'....:

September the 26th saw group members investigating an allegedly haunted stables complex in Warwickshire.

Over the past two decades, numerous ghostly happenings have been witnessed in most sections of the site concerned. Poltergeist-like activity has allegedly been experienced by managers and staff at the centre, along with reports of numerous apparitions and shadowy figures reported by people visiting the site.

Of the latter, one particular figure – described as resembling ‘Zack Dingle’ from the T.V. show ‘Emmerdale’ – stands out as the most startling….

He has supposedly been seen on numerous occasions – frequently by groups of people at the same time – seemingly ‘loitering’ around one specific corner of the stable yard. When challenged by witnesses, this figure has been seen to vanish over a nearby ‘muck heap’ or or making off along one edge of a paddock before disappearing…..

During our initial recce. of the site, Steve Chew reported seeing ‘something move’ in the general area indicated in the above experiences. At a later point in the night, Steve took a photograph of the area concerned. Of passing interest was the fact that the resulting image was rather blurred; the first (and so far only) blurred picture ever taken with this particular camera. The second, more intriguing, feature of the image is the ‘figure’ to be seen standing in the right-hand corner of the shot obtained….?

Only 4 people were present in the area at this point in time, 2 inside a distant building and – as well as Steve – one other standing (out of shot), in the process of setting up in a video recording session….

W.M.G.C. thanks go out Debbie and her staff for kindly inviting us to investigate their most intriguing site…..

‘Rambling’ On!!:

On October the 11th, intrepid group members conducted a night-time visit / investigation of certain – allegedly haunted - sections of Sutton Park.

Of particular interest to group members was an area of the park surrounding the site of Rowtons Well, where numerous witnesses claim to have seen a phantom horseman in period costume. The well itself is allegedly an ancient site, the waters of which are invested with healing properties.

In another section of the park the club checked out a spot where – during the 1950’s – a lone cyclist saw a white, robed figure float across a road in front of him and vanish into thin air.

Also visited was Blackroot Pool, where certain ‘sensitive’ types have allegedly detected a distraught man in Victorian or Edwardian costume who exudes a negative and disturbing feeling….!!!

Halloween Investigation:

On Halloween night 2008, members of the W.M.G.C. carried out an investigation into alleged ghostly happenings at the Tamworth Assembly Rooms. The investigation was arranged by John Conway.

Serving as the key entertainment venue for the area, the grade II listed Assembly Rooms have served as the premier, live music venue for the South Staffordshire area for a number of decades. Having played host to such bands as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones over the years, the history of this impressive building is littered with a plethora of intriguing and potentially spooky happenings……

A truly superb – and fascinating - night was had by all who attended. W.M.G.C. thanks go to the Assembly Rooms management for kindly granting us the opportunity to visit them. Also, an especially big ‘Cheers’ to Jock – our host for the night – for all of his unerring help and hospitality throughout the visit.

Media Watch:

*August 14th – ‘Sunday Mercury’ newspaper carries an article concerning W.M.G.C. interest in peculiar happenings on Cannock Chase.

*September edition of the newly re-launched ‘Paranormal Magazine’ carries a brief mention of the W.M.G.C. in their group listings.

*September the 1st – ‘Black Country Evening Mail’ carries an article on W.M.G.C. interest in the Dudley Canal system.

*September the 3rd – ‘Dudley News’ carries an article on W.M.G.C. interest in the Dudley Canal system.

*September 4th – John Conway appears on the Ed Doolan Show on BBC Radio W.M. talking about the W.M.G.C. and related interest.

*October 21st – The Sandwell and Walsall editions of the Express and Star published articles on the W.M.G.C.’s interest in a notorious (Victorian) murder and related haunting in the Coombeswood area of Blackheath.

*October 23rd and November 6th – The Tamworth Times runs two articles concerning the W.M.G.C. investigation of Tamworth Assembly Rooms on Halloween night. The Tamworth Herald also ran a similar article on November the 6th.

*November the 5th – The Shropshire Star newspaper ran an article on the groups interest in reported hauntings in that county.

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